Online Technical Writing Chapter Quiz--Information Search (Libraries)

When you're through, just click on SEND to check your answers. If you want to start over, just click on RESET!

Your name	Your social security number (use hyphens)

1. To find the books or articles you need, you use these items when you search in catalogs and indexes:
   Indexes
   Catalogs
   Bibliographies
   Keywords
   

2. When you need stable information, information that has been around for awhile, rather than "hot," late-breaking information, the best sources to consult are:
   Newspapers
   Journals
   Encyclopedias
   

3. If you are new to a topic and need basic, introductory information, the best sources to start with are usually:
   Newspapers
   Journals
   Encyclopedias
   

4. If you need last-minute, up-to-date information on a "hot" topic, the best sources to consult are usually:
   Encyclopedias
   Articles in newspapers, magazines, and journals
   Books
   

5. When you are doing an information search, it's useful to check the bibliographies of the articles, books, and other sources you find for additional possibilities. A bibliography is:
   A list of related articles, books, and other information, usually at the end of the document
   The table of contents of a book or report
   A listing of all the articles on a given topic that have been published over a period of time, or all the books on a given topic in a library.
   

6. If you were looking for as many magazine and journal articles published in 1996 on the atmospheric ozone depletion problem as you could find, the best tool you could use would be:
   The tables of contents of the individual magazines and periodicals you think might have the articles you need
   The bibliographies of books that deal with the subject
   A periodical index for that year
   The book catalog in your library
   

7. The chapter on libraries points out that the U.S. government publishes an enormous amount of information. If you wanted to find government magazine and journal articles on your topic, a good place to start would be:
   Congressional Indexing Service
   Government Reports and Announcements
   Index to U.S. Government Periodicals
   

8. If you wanted to find out what reports the U.S. government published on your topic, the best place to start would be:
   Government Reports and Announcements
   Index to U.S. Government Periodicals
   

9. Often when you are researching a topic, you can get good information from interest and trade groups who are closely involved with your topic. The best way to find these groups is to use a reference book called:
   Encyclopedia of Associations
   New York Times Index
   Library of Congress Subject Headings
   

10. Which of the following would be the best reference tool to use to find newspaper articles related to your topic?
    Index to U.S. Government Periodicals
    New York Times Index
    McGraw-Hill Encyclopedia of Science and Technology
    

    ---

    Click here to wipe everything out and start over.

    Click here to send this information to your Online Technical Writing instructor.

    This information is provided and maintained by David A. McMurrey. For information on use, customization, or copies, e-mail hcexres@io.com.