chapter 7 gathering materials

1. The Purpose and Methods of Gathering Materials
  • Core Objective: Effectively collect information for diverse projects such as speeches, academic papers, or personal interests (e.g., travel planning).
  • Example Application: Planning a trip to Amsterdam requires specific data points:
    • Major Sites: Historical landmarks and museums.
    • Costs: Budgeting for accommodation and entrance fees.
    • Logistics: Discovering hostel locations and mastering public transport systems.
  • Information Gathering Framework:
    • Conversations: Gaining qualitative insights from individuals with relevant experience.
    • Guidebooks: Utilizing professionally curated travel resources for structured facts.
    • Internet Research: Accessing real-time updates and digital communities.
    • Personal Experience: Drawing on prior knowledge, such as previous travels to similar regions.
2. Sources of Information
2.1 Personal Knowledge and Experience
  • Significance: Personal expertise (e.g., in hobbies, work, or volunteering) adds credibility and human interest to a topic.
  • Educational Value: Speakers/writers are encouraged to select topics they are familiar with to make content more relatable and engaging.
  • Application: For example, a student discussing marine conservation is more effective when sharing personal anecdotes from an internship at a rescue center, blending emotional storytelling with scientific data.
2.2 Library Research
  • Modern Role: Despite the growth of the internet, libraries remain essential hubs for structured, reliable material.
  • Librarians: These are trained professionals specialized in information science. Users should treat them as expert consultants to assist in navigating complex resource systems.
  • Library Catalogs: A comprehensive database containing every book and periodical owned by the library.
    • Search Parameters: Can be searched by author, title, subject, or specific keywords.
    • Call Numbers: Alphanumeric codes assigned to books to identify their exact physical location on library shelves.
2.3 Specialized Reference Works
  • Encyclopedias:
    • General: Covers a broad range of knowledge (e.g., Encyclopedia Britannica).
    • Specialized: Deep dives into specific fields (e.g., McGraw-Hill Encyclopedia of Science and Technology).
  • Yearbooks: Published annually to provide current facts and statistics (e.g., The World Almanac, Facts on File).
  • Quotation Books: Tools used to find impactful words from historical or contemporary figures (e.g., Bartlett’s Familiar Quotations).
  • Biographical Aids: Provide localized or global profiles of notable people (e.g., Who’s Who).
3. Database Research
3.1 Newspaper and Periodical Databases
  • ProQuest: A massive database offering access to thousands of diverse periodicals and newspapers.
  • Nexis Uni: Provides full-text access to media, business, and legal documents.
  • World News Digest: A historical resource offering news summaries and articles from 19401940 to the present day, searchable by date or topic.
3.2 Academic Databases
  • Definition: Platforms hosting peer-reviewed journals and scholarly research, essential for high-level academic credibility.
  • Key Examples:
    • Academic OneFile: Provides articles spanning multiple academic disciplines.
    • JSTOR: A digital library containing back issues of academic journals and primary source materials.
    • Google Scholar: A specialized search engine designed for locating scholarly literature, including theses, books, and abstracts.
4. Internet Research Strategies
  • The Nature of the Web: Unlike libraries, the internet has no central curator. Researchers must act as their own editors to filter out misinformation.
  • Search Query Optimization: Use specific phrases and questions to narrow results (e.g., searching "impacts of industrial runoff on local trout populations" rather than just "pollution").
  • Assessing Wiki Resources:
    • Wikipedia: Treat it as a "starting point" or background preview. Never cite it as a primary source.
    • Validation: Always verify the citations listed at the bottom of a Wikipedia entry to find more credible, original sources.
4.1 Evaluating Internet Documents

To ensure information is reliable, researchers must assess three criteria:

  1. Authorship: Is the author identified? What are their credentials or expertise on the subject?
  2. Sponsorship: Does the organization hosting the content have a bias? Is it a reputable institution (e.g., a university or government agency)?
  3. Recency: When was the document last updated? Is the information still accurate in a modern context?
5. Research Interviewing
  • Purpose: To gather unique, firsthand information not found in published texts.
  • The Process:
    • Preparation: Define the interview's purpose and conduct background research on the topic before meeting the expert.
    • The Interview:
    • Dress professionally to build rapport.
    • State the purpose clearly at the start.
    • Use open-ended questions to allow for detailed responses.
    • Post-Interview: Transcribe or review notes immediately. Memory fades quickly, and details can be lost if not recorded within hours of the meeting.
6. Research Best Practices
  • Start Early: Early research allows for identifying "gaps" in information and ensures that physical resources (like books) are available.
  • Preliminary Bibliography: Create