[Web4lib] Transition to electronic resources in undergraduate social science

[B.G. Sloan]

Thought some of you might be interested in this...

Kriebel, Leslie, and Leslie Lapham. Transition to electronic resources in undergraduate social science research: A study of honors theses bibliographies, 1999-2005. College & Research Libraries, 69(3), 268-283. May 2008. (Available online to ACRL members only).

Abstract: 

"This citation analysis assesses use of print and electronic 
resources in advanced undergraduate research at Wellesley College. Using 
four years of social science honors theses bibliographies, the 
proportionate use of electronic versus print sources is determined. 
Consistent discipline-based patterns in resource use are identified to 
inform future instruction and digital collections policies. Findings 
reveal: (1) an explosion in use of nonperiodical, nonbook Web sources; (2) 
a rapid decline in the use of print journals; and (3) a persistent lack of 
use of e-books. The authors argue that greater emphasis on starting 
research with scholarly indexes and bibliographies is a fruitful 
corrective to recent overdependence on random Web searching and will also 
better ground students in solid research practices as transitions in the 
scholarly publishing world continue."

Bernie Sloan