Book of the Week: Your Own Words by: Barbara Wallraff
I picked this book out last week at my local library. The author is pleasantly humorous and the book has been a wonderful read. If more young people (middle-high schoolers) were taught how to use reference books I believe that they would greatly improve their research skills. The author discusses that these books are incredible resources. By understanding the ways dictionaries are set up a person can improve their language skills.
When I was in school I do not remember being taught how to use a dictionary, thesaurus or any other reference book. My English classes were based on grammar or literature, nothing else. The teachers I had presumed that we knew how to research and would assign a paper topic without much guidance. For me it wasn't incredibly difficult. I have enjoyed libraries all my life I was happy to spend hours learning how to find books on my own. I can't take all the credit for my genius. My mother is a big fan of reading she was my first research instructor. She taught me how to use the card catalog (the non-computerized kind) at the age of six. She believed it was important to know how to find information, and of course to read regularly.
It wasn't until I went to college that I needed to go to the library to do extensive research. Of course my past experience made me pretty good at finding information, a dandy skill come 3am the day before the term paper was due. I was (still am) excited to learn about all the other sources of information. By this time the use of electronic databases for research was becoming acceptable and was something new for me to learn. As we move further into the electronic age and rely more on digital resources we shouldn't be so hasty. You still can find a wealth of information in the basic (*'so totally old fashioned') reference materials.
Maybe I should start reading that old dictionary again.
*This quote provided by my student staff person.
When I was in school I do not remember being taught how to use a dictionary, thesaurus or any other reference book. My English classes were based on grammar or literature, nothing else. The teachers I had presumed that we knew how to research and would assign a paper topic without much guidance. For me it wasn't incredibly difficult. I have enjoyed libraries all my life I was happy to spend hours learning how to find books on my own. I can't take all the credit for my genius. My mother is a big fan of reading she was my first research instructor. She taught me how to use the card catalog (the non-computerized kind) at the age of six. She believed it was important to know how to find information, and of course to read regularly.
It wasn't until I went to college that I needed to go to the library to do extensive research. Of course my past experience made me pretty good at finding information, a dandy skill come 3am the day before the term paper was due. I was (still am) excited to learn about all the other sources of information. By this time the use of electronic databases for research was becoming acceptable and was something new for me to learn. As we move further into the electronic age and rely more on digital resources we shouldn't be so hasty. You still can find a wealth of information in the basic (*'so totally old fashioned') reference materials.
Maybe I should start reading that old dictionary again.
*This quote provided by my student staff person.
posted by Wild Librarian | 7:45 PM
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