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Module Module 5
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Examining
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Module 6   Ethics

Examining & Evaluating Reference Sources

A hands-on approach

Review

     Reference service meets the information needs of the community with an ongoing reference process of outreach, conducting a  reference interview to determine needs, filling needs, and following-up. Model behaviors increase the chances for a successful interview to answer the basic question of what the patron really wants to know.

Criteria for Evaluating Print and Web Resources

     Once you have verified the patron's question, you need to find the answer. There is no substitute for knowing the reference books you have in your collection or sources available for remote users. In fact, you should think of all the resources in your library and beyond as potential reference sources, and be able to evaluate their usefulness!

Evaluation criteria for paper-based resources:

Author, Date of Publication, Edition or Revision, Publisher, Title, Intended Audience, Coverage, Writing Style.

Evaluation criteria for web resources:

Author, Content, Domain Name, Date of Last Revision, Objectivity, Authority, and Accuracy.

[IFLA Digital Reference Guidelines]

Evaluating Web Resources

     Purpose, authority, scope, audience, and format are considered when evaluating Web resources as well as print resources. Unfortunately many web sites fail to provide the information. A few useful things to consider in evaluating a site:

  • What can the URL tell you? Is it from an .edu, .org, or .gov site, or is it somebody's personal page (indicated by ~).
  • Scan the perimeter of the page, looking for links to About, Background, etc.
  • Look for last update.
  • Look for indicators of quality information, i.e. who is responsible for the content of the page and are sources documented?
  • Are links well-chosen and organized?
  • What do others say? Look the page up in a reputable directory that evaluates its contents (e.g. Librarians' Index to the Internet).
["Evaluating Web Pages: Techniques to Apply & Questions to Ask", in Finding Information on the Internet: A Tutorial, UC Berkeley, Teaching Library Internet Workshops, 2005. ]

Examining the Print Resource

     In order to use a reference tool, either one that you have seen but have not had occasion to try or a newly purchased one, you must approach the tool with an open but critical attitude. Don't take it for granted that because a reference book is in the library it is good, correct, or up-to-date. Libraries strive for that, but each tool has its shortcomings as well as strengths. Only by actually handling the book can you get a good sense of its usefulness.

Parts of a Book

     How can you quickly learn to evaluate and use new or unfamiliar titles? First of all, it helps to understand parts of a book. Complete definitions are given for the following parts of a book in the Book Examination Checklist.

  • Author
  • Title
  • Volume
  • Edition
  • Series
  • Place of Publication
  • Publisher's Name
  • Date of Publication
  • Foreword or Preface
  • Introduction or Instructions for Use
  • Table of Contents
  • Text
  • Appendix
  • Glossary
  • Index

How Will the Resource Be Useful?

     When examining a resource that's new to you or in a new edition or format, consider the following aspects carefully.

Purpose: Why was the book written? What is it intended to do? Does it really do that? Use the title, foreword or preface, introduction, table of contents, and an examination of the text itself to help you determine the purpose.

Authority: Is the author qualified to write the book? Is the publisher reputable?

Scope: What does the book really cover? Does the dictionary cover only words currently in use, or does it contain obsolete words, too? Does the biographical dictionary include only dead people?

Audience: Who is the book written for? Is the medical book meant for the lay person or for a doctor? Is the encyclopedia for a child or for an adult?

Format: How is the book arranged? Does it have an index? Is it easy to use?

     If time permits, it can be beneficial to examine one or two reference books in your collection each day. At the very least, you need to examine each new reference book you receive.

Major Point: There is no substitute for knowing the value of reference sources in your collection or on the Web. To evaluate and use a resource effectively, you must carefully examine all parts of a print resource and learn to recognize indicators of quality for Web sites.

 

Exercise

Write down the answers to the exercise questions in this module and keep them to review with your supervisor at the end of the module.

1. Use a print almanac or similar ready reference book from the library collection. Print the Book Examination Checklist to carry with you. Examine the book and identify each of these parts:

  • Author, Title, Volume, Edition, Series, Place of Publication, Publisher's Name, Date of Publication
  • Foreword or Preface, Introduction or Instructions for Use, or Table of Contents
  • Text
  • Appendix, Glossary, or Index
  • Special features such as charts, graphs, photos

2. What would you say are the purpose, authority, scope, audience, and format of the book?

3. Choose another reference book, one you haven't used before, and answer questions 1 and 2 for that book.

Answers

Next!
The catalog as reference tool

  

 

Know the parts of a reference book and how to evaluate it. Consider books as just the beginning. Think of the world as your resource!

Ohio Libraries

Examine all parts of a book.

Determine the purpose, scope, audience and format.

Examine each new reference resource.

Learning about reference resources requires a hands-on examination!

Web Links

A tutorial for evaluating Web resources is available at "Evaluating Web Pages: Techniques to Apply & Questions to Ask", in Finding Information on the Internet: A Tutorial, UC Berkeley, Teaching Library Internet Workshops, 2005.

Ohio Questions

What questions will you be using your reference resources to answer? Following are questions asked in Ohio libraries.

Where can I find statistics about NCAA football teams, particularly the number of students that play high school football and go all the way to the pros?
When was Easter in 1944?
How do the major brands of washing machines compare?
What is the retail value of a 16-foot, 1996 Renken boat with a Bimini top? What are values for other boats, plus motors and trailers?
What is the criminal profile and parole date for someone currently serving time in an Ohio prison facility?
What is the address of the Genealogical Society in Noble County, Indiana?
What are the rules for betting on horses?
For a report about bonfires, can you tell me how they began (not with a match and wood!)?
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