Chapter 6: Literature Review
Susan Vernon Gerstenfeld
How to Find Resources
It used to be that the first thing one did in a library was to go to the card catalog to see what books were relevant. Now we use computer searches for browsing through collections.
In addition, we use the Internet, but there are special problems associated with its use that we have to consider. We cannot assume that everything that is on the Internet reflects truth. Unless the Internet is simply used to order refereed material, there is no guarantee of the veracity of what is offered. Moreover, there is no guarantee that information that is at a particular site currently will be there in the future and be accessible to a reader checking our references. Therefore, material taken from Internet sources should be used with extreme caution.
Indices can be very useful. Many are found in hard copy in libraries and are organized by discipline: social science index, business periodicals index, etc. Many of these indices use the library of congress subject headings for generating search vocabulary.
One should not forget that libraries also contain, bibliographies, guides to microfiche and microfilms in print as well as much of the microfiche itself. In the library, users will find almanacs, annual reports, annotated guides, transactions' proceedings, directories and a host of other reference materials such as data bases, government publications, international publications and their indices.
Ask the reference librarian for help.
Students should consider that it is virtually inevitable that they will have to use consortium libraries for getting access to some of the materials for the literature review and some of them will have to go out of Worcester for information. Various libraries not to be forgotten, in addition to WPI's and those of the consortium are- the Worcester Public Library, the Worcester Law Library, Boston University Library, the library at Boston College, and MIT's libraries, to name only a few.
Locate the proper section or sections in the library and browse. It is amazing what can be uncovered by systematically browsing through the stacks of current and past issues of journals. Browsing in the stacks will never be eliminated completely by computer searches, which are, nevertheless, extremely important. Develop a sense of topic by the title of the journal, then by the title of the articles. Next scan the section heads, then read for diverse points of view.
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