Selecting References and Compiling a Bibliography

 

Selecting References and Compiling a Bibliography

  As a starting point, you need to build a list of potentially useful sources of information about your topic. As you begin locating sources, consider these points:

1. In general, it is good practice two three or more references. A preliminary list should contain for more than three sources.
2. References should be from a variety of a variety of sources: books, periodicals (magazines, journals, newspapers), and published papers. 
3. It is important to use up- to-date sources.
4. Graduate student should rely heavily on the journal literature and their fields.
5. Sources often have bibliographies which lead to other sources.
6. The availability of sources may determine whether or not the topic is responsible.  It may be necessary to change or refine the topic if you cannot locate enough appropriate references.

 

 Critical Evaluation of Sources:

The following techniques are used for finding the most reliable sources:

1. Consulting with your instructor and the librarians.
2. Using recent sources.
3. Using journals rather than magazines.
4. Using scholarly books rather than trade books and encyclopedias.
5. Reading about the author.
6. Conducting a statistician search.
7. Examining the book reviews.

 

As you Read sources for your paper, you should continually evaluate the materials with regard to the following aspects:

1. Objectivity: It refers to the absence of bias or prejudice.
2. Qualifications of the author: The authors academic degrees, professional credentials, and experience and statues in the field may provide clues to the quality, nature, and objectivity of a source.
3. Date and form of the publication: The date of a work generally gives an indication of its perspective. The history and reputation of a particular publishing house can help estimate the usefulness of a book.
4. Level: The independent audience determines the level of a work with respect to diction, sentence structure, complexity, and assumed background knowledge.

 Deciding Whether to Read All or Part of a Source:

 Many writers have trouble determining the value of a particular article or book. To evaluate an article in a periodical, read: 

1. The title. Look for code words that have relevance to the topic before you start reading the article.
2. An abstract. Reading an abstract is the best way to ascertain if an essay or a book will serve your specific needs.
3. The opening paragraphs. If the opening of an article shows no relevance to your study, abandon the article.
4. The closing paragraphs. If the opening of an article seems promising, skip to the closing and read it for relevance. The entire article of the opening and closing encourage you.

 

Evaluating a book requires a check of the following additional items:

1. The table of the contents which may reveal chapters that speak directly on your topic.
2. The preface or in introduction. An author’s preface serves as a critical overview of the entire book, pinpointing the primary subject of the text and the peculiar approach of this author.
3. The index. A Book’s index will list names and terminology with page numbers for all items mentioned within the text. Most books contain an index that will list alphabetically the books contents. A logical follow-up involves reading the designated pages  to consider issues and find a general subject.

References:

Atallah, Dhuha. (2011). A Course in Library and Research Work. College of Basic Education/ Al-Mustansiriah University.