INFORMATION SOURCES

Information sources

• Where from we get required information

Reference sources

• to obtain specific types of information. compiled specifically and designed to provide information in a most convenient form.

Significance of Information Sources

• Current development in all fields• Avoid duplication in research• Answer for some specific queries• Understand some unfamiliar terms • Meaning for terms, broadened view of a subject• Browse wide variety of knowledge• Past studies to predict future

Information Source Vs Information Resource

Information source

• Source from where we get information

• Deals with documents and non documents

Information resource

• Deals with Information Communication Technologies related Information management

• Information resource management system support, processing data, images and computers., etc.

• Small part of information source

Two kinds of information

Documentary sources • Primary, Secondary and Tertiary sources

grouped by Grogan

• Ranganathan divided into Conventional, non-conventional, neo- conventional and micro-documents

Non-Documentary sources• Formal and Informal sources

Documentary sources –Primary Sources

• First original research published before the world audience

• Original documents representing unfiltered original ideas.

• Unorganized sources • Availability is difficult

Various Forms of Primary Sources

Periodical• Synonym to Journal, Bulletin, Transaction,

Magazine.

• Regularly,continuously,numbered sequence

• Main means of communication for researchers.

• Fundamental facts of research

• Forms- research, trade, technical and popular

Research monographs and Research Report

Research monographs

• Separately published reports on original research that are long, too specialized, or otherwise unsuitable for publication in one of the standard journal.

Research Report

• Projects, Primitive form of literature and issued separately.

Patents

Patent

• a government grant of exclusive privilege which allows making use or selling of a new invention for a term of years.

• New invention which may be a machine, a process, a product or any other object found by a person

• Issued by Patent Office of the country

StandardsStandards

• a pamphlet set up by authority as a rule for measure of quantity, weight and quality covering definitions, methods, properties., etc.

• These ensure reliability for the consumers

• Size of the paper - A4(210mmx297mm) or A5(148mmx210mm)

Trade literature

• Details of particle products and their development.

• It aims to describe and also illustrate equipment or goods or process or services relating to manufacturers.

• To sell product.

Thesis or Dissertation

• Research conducted under the guidance of an expert

• Original Work of the scholar

• Eg. For unpublished primary source

Unpublished sources

• 40% of sources are unpublished sources.Examples• Laboratory note book• Memoranda.• Diaries.• Letters. • Company Files.

Unpublished sources…..

• Internal research reports.

• Inscription on tombstone.

• Portraits.

• Oral history.

• Coins.

• Government documents

Secondary Sources.

Secondary sources• Compiled from primary sources of

information .• Modified, selected, organized or arranged on

a systematic order• Bring all scattered information in one place• Repacked knowledge, digested information,

key to bibliography.

Forms of Secondary Sources

Periodical

• Secondary periodical

Indexes

• Contains an alphabetical list of names, topics places of any significant word referring to material presented in the main part of the work.

• Arranged chronologically, geographically or in some other way.

Forms of Secondary Sources …

.

Treaties

• Comprehensive compilation or a summary of information on a subject

• To find basic knowledge.

• Facts include physical constants, method of

preparation and purification of compounds.

Forms of Secondary Sources….

Reviews • a survey of the primary literature • aim is to digest and correlate the literature over a

given period • Indicates the developments and trends in the

concerned field. • Appear as a collection of reviews on a regular

basis or in the form of an article in a periodical.• provides background information on a new

problem, key to literature, list of references, first rate bibliography

SECONDARY SOURCES ….

Monographs

• a short treaties on a specific subject.

• Limited to a scale .

• Series part.

Translation

• Translations are an important part of secondary sources.

Reference sources

Reference sources

• An encyclopedia is a compendia of knowledge .Knowledge is related to kind of readership which an encyclopedia is intended to serve.

• Two types - general and special.

Purposes of Encyclopedia

• Provide fact

• Provide illustrations

• Provide ideas of particular period

• Provide different points on a topic

• Provide valuable bibliographies

Dictionaries• Words of a language or the terms of a

profession.

• Lexicographers

• glossary ,thesaurus, lexicon.

• General dictionary, subject and supplementary.

• Usage-history of a word, usage of words in terms of rare, slang ,dialects, abbreviations, antonyms and homonyms.

Geographical sources Information about places, cities ,town, river etc.

Gazetteers

• Geographical dictionary of places arranged alphabetically.

Guide Books

• a handbook for travelers that gives information about a city, region or country or a similar handbook about a building, museum.

• Maps, atlas and Globes

Year book and Almanacs

Year Book

• an annual volume of current in descriptive and /or statistics form sometimes limited to a special field.

Almanac

• an annual publication containing a calendar, frequently accompanied astronomical sometimes in a particular field.

Directories and Handbook and Manual

Directories • a list of persons or organizations systematically

arranged, usually in alphabetic or classes order giving addresses, affiliation generals or others

Handbook • a compilation of miscellaneous information in a

compact and handy form• contain data, procedures, principles, tables, graphs,

diagrams, etc.Manual • an instruction book.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Bibliography

• a list of written printed or otherwise produced record of civilization which may include books, serials, pictures and any other media of communications

• Helps in learning publications, development.

Types

• Universal, trade national selected, subject, author, bibliographies of bibliography.

UNION CATALOGUES• Preparation of a common catalogue shared by two

or more libraries

• an important tool.

• Inventory common to several libraries.

Usage

• locate a given book, periodicals or newspapers.

• Local, Regional ,National.

• Eg. for cooperative catalogue

INDEXING PERIODICAL

Index• systematic guide to the text of any reading

matter or to the contents of other collected documentary materials with headings arranged in alphabetical or other chosen order, and with reference to show where each items indexed is located.

Arrangement-• Dictionary wise, author, subject.Types• book, indexes of collections, periodical,

newspapers

ABSTRACTING PERIODICAL

Abstract

• Abbreviated accurate presentation of a work.

• Condensation that presents succinctly, the objective, scope, and findings of a document or an article.

Why

• To up to date, retrospective search, language barrier, writing of reviews.

• Types - Indicative and informative.

TERTIARY SOURCES

• Information distilled and collected from primary and secondary sources.

• Aid the searcher in the use of primary and secondary sources of information.

• Last to appear.• Types- Bibliography of Bibliographies,

Directories and Guides to literature.

TERTIARY SOURCES…

Bibliography of Bibliographies

•

• List of bibliographies which direct readers to useful bibliographies through subject, name an individual place, institution ,etc.

• Separately published book or part of the book or part of a periodical article or some other type of documents.

TERTIARY SOURCES…

Guides to literature

• Assists a user to use literature of a specific subject .

• Helps to evaluate and introduce literature.

• Emphasis on literature rather than the content of a specific subject.

• Covers primary and secondary sources.

NON DOCUMENTRY SOURCES

Formal sources

• Research organizations, Societies, Industries, Government departments, Universities, Consultants, etc.

Informal sources

• conversation or discussion, visitors, attendance at professional meetings, etc.

• Informal sources are live sources.

EVALUATION OF REFERENCE SOURCES

Authority

• Qualification experience and reputation of the sponsoring body ,publisher distributor authors editors compilers.

Scope

• Purpose is it fulfilled definite plan limitations with regard to subject class of readers up-to- dateness, over all coverage.

EVALUATION OF REFERENCE SOURCES

Treatment

• How thorough, reliable and complete is the information, does it show bias ,space allocated ,work been done by layman, adults or children.

Arrangement

• To locate information easily and quickly, good arrangement adds to the value of information,

• Kind of arrangement, Index and Cross reference

EVALUATION OF REFERENCE SOURCES…

Special features

• Distinguishes .

• Supplementary or appendices.

• Are bibliographies up to date.

• Devices used are up to date.

Format

• Binding, quality of paper, type face and layout

• Illustrations, plates, diagrames, maps,etc.