Promotions - Choice's Outstanding Academic Titles 2015 -

The underlying theme of this book is that great writing transcends subject, format, and readership.  Writing is central to the daily life of academics and most professionals, yet the practice, experiences, and processes of writing are not often discussed with colleagues.  This book fills that void and nicely complements Andrew Abbott'sDigital Paper: A Manual for Research and Writing with Library and Internet Materials (CH, Feb'15, 52-2854).  Milardo (Univ. of Maine) has written a refreshing, inspiring, and readable take on what has typically been a dry, mechanical, and private process.  The book is divided into three parts: the first, "Writing for Journals, Grants, and Books," discusses theory development, research synthesis, book reviews, book proposals, and contracts and production issues.  Part 2, "The Experience of Writing," includes mindful writing practices, inspiration, collaboration, deadlines, managing criticism, and rituals.  The last part, "Reviewing and Editing," treats tone, communication, audience, validity, and ethics.  Chapters offer summaries, activities, recommended readings, and references.  Throughout the book the author intersperses interviews and personal accounts from academic writers at different stages of their lives or careers.  "Writer's Resources" and "Best Practices" boxes are designed to help academics (or aspiring academics) and anyone interested in professional writing better understand the trickier aspects of motivation and setting goals.Summing Up: Highly recommended. Upper-level undergraduates through researchers/faculty; professionals/practitioners.

Abbott (Univ. of Chicago) offers substantive insights into library research using print and digital materials in this addition to the "Chicago Guides to Writing, Editing, and Publishing" series.  He explains how linear arguments presented in research papers, dissertations, articles, or books emerge from the essentially nonlinear process of "design, bibliography, scanning and materials search, reading, maintaining files, analyzing retrieved material, and writing."  With illuminating examples from social science and humanities research, and with self-deprecating humor, Abbott develops an economic model describing tradeoffs between searching and reading.  This volume complements Thomas Mann'sLibrary ResearchModels (1993) andThe Oxford Guide to Library Research (3rd ed., CH, Apr'06, 43-4363).  Abbott critically compares particular online tools to their physical counterparts, lamenting database "chartjunk" that impedes scanning of search results, and purported efficiencies that reduce the rewards of "doing" over "having" bibliography.  He urges students to frame empirical and theoretical puzzles as multiple "minianalyses" and to seek out classic disciplinary-based bibliographic tools recommended in older printed editions of ALA'sGuide to Reference Books (11th ed., ed. by R. Balay et al., CH, Jun'96, 33-5453).  This eloquent manual resembles an extended essay featuring a glossary and an index but, ironically, lacking a bibliography.  It reveals the thrill of back-and-forth "brachiation" between high-quality sources and their references.Summing Up: Essential. Upper-division undergraduates and above.

Ten years after his last revision (CH, Apr'06, 43-4363), Mann (Library of Congress) has crafted a worthy update to a staple of library research and librarianship.  Reflecting dramatic changes in libraries and information organization over the decade, this edition places far greater emphasis on digital content.  Modern methods of subject searching are detailed; for example, in describing controlled vocabulary searching, Mann explains the difference between reader-assigned keyword tags versus formalLibrary of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH).  Other improvements include the reorganization and further development of topics from the previous editions; for example, the in-depth treatment of electronic database providers (and platforms) such as EBSCOhost and ProQuest have been moved from a chapter on "Keyword Searches" to a designated chapter dealing with subject headings and descriptors in online databases.  Print materials are not forgotten but simply get the digital touch; the section "Sending Books Offsite" reflects the complicated nature of today's collection development and deselection policy.  Mann clearly identifies important topics within the field and provides a multifaceted discussion.  In all, a very thorough treatment of the relevant issues in modern information management.  Not only suitable  for librarians and information professionals, but a helpful introduction for newcomers to the arcana of doing library research, from one of the masters.Summing Up: Highly recommended. All readership levels.