COLLECTION OF

LITERATURE
Introduction
Scientific literature is essential for every write up whether it
is assignment, article, thesis, report, project or anything else

Two sources
1. Printed source
2. Electronic source
Printed Sources
Books
Periodicals
Journals
Abstracts
Newspapers
Magazines
Books
Various types of books
Monographs(article, thesis, profile?)
Proceedings
Reference books
Textbooks
Trade books
Monographs
These are written by scientists for scientists on particular topics
Detailed
Highly technical
Usually equivalent to long review article
Multi-authored
Proceedings
These are conference reports and a form of monographs in which
several scientists present their views on a particular subject in a
symposium, congress, workshop etc.
Often review papers or reports
Either edited or unedited
Published in conference proceedings
Reference Book
Reference book are much broader than that of monograph.
These contain facts
Consulted for specific topics
Compiled from data in journals into variety of handbooks and encyclopedia
E.g. Handbook of chemistry and physics
Encyclopedia
It is an information bank and provide authentic description on every topic.
Published regularly
Updated
All information in alphabetical order
Index available in last volume
E.g. Encyclopedia Americana
Textbooks
They cover a broad subject according to the curriculum of a particular discipline.
In simple and non-technical language (technical writing is meant for experts in
their field, while non-technical content is usually written for the general audience
who aren't familiar with certain technical terms.)
Technical terms defined
Meant for students
Trade Books
These are science publications that a general reader can understand.
Educative
Easy language
Book Search Procedure
Libraries are an important source and contain thousands of books.
All books in library are catalogued (‫)س ـتفـــہر تــــفصیلی‬
Essential data placed on index cards (a thin paper card used especially for creating an
alphabetical index. )
Three types of cards
1. Title catalogue card
2. Subject catalogue card
3. Author catalogue card
Books can be searched easily if authors, subject and titles are known
Most libraries have computerized index, subject and title cards
To search for a book these cards need to be scanned through
computer in library or online
E.g. When the word ‘food’ is fed to PC then it shows all the books
related to food
To be more specific about the title we have to add some extra words
with it e.g. ‘freezing’
Once book is selected then further information is looked for in the
content section of book located at the start of index at end
Journals
Journals are published by the scientific societies or by publishing houses.
Society members receive a copy free of cost
Commercial journals are costly
They may contain review or research articles
Review articles give overall picture of subject while research articles provide
results of latest findings
In Pakistan 66 journals are published
Some journals are specific for some disciplines and some are wide in range
Journals…..
Examples: Asian Journal of Plant Sciences
Journal of Agricultural Research
Pakistan journal of food sciences
Pakistan Journal of Scientific and Industrial Research
Pakistan Veterinary Journal
Journal Search Procedure
All libraries contain list of journals
Articles in veterinary might also appear in biological journals along with
veterinary journals etc.
Every issue of journal contain a contents page
Most journals provide author and subject index in last issue
To save time, author or subject indexes are used
Author index
If author is known
It gives author names, issue and page numbers
Subject index
Useful to consult when no literature is on hand
Look for key words in topics of research and search subject index
If article is being published in that article then it will give the page
and issue number
Table of contents
Only when no author or subject is known
Located at the beginning

All articles of interest should be photocopied.

If someone want to study more work related to that topic then he
should look for the references at the end of that article
Abstract Journals
Some abstracting services are devoted in part of wholly to the publication of
abstracts and reviews.
Abstracts in other languages are also translated and published
All are classified into sections and subsections
E.g. Food Science and technology Abstracts
Index Medicus
Tropical Diseases Bulletin
The Veterinary Bulletin
Abstract Search Procedure
Search must be systematic
Look for subject or author indexes
If the abstract appears in that journal then abstract number is shown against
the entry
Note down digits that correspond to the research
E.g. 5 T 15 is the number given then search for it in the issue
If abstract is not enough then request for a full article
Current Contents
Published weekly
Gives table of contents of huge no. of journals
Available in libraries
Information includes author, address, title of publication
Useful for knowing recent publications
Thesis & Dissertations
It is an outcome of a research for the award of Master’s or Doctoral
degrees
Many institutes publish their abstracts
E.g. Dissertation Abstract in USA
In Pakistan thesis and dissertations often remain unpublished
But journal articles are prepared from these thesis
HEC has computerized record of PhD dissertations
Search for keywords, author or year of submission