Page 107 - DLIS006_INFORMATION SOURCES AND SERVICES
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Information Sources and Services
Notes Formulate a Proper Search Strategy: Haphazard searching of literature will lead not only
to unnecessary wastage of time, but also to the risk of missing a number of important
documents.
Choosing Appropriate Sources: Much of the expertise in literature searching lies in choosing
the most appropriate sources to consult in each case and the best order in which to consult
them.
Since selection of sources is very critical for obtaining representative and highly relevant
literature from the literature search, therefore it may be appropriate to discuss this aspect in
detail.
Selection of Sources
One very good approach to literature search is looking up on appropriate selection of articles in
a bibliography, an encyclopaedia or a review publication. This will provide a background of
technical knowledge and also some useful references. Once this is done, searches should be
carried out with secondary publications like abstracting and indexing services. Depending upon
the topic, anyone of the following conditions may crop up:
1. Availability/Non-Availability of Secondary periodicals on the subject.
2. Availability/Non-Availability of Secondary periodicals on the subject as well as on broader
subjects.
5.5.3 Searching
Let us discuss about searching:
1. Secondary Sources: If secondary periodicals are available on the subject as well as on
broader subjects, search must first begin with the secondary periodical on the subject
proper, supplemented by references collected from the periodicals covering broader subject.
The fact that there is a considerable scatter of information on a given topic over a whole
range of periodicals covering core, peripheral and alien fields. Although a few core journals,
cover considerable part of the published literature on a given topic, yet sizeable portion
can be covered by scanning a very large number of peripheral journals in the alien field.
Skills are to be developed for the consultation of secondary periodicals, since wide variation
is observed in the pattern of the arrangement of the entries as well as in the methods of
indexing, and also the types of indexes provided.
2. Other Sources: No search will be complete without a look at other sources of information
like conference proceedings, research reports, theses, patents, standards and specifications,
trade literature and in some cases monographs and treatises. There may be cases where
information will be available from non-documentary sources, like institutions and experts.
It is important to have knowledge of the main characteristics of all types and familiarity
with these sources is needed. Much of the expertise of searching for information lies in
choosing the appropriate sources to consult in each case and the best order in which to
consult them and the expertise of a good reference librarian lie in this.
5.5.4 Recording of References or Information
Every literature Searcher develops his own style of taking notes of references. While every
effort should be made to optimize the time and efficiency of search, it is well to remember that
a few extra seconds spent to make proper preliminary records may save many frustrating hours
later. The first principle in saving search time is to use a single operation to serve multiple
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