Group B: Denise Butwill, Anna Cierocki, Holley Duffy, and Leah Gray
The following evaluations were completed by Denise Butwill
Bogart, D. & Blixrud, J.C. (2009). Library and Book Trade Almanac. 2009 54th ed. Medford, N.J.: R.R. Information Today. (Formally the Bowker Annual)
Purpose: This Almanac provides industry news that affect libraries, booksellers, publishers and others in the book trade.
Scope: Although its title defines this resource as an almanac, it also functions as a yearbook, reporting on trends and current events related to libraries and the world of books. It offers a current look at what is happening in the library world. The intended audience is library professionals and others working in the book industries. This resource is a comprehensive report on the industry covering upcoming trends, public library state rankings, bestsellers, literary prizes, and instructions to obtain an ISBN.
Organization: The almanac is divided into six parts. Part one: reports for the field, including special, international, federal agency, federal library and national association reports; Part Two: legislation, funding and grants; Part Three: library /information science education, placement, and salaries; Part Four: research and statistics; Part Five: reference information including: distinguished books of 2008, best books for children, best books for young adults, literary prizes and awards, and bestsellers of 2008; Part Six: directory of organizations. Finally this resources includes a list of acronyms, an index of organizations, and a subject index.
Timeliness: This timely almanac is printed yearly in June.
Encyclopedia Britannica, 15th ed. (2010). Chicago: Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved from http://www.britannica.com
Purpose: Available in both a print and online format, this is a purpose general research tool providing short concise information on a wide variety of information and topics. The online version combines Britannica database resources with magazines and journals from EBSCO and Proquest, word help with dictionary and thesaurus searches provided by Merriam-Webster, and access to notable quotations.
Scope: This Britannica database itself contains over 73,000 articles, containing both short and book length articles on every subject. The online version also contains a multimedia database including links to thousands of photographs, illustrations and audio files. Another service provided to online subscribers is a guide to internet resources vetted by Britannica’s editors. This resource also includes statistics information about countries around the world, this resource in accompanied by an interactive world map. The notable quotation feature includes more than 4000 quotations from both historical and contemporary figures. An online feature Gateway to the Classics features 225 selected works by 140 authors that represent the great writings and ideas of the western world.
Organization: The online resource is easy to use and well documented with help screens. For general searches the online home page is equipped with a basic search window. Users can use this option for starting a general keyword search or for using the dictionary & thesaurus. On the left hand side of the screen users can go into the specific applications including: Video collection, Timelines, World Data Analyst, Compare Countries, World Atlas, Notable Quotations and Gateway to Classics. The user also has the option of doing an alphabetical browse of the index, or browsing by subject, year, biography or contributor. For users looking for specific data or formats an advanced search feature is provided. This allows the user to use Boolean logic, request Britannica concise, search websites, retrieve journals and magazines, return multimedia listings or the default Encyclopedia Britannica.
Entries: Search results are listed on a result page showing the first three lines of the entry, the user may navigate to the full entry, which include picture, hyper links, and options for expanding the search to include other formats. The online user tools appear on the top of each entry and include the ability to save the work to a personal work space, to print and email and to request citation formats. Also along the right hand side of the search result screen are listed the multimedia findings.
Timeliness: The online edition is updated regularly while the print edition is updates each year with a yearbook.
Training: Free training is available to subscribers.
Chase’s Calendar of Events 2010. (2010). New York: McGraw-Hill.
Purpose: The purpose of the Chase Calendar of Events is to inform users of what’s going on any day of the year, anywhere across the globe.
Scope: This reference guide is designed for “broadcasters, event planners, librarians, editors, writers or simply the curious” (back cover). This resource lists astronomical phenomena, religious observances, national and international observances and civic holidays, special days, weeks and months, presidential proclamations, events and festivals, anniversaries, and birthdays. A spotlight section covers significant 2010 historical and birth anniversaries as well as major events.
Organization: This print resource starts with tinted pages highlighting its spotlight section. That section is followed by the calendar or events: Jan1 – Dec 31, 2010. This section is followed by a calendar information for the years 2010-2012, future events, perpetual calendar, a listing of national days of the world for 2010, Chinese calendar, wedding anniversary gifts, world map of time zones, time changes, leap seconds, astronomical phenomena for the years 2010 – 2012, the naming of hurricanes, U.S. abbreviations and facts, facts about Canada, facts about Mexico, 2010 special months, presidential proclamations, and major awards presented in 2008-2009 as outlines in the table of contents. The book is also equipped with comprehensive index and a CD for digital searching.
Entries: Entries are labels with an exact title of the event, followed by the exact inclusive dates of observances. Each entry is annotated including relevant information as deem appropriate. Entries may include: legal authority for recognition, helpful hints for remembering information, purpose of event, place of observance, background facts about event, historical data in capsule form, and/or biographical background.
Timeliness: This timely resource is printed yearly.
The Chicago Manual of Style Online, 15th ed. (2003). Retrieved at http://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org
Purpose: This reference tool is designed to for writers and editors. It provides guidelines on use of the English language and citation for various publication types.
Scope: This reference resource is available in both an online and print edition. The resource is intended for writers and editors of various publications including: scholarly books and journals, magazines, newsletters, electronic publications, and Web sites. It is a comprehensive guide to all an editor or writer should be aware of including: punctuation, spelling, hyphenation, grammatical structures, elements that make up a scholarly journal, and foreign languages to name a few.
Organization: As defined by the books index this print edition is organized into eighteen chapters, with clear subject headings, two appendixes, a journal section, a bibliography and an index. Numbered paragraphs are identified by a run-in subheading identifying the subject matter. First-level subheadings are listed in the table of contents. Each chapters opens with a full list of its contents.
Timeliness: The manual is updated approximately every ten years. The latest 2003 edition has extensive revisions to address the growing trend toward non-book publications and addresses such issues as online publishing, e-journals and citing web sources.
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The Yahoo! Style Guide: The Ultimate Sourcebook for Writing, Editing and Creating Content for the Digital World. (2010).New York: St. Martin’sGriffin. Retrieved at http://styleguide.yahoo.com
Purpose: This resource is designed for anyone who writes and edits for an online audience.
Scope: The Yahoo! Style Guide covers the basics of grammar and punctuation plus many considerations special to the online environment including: writing and editing for an online audience, techniques for streamlining copy, basic Web codes, internet law, search engine optimization, and more.
Organization: Chapters in the print edition take users from the most basic Web issues to more technical ones. The table of contents contains the following sections: Write for an Online Audience, Speak to Your Entire Audience, Write UI Text, Email, and Mobile-Friendly Content, Manage the Mechanics, Clean up your Copy, and Resources. Each section is broken down into chapters and then sections with clear heading to facilitate getting to the information needed. The print edition also contains a bibliography and index. The online version is organized in much the same way as the print edition, although sections are represented as tabs and chapter and subsections are represented on the side bars. Users can navigate easily to the topics of interest, or us the site search window.
Timeliness: Corrections to the 2010 print edition are available on the companion website. This is a timely resource.
The Europa World Year Book 2006, 47th ed.(2006) London: Europa.
Europa World Plus (2003-2010). Retrieved from www.europaworld.com
Purpose: A reference source designed to be used by patron and librarians seeking information about the world’s nations.
Scope: This source contains latest available analytical, statistical and directory information for over 250 countries and territories.
Organization: Countries and territories are listed alphabetically with each listing containing directory information including names of government officials. The online edition also provides recent elections and recent events listed on the home page.
Entries: Country entries include a brief overview of the countries current geographical and political position, area and population information, country finances, government and political information. Users of the online version can then navigate to country profile, statistics or to the directory entries for that country. A simple country map and picture of the countries flag is also included in the entry. For each item citation information is provided.
Timeliness: The online edition is updated every other week. The print edition is issued yearly.
The following evaluations were completed by Anna Cierocki
Facts on File World News Digest with Index. (1940- ). New York: Facts on File, Weekly.
Purpose: Facts on File World News Digest with Index is a “weekly digest of world events and index to the news.”
Scope: The World News Digest contains articles from dozens of major newspapers from around the world.
Organization: The digest is broken down into three sections: the news digest, the cumulative index, and the world atlas. The cumulative index features every name and topic contained in the digest, rendering a massive amount of information easier to use. The index is broken into headings, subheadings, and entries; every entry is coded with the date(s) of the event and the page on which the main entry can be found. The index is color coded so that newer entries are printed on blue pages while older entries, items that occurred earlier in the year, appear on yellow pages. The digest is comprised of issues throughout the year.
Entries: Entry subjects include politics, business and economy, finance, government, crime, the environment, science and medicine, arts and entertainment, and personalities and sports. Articles feature statistics, chronologies, key events, text excerpts, maps, tables and photographs. The publishers also include page references to other “relevant information.” Entries are news articles and obituaries.
Timeliness: The digest is produced weekly, and the color-coded index twice a month. Therefore, this publication is extremely timely.
Glenday, Craig (ed.). The Guinness Book of World Records. (2009). New York: Bantam Books.
Purpose: The Guinness Book of World Records is a reference listing records and achievements. The Records has traditionally been a printed volume, although the publishers of GWR also host a web site for listing records and for individuals to submit new ones.
Scope: The 2009 edition of the book approved 2,017 records. There are 40,000 live and rested records in the Guinness World Records online database and 4,000 in the printed book.
Organization: The book is organized into categories: space, living planet, being human, human achievements, spirit of adventure, modern life, engineering, entertainment, and sports. Each category is then broken into subcategories; for example, the being human chapter includes sections on Anatomy, Anatomical Anomalies, Body Parts, the Five Senses, Health, Fitness, Extreme Beauty, and Golden Oldies. The 2009 edition features a Gazetteer section, which details achievements listed by country.
Entries: Entries are short descriptions of achievements. There is little elaboration except when necessary. “Brand-new records are indicated by a solid star, in both text and record headings. Broken or updated records are indicated by an open star, in both the text and record headings” (p vi).
Timeliness: The book is printed once a year, but the web site accepts new entries all year round.
Information Please Almanac. New York: Houghton Mifflin, 1947- . Annual. Retrieved from http://www.infoplease.com/.
Purpose: Infoplease.com is a reference site the combines the “contents of an encyclopedia, a dictionary, an atlas, and several almanacs loaded with statistics, facts, and historical records.” It is an ideal site for ready reference questions.
Scope: The Infoplease site boasts snippets of information on a seemingly endless variety of topics. What the site lacks in depth is made up for in miscellany.
Organization: The web site is broken into Reference Tools, Almanac Channels and Chapters, the Daily Almanac, Homework Center, Special Tools, Other Features, and Partner Links. The almanac section is broken into chapters of World, Biography, Business, United States, Sports, Society & Culture, History & Government, Arts & Entertainment, and Health & Science.
Entries: Entry formats differ from topic to topic. An almanac entry on a country may include picture of its flag, vital statistics, and a brief description of its geography, government and history. The page for Italian art has a brief description of art from the country of Italy and links to information its different artistic eras. This entry demonstrates how Infoplease has intertwined the concepts of almanacs, encyclopedias, and dictionaries; clicking on a link for Italian art in the almanac section leads you to the encyclopedia entry for it.
Timeliness: The site is both active and timely. Web site sections like the Daily Almanac are updated daily. Other sections are updated biweekly, quarterly, or annually, depending on the the article.
Internet Movie Database. (2010). Retrieved from http://www.imdb.com/.
Purpose: The Internet Movie Database (IMDB) is a Web site devoted to movies, although because of overlap with actors, producers and other individuals in the entertainment business, the site also features information about television shows and video games.
Scope: The web site and search engine features 5.2 million records pertaining to film, movies, and video games. According to their About page, “We try to catalog every pertinent detail about a movie, from who was in it, to who made it, to trivia about it, to filming locations, and even where you can find reviews and fan sites on the web. “ There are records for movies, actors, producers, and other crew members.
Organization: The web interface of IMDB allows you to search the following fields: Titles, TV Episodes, Names, Companies, keywords, characters, videos, quotes, bios, plots, and ALL, a basic search that will search every available field. Their advanced search features include an Advanced Title search, Advanced Name Search, and Overlaps and Collaboration Search.
Entries: Although there are a variety of articles, forums, and videos to enjoy, the IMDB is centered around its records for movies, television shows, and the individuals involved in producing them. Entries for productions include title, writers, directors, release date, genre, keywords, and cast, production dates, trivia, “goofs,” memorable quotes, and more. Entries for individuals include date of birth, short biographies, awards, a filmography and various other pieces of data. Many entries include photo stills and links to production trailers.
Timeliness: With constant activity in the film producing world and a vast pool of site contributors, the site is constantly updated with news. The site is extraordinarily timely.
Kane, Joseph Nathan; Anzovin, Steven; Podell, Janet. Famous First Facts. (2006). 6th ed. New York: H. W. Wilson. Retrieved from http://www.hwwilson.com/Databases/fam1stec.htm.
Purpose: Famous First Facts is a trivia reference, full of historic “first” occurrences. According to Bopp and Smith, Facts is useful for “establish historical fact, identify anniversaries, and to get information about a specific place or time” (p 370).
Scope: According to the Famous First Facts web site, “Coverage begins from the date of the earliest human artifacts found in America in 10,000 B.C.” Therefore the book claims to cover roughly 12,000 years of “firsts;” this is an ambitious scope.
Organization: The resource comes in both printed and online versions. The printed copy has five indexes: subject, years, days of the months, personal names, and geographical areas (Bopp and Smith, 370). The online version has a basic search, an advanced search, a search thesaurus and a browsing function. Users can save search results in a marked list.
Entries: Entries are short paragraphs, snippets of information regarding such things as Elvis’s first single, the first sale of Girl Scout Cookies, and the first Dunkin Donuts.
Timeliness: The sixth edition includes information through December 2006 and the online content reflects the printed content. Therefore, there are nearly 4 years of “firsts” that may not be reflected in that edition. While there is an information gap, given the nature of the subject, this is not as much of a weakness as it might be in a news digest.
McGraw-Hill Yearbook of Science and Technology. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1962- . Annual. Retrieved from http://www.accessscience.com/ .
*This evaluation was completed by reviewing materials at www.accessscience.com.
Purpose: The McGraw-Hill Encyclopedia of Science and Technology and its accompanying web site, acts as a reference source for students, educators and librarians. It covers “all major areas of science and technology” (“McGraw Hill, 2010). The Yearbook is issued to supplement the Encyclopedia.
Scope: The online McGraw-Hill resource has 8,500 articles, 110,000 definitions, 2,000 biographies and 15,000 illustrations, all developed by authors who are expert in their respective fields. The site also boasts, “RSS feeds, Flash® animations, image galleries, podcasts, videos, and more” (“McGraw Hill”). It is valuable, in-depth resource for its intended audience. The site also offers study guides and bibliographies for students.
Organization: Accesssience.com allows you a variety of ways to retrieve information from the Web site. Explore by Topic allows the user to navigate a series of links to arrive at an article that interest them. The site also features a semantic search engine, which allows users to search by full text, content type, or topic. The search results page groups results by type, arranging them in separate, distinct boxes with clear labels. This helpful feature saves the user the effort of weeding through a long list of poor delineated search results.
Entries: Entries can be found in the form of encyclopedia articles, research updates, biographies, animations, weekly Q&A segments, and news updates. The depth and content of each entry is dependent on the nature of the entry; encyclopedia entries are naturally longer and more detailed than definitions.
Timeliness: The site is updated weekly, making the source very timely.
The following evaluations were completed by Holley Duffy
Beers, M. H. (Ed.). (2003). The Merck manual of medical information: Second home edition.
Whitehouse Station, N.J.: Merck Research Laboratories.
Scope/Comprehensiveness: This reference tool provides information about human medical conditions. As the preface explains, it is not meant to help readers self-diagnose or treat conditions, but rather to provide “accurate, reliable information that should stimulate better communication between patients and their doctors, nurses, pharmacists, therapists, and other health care professionals” (Merck, 2003, p. vi).
Arrangement: The reference tool is divided into twenty-five sections by subject. For example, section one is entitled “Fundamentals,” and consists of smaller sections of information about exercise, genetics, and ethical issues. Other subjects include drugs, lung and airway disorders, digestive disorders, and hormonal disorders. At the beginning of each section is a table of contents, which lists the subsections and specific conditions discussed within each subsection. Information about symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment for each condition is also included.
Indexing: There is a comprehensive subject index at the end of the handbook. An annotation at the beginning of the index explains that the italicized page numbers refer to an illustration, table, or sidebar. Also included are several appendices with information such as common medical tests, drug names, resources for additional information, and weights and measures.
Currency: The Merck Manual of Medical Information, Home Edition is based on the Merck Manual. This is the second edition of the home version, which covers all topics in the Merck Manual and is a complete revision of the first edition of the Home Edition, which was published in 1997.
Online Version: There is a free, online version of this manual, which is available at http://www.merck.com/mmhe/index.html. According to the summary found on the homepage, the online version contains all of the same information as the print version, but the sections, chapter, and topics are organized alphabetically for easier searching. The online version also includes media items that the print version does not have, such as photographs and audio and visual materials. According to the website, the online version is updated “periodically.” The date of revision or review is noted at the bottom of each page.
Gibaldi, J. (2003). MLA handbook for writers of research papers (6th ed.). New York:
The Modern Language Association of America.
Scope/Comprehensiveness: The purpose of this reference tool is to assist users in writing research papers using the MLA documentation style. It includes information on how to choose a topic, how to avoid plagiarism, how to correctly utilize writing mechanics, and how to correctly document references.
Arrangement: The text begins with a foreword, which explains the organization of the book. The book is divided into seven main chapters about topics such as “research and writing,” “plagiarism,” and “the mechanics of writing.” Each chapter is subdivided into smaller sections, which provide more detail about the larger topic of the chapter. There are two appendices at the end of the book. The first provides additional reference tools for different areas of study, while the second appendix provides information about other documentation systems, such as footnotes and endnotes. There also are two pages of visual examples of what the first page of a research paper and the first page of the citation list should look like.
Indexing: There is a comprehensive subject index at the end of the handbook.
Currency: This is the sixth edition of this text. According to the summary on the back cover, updates in this version include information on plagiarism, more information on citing electronic resources, and added tips about writing mechanics. There is a seventh edition, which was published in 2009. However, I did not have access to this version. This version includes information about citing more electronic resources, such as digital media. The seventh edition also comes with a code, which allows the user to access the MLA website. This website contains even more information about research writing, including access to the full-text version of the handbook and over 200 examples of citations.
New York Public Library (1998). The New York Public Library desk reference (3rd ed.).
New York: Macmillan USA.
**This evaluation was completed by reviewing the E-Reserves version of the text through CONSULS and comparing it to the print version of the 2nd edition, published in 1993.
Scope/Comprehensiveness: The purpose of this reference tool is to provide users with answers to commonly asked questions. As stated in the preface, it is a “compendium of basic information about a variety of topics that allows readers to efficiently find the answers to their questions” (Preface, 1998, p. xv). This edition makes use of new technologies as it includes colored charts, indexes, and sidebars. The index was also expanded in comparison to earlier editions, and additional informational resources have bee added, such as phone numbers and websites.
Arrangement: The text is organized into several chapters by topic and further divided into subsections. These topics are not organized alphabetically. These chapters include Travel, The Outdoors, The World, and Libraries and Museums. Subsections provide additional detailed information. For example, the subsections in the chapter “Libraries and Museums” includes “The Dewey Decimal System and How to Use It” and “Major Libraries of the United States and Canada and Their Special Collections.” The presentation of information within each section differs depending upon the type of information. For example, Academy Awards are listed chronologically while information about the world’s major religions is presented in brief summary form.
Indexing: There is an extensive subject index located at the end of the text.
Currency: Descriptions of the text do not specify the updating schedule of this reference tool. The previous edition was published is 1993. This third edition maintains some of the organization of the previous edition but, according to the preface, is “thoroughly revised and updated to help the general reader handle the explosion of information which fills our world” (Preface, 1998, p. xv).
Wright, J.W. (Ed). (2009). New York Times 2009 almanac. New York: Penguin Reference.
Scope/Comprehensiveness: This almanac covers national and international events, advancements, and issues that occurred during the year 2009. It includes topics such as the presidential election, statistical information, awards and prizes, and sports events.
Arrangement: The almanac is divided into six main sections. The first section, “Almanac of the Year,” covers events such as the 2008 elections, major news stories of 2007-2008, 2007-2008 obituaries, and calendar information. Part two covers information about the United States, such as history, the government, census information, and the media. Part three contains information about the world, such as world geography, the global economy, and the United Nations. Part four covers important events and issues in science and technology. Part five contains information about important awards, such as the Pulitzer Prize and Nobel Prize. Part six contains information about sports, including the Olympics, professional, and international sports. The format of each entry differs depending on the type of information being presented. For example, summaries of important news events are written in brief synopsis form, while number-based information, such as employment or population records, is presented in graph or table format.
Indexing: There is a subject index located at the end of the text.
Currency: The New York Times Almanac contains both current and historical information. It provides information from the previous year, calendar information about the current year, and timelines and other historical data that accumulates from year to year. For example, it includes information on the chronology of U.S. history dating back to 1,000 A.D.
(2010). Physician’s Desk Reference (64th ed.). Montvale, N.J.: PDR Network.
Scope/Comprehensiveness: According to the foreword, the purpose of this handbook is to provide information about “Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved labeling for drugs as well as prescription information provided by manufacturers of grand-fathered drugs and other drugs marketed without FDA approval under current FDA policies. Some dietary supplements and other products are also included” (PDR Network, 2010). The intended audience for this reference tool would primarily be people in the medical field, such as physicians and pharmacists.
Arrangement: A series of indexes precede the main portion of this reference tool (see “Indexing” below), followed by a Product Identification Guide. This guide contains color photographs of pills, dosages, and packaging organized alphabetically by manufacturer. The largest portion of the reference tool is the Product Information section, which also is organized alphabetically by manufacturer. Under each manufacturer, drugs are listed alphabetically. Each drug entry includes comprehensive information including its name, diagrams of its molecular structure, active and inactive ingredients, indications, usage, interactions, and lab tests.
Indexing: The first index is the Manufacturer’s Index, which is a list of drug manufacturers and their contact information listed alphabetically. These entries also include the pages on which they are listed in the Product Identification Guide. The second index is an index of brand and generic drug names listed alphabetically. The index guide indicates that certain symbols next to each drug name signifies the presence of that drug in either the Product Identification Guide or a separate manual entitled PDR for Opthalmic Medicines. The third index is a Product Category Index, which lists the drugs by product type, such as analgesics, dietary supplements, etc.
Currency: According to the foreword, the drug information found within this text is the most current information available at the time of publication of the volume. As new drug information becomes available, it is the responsibility of the drug company to release that information to the public and PDR database. Any revisions are published twice annually in PDR Supplements and more regularly on the website PDR.net.
Online Version: PDR.net contains the information found within the print volume in addition to clinical information and information on other current issues. It is available for free to U.S. based MDs, DOs, dentists, NPs, Pas, and medical students.
Peggy Post. (2004). Emily Post’s etiquette (17th ed.). New York: HarperResource.
Scope/Comprehensiveness: The purpose of this reference tool is to provide patrons with answers to everyday questions about etiquette and appropriate behavior in social interactions. According to the “Note to Readers,” this version attempts to define etiquette “in today’s real-life terms and brings it down to earth” (Post, 2004, p. xiv). It includes suggestions for handling situations such as road rage, e-mail, and table manners.
Arrangement: The text is divided into nine parts, which are organized by subject: Everyday Etiquette, Relationships, Children and Teens, Communication and Protocol, Dining and Entertaining, Celebrations and Ceremonies, Weddings, You and Your Job, and Travel and Leisure. Within each part are individual chapters, adding up to forty-eight chapters in all. Each chapter and entry is organized differently, depending upon the topic. However, for the most part, the information is provided through small blurbs, bulleted tips, or brief summaries.
Indexing: A subject index is included at the end of the text.
Currency: According to the book jacket summary, this is a completely revised and updated edition. It does not state how frequently the book is updated. According to BooksinPrint, there is now a 2009 version.
The following evaluations were completed by Leah Gray
Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association. (1994). 6th ed. Washington, D.C.: American Psychological Association.
Purpose: The purpose of this manual is to provide guidance during the writing process for any level requiring APA format. The guide strives to perfect clear and concise writing with strong tones, with easy citation practices and a quick format reference.
Scope: This manual covers the various types of formats that make up APA. It discusses proper citation for books and journals, a simplified heading style to be more accessible for electronic publication. Also in the most recent edition are new guidelines for the reduction of biased language.
Organization: The guide is organized into chapters for different pieces of the writing process.
Entries: In the various sections there are examples that deal with the formatting rules. There is also an entire section of sample writing to give users a better idea of the structure they ought have with an APA paper.
Timeliness: This manual is updated at irregular intervals as required by changes in the academic community.
The Statesman’s Year-Book. (1864-). London: Macmillan. Annual.
Purpose: The purpose of this year book is to provide concise detailed information about any country.
Scope: The yearbook covers the history, politics, economics, trade, infrastructure, and other statistics for each country. Other important categories are religion, culture,international relations, and communications. The companion website offers information on recent elections and current diplomatic representatives.
Organization: The entries are organized by country, and then are divided into different sections which will have the pertinent data listed.
Entries: Entries vary depending on the categories. Profiles of cities are very in depth, with a short history, places of interest, and a current assessment. Information on the current administration provides a list (including the languages that various members of state speak, and to what level) and on the companion website, provides links to the appropriate pages for those individuals. But a great deal of the data in the entries is stored in tables. Natural resources, life expectancy, military strength, industry, and social institutions are all data tables, with no bias, just the numbers.
Timeliness: This reference tool is published annually and is timely in the companion website.
A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses and Dissertations. (2007). 7th ed. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Purpose: This manual strives to provide information on every step and style in the writing process, no matter the length or types of paper.
Scope: The latest edition of the manual includes information on how to best format for electronic resources, showing the strength that online format has gathered. This guide, and those like it, are attempting to keep a semblance of form similar to the printed word. The purpose of this is to keep online submissions and possible publications uniform.
Organization: This manual tries to cover every aspect of the writing process, from research to final drafts. It is organized into chapters that take the researcher (student at any grade level) from the beginning to end. In 26 chapters, each different phase of the writing process is reviewed, and the proper formatting discussed.
Entries: The entries are broken down into the rules and examples for each different type of formatting. The entries are simple, authoritative and designed for any level of writer to be able to research, develop and properly format a paper at the high school, college, or graduate level.
Timeliness: This manual was last updated in 2007 to reflect changes in The Chicago Manual of Style, in its 15th edition.
Whitaker’s Almanack. (1999). London: Stationery Office.
Purpose: The purpose of this almanac is to keep the general public up to date on current affairs, and to be an easily accessible ready reference tool.
Scope: This almanac covers the events of a year for art, architecture, music, politics, science, business, dance, film, theater, and literature. It also includes obituaries of key figures, not only in the U.K., but from around the world. Like most almanacs, it also includes weather information, key dates for holidays, and civil and legal dates. As this is a United Kingdom publication, a good portion is devoted to events in the U.K. The almanac also gives comprehensive reports for all different kinds of sports.
Organization: The almanac is organized by subject and has several different breakdowns with categories depending on the subject. Some topics, such as legal issues and business affairs are broken down by month. Other topics such as sports are broken down by type, and then pertinent information is listed.
Entries: The entries vary by subject matter. For meteorological data, the entries are mostly tables, unless there were natural disasters in that year, which would have a write up. Sports entries are also short, and mostly just state the name of the event, the winner, and the location. There are also critical essays on various events of the year.
Timeliness: This almanac is released annually in the United Kingdom, and has a companion website, which is timely.
The World Almanac and Book of Facts. Mahwah, N. J.: World Almanac, 1868-76, 1886- . Annual.
Purpose: This Almanac serves as a ready reference for a given year. It was have answers to basic questions of events
Scope: The World Almanac covers the events of one year at a time. Focus is given to special events or large scale problems (epidemics, natural disasters, man made disasters). And then regular topics are covered, such as science, technology, health, sports, government.
Organization: Entries are organized by subject, and then sub categories within the subject.
Entries: Depending on the topic, some entries are short summaries, others nearing long essays, and some are simply tables of data.
Timeliness: This ready reference is released annually and is timely.
World Fact Book. (2010). Retrieved from http://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/.
Purpose: The World Factbook is an interactive website that gives a detailed profile of any country.
Scope: The site reviews basic history, government, peoples, communication, geography, transportation and military for 266 world entities.
Organization: Countries are clicked on by continent first, and then the country is selected from a list. Once the country has been selected, the category of interest can be selected, and the information perused from there.
Entries: Entries are simply structured, with information plainly organized. The entries contain various types of information, such as population totals, languages spoken, government composition, and other desired statistics and pertinent information.
Timeliness: The data on this website is up to date and timely, as it deals with information regarding socio-economic and political activity in the countries around the world.
