The College Student's Research Companion

by Arlene R. Quaratiello

College Student's Research Companion, Fourth Edition [Paperback]Arlene Rodda Quaratiello (Author)

Genres: Writing, Nonfiction, Education

Paperback

First published August 1, 1997

About the author

Arlene Quaratiello was the Coordinator of Library Instruction at Emerson College before she began her career as a college English instructor. For many years she taught writing courses at St. Anselm College in Manchester, NH and several other schools in the Boston area. She has written numerous essays for biographical encyclopedias as well as Rachel Carson: A Biography, a volume in the Greenwood Press Biography series. In 2022, she was elected to the New Hampshire House of Representatives.

Reviews

[Elaine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Obviously, the 5th edition is dated wherever the author provides screenshots of things and discusses specific search engines or resource websites. Our library system didn't have the 6th edition, so 5h it is! (Amusingly, EBSCO's search interface is still pretty much the same! Though they are in the process of rolling out an update right now.) The principles are sound, and the exercises for the reader seem fairly useful. Plus, it's a short book and a quick read! It doesn't overstay its welcome.

Though I was somewhat entertained by a little bias slip of the author -- in her admittedly personal version of the answer to a question ranking the expertise of different people, she placed the founder of a marijuana legalization organization at the bottom of the five because that person wouldn't necessarily have expertise (not untrue), but also "their intentions are questionable." Ha! I bring this up because Quaratiello is a Republican representative in New Hampshire, and her campaign website includes the statement that she has voted against all pro-marijuana legislation there. It's always a little funny/surprising to encounter conservative librarians, a definite minority in the field.

[Angel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick impressions: This book is a good option for academic libraries to have a copy on hand, maybe on their ready reference shelf (if they still have a ready reference shelf).

Detailed review coming to my blog soon.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not sure that it actually possible to write a good and engaging book on research skills for undergraduates. This one serves the function adequately, though of course it is outdated pretty much as soon as it rolls off the presses. Haven't read through the whole 4th edition yet, but it seems to update most of the major areas that needed updating.