Transition to Electronic Resources in Undergraduate Social Science Research: A Study of Honors Theses Bibliographies, 1999–2005

Abstract

This citation analysis assesses use of print and electronic resources in advanced undergraduate research at Wellesley College. Using four years of social science honors theses bibliographies, the proportionate use of electronic versus print sources is determined. Consistent discipline-based patterns in resource use are identified to inform future instruction and digital collections policies. Findings reveal: (1) an explosion in use of nonperiodical, nonbook Web sources; (2) a rapid decline in the use of print journals; and (3) a persistent lack of use of e-books. The authors argue that greater emphasis on starting research with scholarly indexes and bibliographies is a fruitful corrective to recent overdependence on random Web searching and will also better ground students in solid research practices as transitions in the scholarly publishing world continue.