Discussion Questions for Altick Chps. 4 & 5:
Chapter Four:
Finding Materials walks you through the stages of an ambitious research project, and so provides an ideal map for your own project in this class. Here some things to think about:
Where will you begin your search?
How will you delimit your project and what will be the shape of your bibliographic plan?
Finding the materials is only the first stage of the project. For a later project, you still have to read and evaluate the resources, and then create your essay or your textual history.)
Why should you not rely solely on computer generated bibliographies? Can you think of any problems?
Chapter Five: Libraries
Take seriously the description of these wonderful world-class libraries. While they may seem remote to you now, at some point in your career (even advanced student) you may find yourself consulting them.