The New York Public Library Kid's Guide to Research

Today's elementary schools demand a lot from our children. Over the years, as school curricula have begun to encourage a hands-on approach to learning, research has become a more integral part of all school subjects. As a result, the modern student may be asked to design and perform experiments; search the Internet to find out what life is like in another country; interview relatives and survey classmates as sample groups; and, at the very least, know his or her way around a public library. Research has become central to the educational process for a good reason: it's useful in almost every walk of life. But for many children, with so many new sources to search and so little training in research technique, the task can seem overwhelming and exasperating.

The librarians at The New York Public Library understand that frustration, and know from firsthand experience what kinds of help kids are looking for. Now, together with award-winning children's author Deborah Heiligman, they offer the Kid's Guide to Research, a well-organized, accessible introduction to everything kids should know to find what it is they're looking for. Among the book's wealth of information is advice on:

• Choosing a topic and taking notes
• Using the library, including reference books, card catalogs, online catalogs, single-topic books, periodical guides, and current periodicals
• Evaluating sources
• Finding visual resources such as photographs, art, and videos
• Conducting surveys, observations, experiments, and personal interviews
• Using Internet features such as e-mail, the World Wide Web, news groups, and mailing lists, plus Internet safety and etiquette
• Knowing where to find more information (museums, historical sites, businesses, or even grandma's attic)

Featuring illustrations and helpful sidebars on possible trouble spots, this easy-to-use hardcover edition offers a lesson as true for children as it is for adults--namely, that knowing how to get the information you need is almost as good as having it already.