I am absolutely sick of the bias towards print resources in citing. For example, when I cite from an article that is freely available online through a journal’s website (in my case, the article “MARC must die” by Roy Tennant on the Library Journal Website) why should I have to then go to the database, find the same exact article, and cite it through there instead? That is exactly what my teacher told me to do in my last cataloging posting.
I presume, then, that I should list the database, not the freely accessible website as the source for my information as well.
This bias against web resources has to stop. If I didn’t know better, I would think that some librarians just want to drive traffic to the databases.
This was even more frustrating before I was a Library Science student- instead of teachers trying to teach how to spot a good web resource, they dogmatically told us to only use print. This just doesn’t fly anymore, as more and more good information is ONLY available online. That’s not to say that print resources aren’t still valuable, but there has to be a balance.
In other news, I am working form the library today, hoping to avoid the temptation to watch a lot of TV, play games, and nap instead of working on homework. It’s going well, except this keyboard sucks! I wish I could actually go work at my computer upstairs, but it’s locked. :P
You’re absolutely right, Karin!
Instructors need trust that their students know to be critical of the resources they are using. If they are concerned that the students don’t understand how to properly evaluate resources – then contact the library and set up a session for their students to be taught how to do it.
As for teachers telling you to only use print – if they refuse to advance with the times, they simply need to retire. They are holding back their students, and it’s not right.