exercise 2 - frazza
EN 102 Library Research Skills Component Name _____________________
Exercise 2 - Gathering Information - Reference Works
Section ________
IDENTIFY THE GENERAL SUBJECT/TOPIC OF YOUR RESEARCH ___________________________________
When beginning a library research project, the reference collection can be a good place to get an overview of your topic. If you think you cannot find a reference work relevant to your topic, ask a reference librarian for help. General encyclopedias are not acceptable for this exercise.
Consult the handout "How to Select a Book" and select a specialized encyclopedia on your topic by browsing the reference collection.
1. Citation. Using the format outlined in your style guide (e.g., MLA), write down the full bibliographic citation for the reference work you have selected. Elements of this citation include
- author (if there are more than three authors use “et al”. See Hacker, page 380).
- title (use complete title, including subtitle)
- editors (see Hacker, page 382)
- edition (if work is anything but a first edition). See Hacker, page 384.
- number of volumes (if more than one)
- place of publication (use first listed if there is more than one)
- publisher (if a university press, abbreviate UP, as in Oxford UP)
- year of publication
See section 5.6.8 of the MLA Handbook (6th ed). Here is a sample citation:
Iaccone, Claudio and Francesca Meryx. “Stress in Titanium Tubing”. The Encyclopedia of Structural Engineering. Ed. Frieda Pillen. 3rd ed. 12 vols. Monroe, WA: Cologno Press, 2007.
2. Write down the call number (include prefix) of the reference work you selected.
______________________________________________________________________________________________
3. Authorship.
Does each entry or section, as opposed to the entire work, have an author identified? Yes No
For any authors identified (for the entire work or individual sections), is biographical information or organizational/institutional affiliation listed? (check the table of contents for "contributors"). If so, list the page number(s) or place where the information is located (dust jacket, back cover, etc.)
| Yes | No | Page number(s) _____________ |
4. Documentation.
Are there bibliographic references? Yes No
If yes, are there references- At the end of each entry or section? Yes No
- At the back of the book or in the final volume? Yes No
5. Critical Evaluation.
Evaluate the work - what features or aspects of the reference work make it valuable for your research? - OR -
Why isn't this reference work useful to you? Be specific.
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