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Search results
may appear in a variety of forms. Deciphering them and figuring
out what to do next can be a challenge. Common types of results
are citations, abstracts, and full-text.
What's
the difference?
Citation:
Almost every search tool will present results in the form of citations.
A citation is a brief description (author, title, etc.) of a source
that provides enough information for you to find the source itself
and to make reference to it in your notes and bibliography. Citations
for books and journal articles are the most common, but a citation
can represent any type of written, oral, or visual source.
Common types
of citations:
Book:
Kent,
Bretton W. Making dead oysters talk : techniques for analyzing
oysters from archaeological sites. Crownsville, Md.: Maryland
Historical Trust, 1992.
Journal
article:
Segers, Yves. "Oysters and Rye Bread: Polarising Living Standards
in Flanders, 1800-1860." European Review of Economic History
2001
5(3): 301-336.
Not sure what
a citation tells you? Here's how to decipher
a citation!
Abstract:
Some search tools provide abstracts in addition to citations. An
abstract is a short summary of the contents of a book, article,
or other source. An abstract can be very useful in helping you decide
whether or not you want to read the source itself, but remember
that it is only a summary and not the full-text.
Full-Text:
The most convenient search tools offer the full-text of the source
along with a citation. The full-text may follow immediately after
the citation or be accessible from a link. For more information
about electronic full-text, see getting
the full-text online. If the full-text is not available electronically,
you should try to find
it in print.
"I don't
need to look at print sources because everything important is on
the Web." It's true that an ever-increasing volume of material
is available electronically. But importance and quality are not
the only determinants of what gets converted to electronic format,
and many publications that could be crucial to your research may
still exist only in print. The question you should ask is whether
a source will provide useful information for your research question.
If the answer is yes, then go for that source, regardless of the
format!
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