The Modern Researcher - Hardcover

Barzun, Jacques; Graff, Henry F.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0395644941 ISBN 13: 9780395644942

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 1992

Synopsis

Widely used by professionals and students since its first appearance thirty-five years ago, The Modern Researcher is the classic introduction to the techniques of research and effective writing and speaking. Now completely revised and brought up to date to reflect changes in technology and current developments in our culture, this landmark work is indispensable guide for all who write or edit, do research and report on it.
The Modern Researcher is three manuals in one. First, is shows in detail how to gather information, judge its value, verify its accuracy, and sort it for communication in written or oral form. Second, it gives instruction in effective, jargon-free writing. Third, it describes the techniques of speaking and publishing. There is a wealth of information on such topics as how to criticize your own work; how to handle audiences, seminars, and committees; and how to make the most of your work time. Both the tricks of the trade and the rationale of professional standards are explained in detail.
An abundance of examples from history, literature, and contemporary culture makes for lively and memorable reading. This new edition is a pleasure to return to time and again - an invaluable work for the modern and postmodern researcher.

About this title

About the Author:

The two authors of this book have had their professional career in history, JACQUES BARZUN in Modern Cultural, HENRY F. GRAFF in American Political and Diplomatic, both at Colombia University. They first collaborated in creating the course in historical method required of all first-year graduate students, and the material for it was and remains the core of The Modern Researcher. Both scholars have published widely in periodicals of specialist and general interest and each has a list of influential books to his credit. Jacques Barzun¿s latest is From Dawn to Decadence: 500 Years of Western Cultural History. A summing up of his lifelong studies, it stayed on the best-seller list for weeks in 2000. Henry Graff¿s latest¿almost simultaneous¿are a third edition of his classic compendium The Presidents: A Reference History and Grover Cleveland, a biography.

Review:

Part I: PRINCIPLES AND METHODS OF RESEARCH. 1. Research and Report: Characteristics. 2. The ABC of Technique. 3. Finding the Facts. 4. Verification. 5. Handling Ideas. 6. Truth, Causes, And Conditions. 7. Patterns, Bias, And Revisionism. Part II: WRITING, SPEAKING, AND PUBLISHING. 8. Organizing: Paragraph, Chapter, And Part. 9. Plain Words: The War on Jargon and Cliches. 10. Clear Sentences: Emphasis, Tone, And Rhythm. 11. The Arts of Quoting and Translating. 12. The Rules of Citing: Footnotes and Bibliography. 13. Revising for Printer and Public. 14. Modes of Presentation.

About this edition

• Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
• Publication date: 1992
• ISBN 10: 0395644941
• ISBN 13: 9780395644942
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 409