Real World Research Skills: An Introduction to Factual, International, Judicial, Legislative, and Regulatory Research (Research Skills Series)

"Peggy Garvin is the 'go-to' Washington expert on how to effectively locate, evaluate and leverage information from federal and state government websites. If you buy one book this year to assist you in researching on the web, make it this one!" -- Sabrina I. Pacifici, Founder, Editor, Publisher, LLRX.com and Author of the blog on law and technology news, beSpacific.com, Washington, DC "Real World Research Skills helps web searchers target their research to some of the most reliable information sources -- government statistics, reports and analysis. It's a great pathfinder through the thickets of federal and state government resources, written in a format that makes it an essential desk book for the serious researcher." -- Mary Ellen Bates, Bates Information Services Inc."This is an excellent basic resource for anyone in need of government information. It's very well-organized, with a good Scope note that clearly lays out the book's objectives. It includes important basics - how to think before you begin your research; how to work on unfamiliar topics; what to search and how to evaluate the results - which are not always included in books of this type. There's good advice on using advanced search options, understanding Boolean logic, and making a FOIA request, as well as a reminder that not everything is available online and print sources are still important. The layout is clear; charts and boxes make the information easy to find and use. The sections on state and international information are brief, but contain all the essentials.Though this book is aimed at those needing 'basic advice and techniques,' even experienced researchers can find a new resource or a bit of helpful advice. It will prove useful for information professionals, librarians, and anyone who needs to access government information." -- Kee Malesky, NPR Reference Library "Ms. Garvin's Real World Research Skills is a real find. As a professional researcher and professor, I found her book to be clear, concise, and supremely easy to use. Her examples of how to use the Internet to scour for accurate information on governmental sources are true gems. This handy little book will enhance the research skills of even old pros." -- Alphonse Vinh, Adjunct Professor, School of Library & Information Science, The Catholic University of America "While Real World Research Skills is a treasure trove of specific repositories and sites for information, of particular interest to me are the descriptions of the thought processes needed to obtain the information necessary for a research project. Also valuable is the discussion of the mindset needed when talking to an individual source, e.g., qualifying them as being a legitimate source, and making sure the researcher has a working knowledge of the issues so the source doesn't have to give a basic education. A valuable tool for high school and college students." -- Davis Scott, Chicago, IL