EDUCATOR’S PAGE
rigorous proofreading and substantial revisions in their evolution from incep- tion to final submission. In part, I believe this frequently happens as a result of failing to plan for the time necessary to construct a well-written document. Good technical writing seldom just happens, rather it is a laborious process, one in which the fruits are borne out of a great deal of concentration and effort. A few simple suggestions might be beneficial to always keep in mind: a) allow an appro- priate amount of time to write; b) solicit input from others about the readability and flow of information in your composi- tion; c) thoroughly proofread3 your final manuscript to catch and correct errors.
Researching
It is often necessary to supplement our current understanding about a topic through intentionally seeking, identify- ing, and reducing additional relevant information. The process of doing so can be called researching. Inevitably, at some time in our careers, we will be faced with the ugly reality that we do not know something, or worse still, have forgotten something we once knew. Researching4 enables us to solve a problem and directly address a need by informing our decision about what to read or write about. Researching is crucial to our professional success; we need to know how and where to look for information.
Internet researching normally first brings to light a tremendous amount of misinformation and non-information; it is critical we understand how to sift through it all to find the reputable infor- mation of value to us. Utilizing Boolean operators (e.g., and, or, not) restricts the access to information in an electronic search and immediately constrains the quantity of resources to be reviewed. Understanding how to correctly search for information can make our investiga- tions more productive and efficient.
Knowing where to look for informa- tion can save time and energy (in more ways than one!). While a Google search is certainly easy, it is not specifically designed to find academically-oriented information (though, Google Scholar may be a step in the right direction). Instead, it is better to rely on electron-
ic databases or public and university libraries (though access may be restrict- ed to members, subscribers, students, or employees). For example, this issue’s featured resource is GeoRef, an online database for geosciences information.
To sum up, three R’s come to mind when I think of the activities and skills professionals rely on: reading to stay current on information in the field; writ- ing to effectively and articulately com- municate; and researching to quickly and efficiently locate useful information. While there are certainly many other important activities specifically inher- ent to individual professions, these three stand out to me as applying broadly to most professions. So, when you hear or read about the traditional 3 R’s of read- ing, writing, and arithmetic, be sure to also take a moment to remember the other professional 3 R’s of reading, writ- ing, and researching.
Featured Resource
This issue’s featured resource is the American Geosciences Institute’s GeoRef database:
http://www.ameri-
cangeosciences.org/georef/georef-infor- mation-services
GeoRef is an excellent resource for geology students, instructors, and prac- ticing professionals. According to their webpage, GeoRef contains over three million references to geosciences-related materials, including USGS publications, academic theses and dissertations, and maps. Although there is an associated cost for using it, most university and college libraries will have access to it already.
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3. There are numerous recommendations for proofreading, but three that work well for me are: 1) let the paper sit for a bit (do not work on it for a day or two, then read it with “fresh” eyes); b) read the paper aloud to see if it flows well; and c) read the text backward (i.e., begin at the end of the paper by reading each sentence from the last to the first word to catch typos and spelling mistakes).
4. I use the word researching here, instead of research, to distinguish this activity from conducting scholarly original research. call
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For those who need only an occa- sional search of the GeoRef database, it is easy to request a GeoRef custom search. A member of the GeoRef staff will conduct the search according to your specifications. The search results will be delivered by email.
To order a Custom Search, contact Jim Mehl at
jmp@agiweb.org, (703) 379-2480 ext 236 or Monika Long at
ml@agiweb.org.
The cost of a custom search is $225.00 plus $.45 per reference.
Please mention AIPG when order- ing your custom search.
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