Chapter 6: Finding Information
What are the advantages and disadvantages of using a recorder in an interview?
Advantages: You get a permanent record of what the person actually said—you need not worry about forgetting key points or misquoting the source. Disadvantages: There is the danger of mechanical malfunction, and you have to spend a lot of time afterwards analyzing and transcribing information from the tape.
Why should most of your research be done before you call someone for an interview?
Doing research in advance will enable you to ask intelligent questions during the interview, get clarification of confusing issues, and find information that you couldn't find in library research
What steps should you take after an interview is completed?
Expand your notes while the interview is fresh in your mind and then evaluate them to see if you need additional help.
What is interlibrary loan and how can it help you?
Interlibrary loan permits a library to order books and photocopies of magazine articles from other libraries. If you can't get a book or magazine article in your own library, you might be able to order it through interlibrary loan.
In your research, why should you take more notes than you probably will need?
It is better to have too much raw material than not enough. You can disregard what is not needed.
What role should your specific purpose statement play in the research stage of preparation?
It should be written before research is begun, and it should help you stay focused on precisely what you are searching for.
In what ways are traditional library resources superior to websites?
Relatively few reference works, books, and specialized magazines are easily available on websites. Library resources give greater depth and elaboration than one can usually find on the Internet
Which Internet search option returns results in order of relevance, with the most relevant at the top?
Search Engine
Which Internet search option begins with broad subject areas that are subdivided into smaller categories?
Subject directory
Which kinds of blogs are most useful to a researcher?
The most useful blogs are those that give the latest news in a particular field and provide links to other sources.
