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Chapter 6
How Do I Use Books for My Research Paper?
Be sure you go to the author to get at his meaning, not to find yours.
JOHN RUSKIN
For many students, books are an indispensable part of research. For starters, book's are "user-friendly"; it's easy to open a book and start reading. You don't need any special equipment such as a computer terminal to read a book, either. Since it takes time to write and publish books, they tend to be reliable sources, but more on that in Chapter 12. Right now, you'll learn how to find the books you need to complete your research.
Classification of Books
The books you use for research papers fall into two main categories: fiction and nonfiction.
• Fiction works (novels and short stories) are cataloged under the author's last name.
• Nonfiction books, such as biographies, histories, and textbooks, are classified in two different ways: (1) by the Dewey Decimal system and (2) by the Library of Congress classification system.

 

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You almost always use more nonfiction books than fiction books for your research. It's not unusual for a major university library to have over a million books. Even a small community library often has over 100,000 volumes.
How can you find the books you need? Librarians use call numbers and classification systems. Knowing how these systems work can help you find the books you need to complete your research.
Call Numbers
Each book in the library is marked with a call number, which tells where the book is located in the library's stacks.
• If you are working in a library with open stacks (where you can roam the book collection yourself), you can copy down the call number and get the book yourself.
• If you are working in a library with closed stacks (the stacks are restricted to library personnel), you must fill out a call slip, hand it in at the call desk, and wait for someone to retrieve the book for you.
Some libraries have a mix of open and closed stacks.
Whether the stacks are open or closed, be sure to copy down the call number exactly as it appears in the card catalog. Otherwise, it is very hard—if not impossible—for you to find the book. Don't try to remember all the digits in the number as you rush to the stacks. Jot it down. Most libraries even keep small pencils and scraps of paper next to the card catalog for this purpose.
Book Classification Systems
Libraries classify their books according to one of two systems: the Dewey Decimal classification system or the Library of Congress classification system. The systems use completely different sets of letters and numbers, as you'll learn.
Dewey Decimal Classification System
Melvil Dewey (1851–1931) was a man with an obsession for order. This might have made life difficult for his family,

 

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but it revolutionized libraries. Before Dewey's system of classifying books was adopted, many libraries relied on systems that filed books by color or size. While working as a librarian at Amherst College, Dewey developed a system that is used by most elementary schools, high schools, and small public libraries today. His classification system, published in 1876, divided nonfiction books into ten broad categories, as follows:
000–099
General works such as encyclopedias
100–199
Philosophy
200–299
Religion (including mythology)
300–399
Social sciences (including folklore, legends, government, manners, vocations)
400–499
Language (including dictionaries and grammar books)
500–599
Pure science (mathematics, astronomy, chemistry, nature study)
600–699
Technology (applied science, aviation, building, engineering, homemaking)
700–799
Arts (photography, drawing, painting, music, sports)
800–899
Literature (plays, poetry)
900–999
History (ancient, modern, geography, travel)

Each of these categories is further divided for accuracy of classification.
Example:
500–599 covers pure science, such as chemistry, astronomy, mathematics, and physics.
Books on mathematics can be found from 510 to 519.
Geometry is listed under 513.
These categories are further subdivided by decimals to provide additional categories. Additional digits can be added to create even more precise categories.
Books are arranged alphabetically within each classification by the first letter of the author's last name. Therefore, a

 

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library that has several books on computer technology files them all under the same call number but shelves them alphabetically.
Library of Congress Classification System
The Dewey Decimal System was designed to suit all libraries; the Library of Congress system was created to suit one specific library, the Library of Congress. However, this classification system proved so useful that it is now used by nearly all large libraries, especially those in colleges and universities.
Each Library of Congress classification number contains three lines:
• A letter at the top.
• A number in the middle.
• A letter/number combination at the bottom.
The Library of Congress classification system has 20 classes:
A General works
B Philosophy and religion
C History
D History and topography (except America)
E-F American history
G Geography, anthropology, folklore, manners, customs, recreation
H Social sciences
J Political sciences
K United States law
L Education
M Music
N Fine arts
P Language and literature
Q Science
R Medicine

 

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S Agriculture
T Technology
U Military science
V Naval science
Z Bibliography and library science
As with the Dewey system, each of the categories in the Library of Congress system can be divided into subclasses. Because the Library of Congress system groups related topics, you can often find unexpected but related avenues to pursue as you research. As a result, it's not a bad idea to take a few minutes to browse the shelves as you gather books you need.
Warning!
Unfortunately, library call numbers don't work like the Celsius and Fahrenheit temperature systems. There is no way to convert the call numbers in one system to those in the other system. So you cannot take the call numbers from a library that uses the Dewey classification system to a library that uses the Library of Congress classification system. You have to look the book up again if you work with two systems; so it's usually a good idea to pick one library system for books—either the public library system or the university/college library system. Of course, within either system, you can use as many different libraries as you wish.
Types of Card Catalogs
A catalog is a detailed list of all the books in the library. There are two main types of card catalogs: print card catalogs and on-line card catalogs. Years ago, all libraries had print card catalogs, rows of cards in wooden boxes. You had to search through the drawers of cards by hand.
Increasingly, however, libraries have moved to on-line catalogs, which you access from computer terminals. These have many advantages.
Odds are good that on-line catalogs will completely replace the traditional card catalogs in the near future.

 

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On-line catalogs are surprisingly easy to use. They have clear directions printed across the top or bottom of the screen. There's often a pull-down menu as well, which makes it even easier to see your options. If you have difficulty, ask the reference librarian.
How to Find the Books You Need
Whether you use an on-line or a paper card catalog, you can locate material in books three different ways:
• Subject search
• Title search
• Author search
Your topic determines how you search for a book. Since most research papers deal with topics and issues, you'll likely be searching by subject. However, you often have to look under titles and authors as well. Consider all three avenues of finding information as you look through the card catalog.
Reading a Catalog Entry
Knowing how to read a card catalog entry can help you gather useful information.
Example:
Here's a typical entry with explanations:
13504-0048a.gif

 

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Useful Books to Consider
In addition to specific books on your topic, here are some general reference sources to consider:
1. Encyclopedias. Some teachers do not let their students cite encyclopedias in their bibliographies, but that's no reason not to use them for background information. An encyclopedia can be an excellent way to get a quick, authoritative overview of your topic. This can often help you get a handle on the issues.
There are general encyclopedias (World Books, Britannica, Colliers, Funk and Wagnalls) as well as technical ones. The encyclopedias can be in print or on CD-ROM. The CD-ROM form often has splashly multimedia features, such as video and sound. They tend to have less text, however; so for serious research, print encyclopedias are usually a better bet.
2. Books in Print. This is an annual listing of books currently in print or slated for print by January 31 of the following year. Books in Print is a multivolume set shelved in the reference section of the library. It is also available on CD-Rom.
Why use it? Books in Print can tell you if a book is still being issued by the publisher. This means the library can order a copy of the book or you can buy one yourself at a book store. If the book is no longer in print, the library can get one only if it already owns it or another library has a copy.
3. Guide to Reference Books. Published by the American Library Association, this useful guide has five main categories: general reference works; humanities; social and behavioral sciences; history and area studies; and science, technology, and medicine.
4. Who's Who in America. This reference work includes biographical entries on approximately 75,000 Americans and others linked to America. Who Was Who covers famous people who have died.

 

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5. Almanacs. These are remarkably handy and easy-to-use reference guides. These one-volume books are a great source for statistics and facts. The World Almanac and the Information, Please Almanac are the two best known almanacs. They are updated every year.
This chapter covered how you can use books as you research information. In the following chapter, you'll learn all about the many other sources that are available. These offer equally exciting research opportunities.

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