Lesson plan

Guide to Reference

Guide to Reference, published in 2008 as the online successor to Guide to Reference Books, was a selective guide to the best print and online reference sources. An editorial team of reference librarians and subject experts selected and annotated some 16,000 entries, which were organized by subject. It was a subscription database, published by the American Library Association, and was updated on an ongoing basis. It was intended as a resource for libraries when answering reference questions, planning library instruction, identifying items to purchase, and training staff. The print edition was published regularly since 1902 by the American Library Association, and had been a staple of academic reference libraries throughout the United States. However, its popularity of use had dropped in recent years with the continued rise of electronic databases. The online product was closed down on March 31, 2016.

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Article summary

Guide to Reference, published in 2008 as the online successor to Guide to Reference Books, was a selective guide to the best print and online reference sources. An editorial team of reference librarians and subject experts selected and annotated some 16,000 entries, which were organized by subject. It was a subscription database, published by the American Library Association, and was updated on an ongoing basis. It was intended as a resource for libraries when answering reference questions, planning library instruction, identifying items to purchase, and training staff. The print edition was published regularly since 1902 by the American Library Association, and had been a staple of academic reference libraries throughout the United States. However, its popularity of use had dropped in recent years with the continued rise of electronic databases. The online product was closed down on March 31, 2016.

Key claims

  1. publication date: 2008 — source: Wikipedia · confidence 0.95
  2. publication date: 1902 — source: Wikipedia · confidence 0.95
  3. publication date: 1967 — source: Wikipedia · confidence 0.95
  4. publication date: 1976 — source: Wikipedia · confidence 0.95
  5. publication date: 2009 — source: Wikipedia · confidence 0.95

Discussion questions

  1. Summarise the article in your own words. Which single claim would you verify first, and why?
  2. The record states that the publication date is "2008". What evidence would count against this claim?
  3. The record states that the publication date is "1902". What evidence would count against this claim?
  4. The record states that the publication date is "1967". What evidence would count against this claim?
  5. The record states that the publication date is "1976". What evidence would count against this claim?
  6. The record states that the publication date is "2009". What evidence would count against this claim?
  7. Which claim in this article is most likely to be revised as the sources update? How would you check its current status?
  8. If two sources disagreed about one of these facts, what would you need in order to trust one over the other?

Bibliography

  1. Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1332751812

Key claims and bibliography are generated from the same tracked claims and sources as the article page.