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Methods by which Research Workers Find Information
Pages 163-180

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From page 163...
... The results showed that the following were the principal ways by which information was found. The figures represent percentages of all items recorded in the diary survey: regular reading ofthe current literature, including new reports, Who; papers found through references in other papers, WHO; personal recommendation, ll~o; and scanning lists of titles included in the report lists and information bulletin issued by library, Who; Nuclear Science Abstracts, 7(70; found for readers by the Library, TWO.
From page 164...
... Summary of cervices given by A.E.R.E. Library The Atomic Energy Research Establishment at Harwell is the Headquarters of the Research Group of the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority.
From page 165...
... Most of the material held by Divisional Libraries is also in the Main Library. In addition to the above collections, authors of reports send copies to individuals on the Site by putting them on the initial distribution of the reports concerned.
From page 166...
... The investigation also differed from those undertaken previously, in that it was carried out in a research establishment with a relatively large information office in the Library. The diary card used, together with the supplementary notes given to diary keepers, are reproduced in Appendices 1 and 2.
From page 167...
... the record was 8~90% complete and that in this field it presented a valid picture of the information used. All diary keepers found, however, that it was impracticable to find a logical basis for recording information received orally, or by written private communications.
From page 169...
... of the diary keepers show some use of a private index, and it is doubtful whether the row 9 total reflects adequately their importance. Of the oral sample 8 had shown no use of a private index, but of these 5 maintained one and 2 said they had forgotten to enter its use in the diary.
From page 170...
... by the different retrieval methods are shown separately in Table 3. It will be seen that two retrieval methods, private index TABLE 3 Most elective retrieval methods Retrieval method Items ~0 Abstract journals 98 23 Private index 83 19 Previous use 186 43 I found it in library indexes 26 6 Library found it for me 25 6 Bibliography 11 3 Total 429 100 anct previous use, account for nearly two-thirds of the total.
From page 171...
... Less than half the diary keepers used reviews at all. An explanation may be that in a relatively new field only a small proportion of the literature is included in reviews, but the result does not seem to bear out the views expressed at the 1948 Royal Society Conference.
From page 172...
... The average number of items recorcled was 25 for pure and 37 for applied research workers. It should be noted that the Medical Research Council staff have an independent Library of their own, and make very little use of the services covered by rows 11-17 of the diary card.
From page 174...
... \ KIND OF \INFORMATION HOW WAS\ I N FORMATION \ FOUND \ l REF. IN ANOTHER PAPE R RE AD _ 2 .ID~F`nl Irquc^t, LIBRARY fOUND 12 IT FOR ME INFORMATION 13 BULLET I N 14 Ll BRARY RFPC1RT I I£T 15 16 REGULAR RE ADtNG OF CURRENT LITERATURE REPORT REC'D ON INITIAL DISTRIBUTION P E RSONAL RECOMMENDATION NUCLEAR SCIENCE ABSTRACTS CHEM ICAL ABSTRACTS PHYSICS ABSTRACTS aTHER ABSTRACT JOURNAL PRIVATE INDEX PREVIOUS USE I FOUND IT IN LIBRARY INDEXES LIBRARY FOUND IT FOR ME INFORMATION BULLET I N Ll BRARY REPORT LIST BIBLIOGRAPHY PREPARED BY LIBRARY L IBRA RY NOTIFICATION SLIP I SSUED ON L IBRARY INlilATlVE TOTAL % :.~ AIB o a: 10 8 3 , _ I _ 8 .
From page 175...
... TABLE 7 Proportion of sample making use of particular reference source Interview Diary Positive use Estimate of Regular Occasional m sorties others who Approx. .Sourc~ use use Total period use Total Information Bulletin 60% 6% 66% 37% 31% 70% Report list 52% 6% 58% 50% 16% 65% Nuclear Science Abstracts 40% 16% 56% 32% 17% 50°,~O Chemical Abstracts 22% 2% 24% 17% — — Private Index >60% 45~O 30% 75% The agreement between these figures is within the probable errors.
From page 176...
... These showed that slips were sent to 13 of the diary keepers, and 13 showed a positive use of the serviced remarkable correlation. A total of 49 slips were sent out, and the diary records showed 39 items found from slips.
From page 177...
... of immediate use for your job p ut a dot i n box B5. For foreign language publ ications make an addition mark in column Q or R as appropriate.
From page 178...
... 4. It is the intention that important information obtained in discussions (i.e., vat private communications)
From page 179...
... 5. Frequency of consultation of the following: journals; books; reports; Nuclear Science Abstracts; other abstract journals; U.S.A.E.C.'s subject catalogue of unclassified reports; library author catalogue; Information Office (security classified)


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