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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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