Cover: Research and Documentation in the Digital Age, 7th Edition by Diana Hacker; Barbara Fister

Research and Documentation in the Digital Age

Seventh Edition ©2019 Diana Hacker; Barbara Fister

With advice for finding, evaluating, and documenting sources, this handy spiral-bound pocket guide covers the essential information college students need for research assignments in more than 30 disciplines. New, up-to-date documentation models guide students as they cite common sources and newer so...
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ISBN:9781319152437

Cover: Research and Documentation in the Digital Age, 7th Edition by Diana Hacker; Barbara Fister

Portable, affordable research help for any college class

With advice for finding, evaluating, and documenting sources, this handy spiral-bound pocket guide covers the essential information college students need for research assignments in more than 30 disciplines. New, up-to-date documentation models guide students as they cite common sources and newer sources in the current editions of one of four documentation styles (MLA, APA, Chicago, and CSE). Advice, examples, and activities help students engage in the research process, find entry points in debates, and develop their authority as researchers. The many examples, according to one college librarian, “are realistic and relevant.” Research and Documentation in the Digital Age is the perfect companion to any college textbook.

Features

Expert authorship by a college reference librarian ensures that writers can trust the advice.

More than 300 documentation models in four styles (MLA, APA, Chicago, and CSE) means students won’t be stumped, even by the trickiest digital sources.

Specialized resources, all vetted, in more than 30 college disciplines provide a jumpstart for researchers in any college course.

New to This Edition

Updated Chicago style (2017) and MLA style (2016) ensures that students have access to the most current guidelines for humanities writing
Updated Chicago 2017
Updated research sources in Philosophy and social sciences
Stronger coverage of evaluating sources, including new advice on identifying and avoiding fake and misleading news sources

“The new approach to research is simple but very informative -- and walks students through the beginning of the research process in a clear and straightforward way. I like the practical focus on the research question.” 
– Diana Matthews, Santa Fe College

“I think all of the examples – of research questions, of search strategies, of sample search results—are realistic and relevant. I also really like the new section on managing information responsibly.”
– Maura Smale, New York City College of Technology, CUNY

 

Digital Options

Table of Contents

Part I. Getting started

Seeing the big picture
Developing a focused research question
Using references to get an overview
Developing effective search terms
Identifying and filling gaps
Accessing sources

Part II. Choosing sources
Finding sources
Evaluating sources
Knowing what sources to avoid
Tracing the influence of a source
Getting involved in scholarly conversations

Part III: Managing information
Staying organized anywhere
Using information from sources in your writing
Avoiding unintentional plagiarism
Using citation management tools

Part IV: Research and documentation in the humanities
Finding sources in the humanities
General resources
Art and architecture
Classics
Literature
Music
Philosophy
Religion
Theater, dance, and film
World languages and linguistics
Citing sources in the humanities: MLA style
MLA in-text citations
      MLA list of works cited
      MLA manuscript format
Sample MLA research paper

Part V: Research and documentation in history
Finding sources in history
General resources
World history
American history
Citing sources in history: Chicago style
Chicago documentation style
Chicago manuscript format
Sample pages from a Chicago research paper

Part VI: Research and documentation in the social sciences
Finding sources in the social sciences
General resources
Anthropology
Business and economics
Communication studies
Criminal justice
Education
Ethnic and area studies
Gender and women’s studies
Geography
Nursing and health sciences
Law
Political science
Psychology
Sociology
Citing sources in the social sciences: APA Style
APA in-text citations
      APA list of references
      APA manuscript format
Sample APA research paper

Part VII: Research and documentation in the sciences
Finding sources in the sciences
General resources
Biology
Chemistry
Computer science
Engineering
Environmental sciences
Geology
Mathematics
Physics and astronomy
Citing sources in the sciences: CSE Style
CSE documentation systems
CSE in-text citations
CSE references
      CSE manuscript format
      Sample pages from a CSE research paper

List of Style Manuals

Part VIII: Glossary of research terms

Headshot of Diana Hacker

Diana Hacker

Diana Hacker personally class-tested her handbooks with nearly four thousand students over thirty-five years at Prince George's Community College in Maryland, where she was a member of the English faculty. Hacker handbooks, built on innovation and on a keen understanding of the challenges facing student writers, are the most widely adopted in America. Hacker handbooks, all published by Bedford/St. Martin's, include A Writer's Reference, Eleventh Edition (2025); A Pocket Style Manual, Tenth Edition (2025); The Bedford Handbook, Twelfth Edition (2023); Rules for Writers, Tenth Edition (2022); and Writer’s Help 2.0, Hacker Version.

Headshot of Barbara Fister

Barbara Fister

Barbara Fister is a professor and librarian at Gustavus Adolphus College, where she directs the librarys instruction program, works with the John S. Kendall Center for Engaged Learning, and teaches several courses, including a first-term seminar. She has published widely on information literacy, the future of publishing, and popular reading practices; she also has published a book on third world womens literatures, three novels, and is a weekly columnist for Library Journal and Inside Higher Ed.