Homepleasure

Check out this "homework" assignment...maybe I should call it "homepleasure":

Select two non-related topics from two different fields (do not be too specific or narrow in your selection) that are not library, geographical or biographical in nature. For each topic you are to consult four print encyclopedias and at least two non-print encyclopedias.

Out of the total of six encyclopedias:
Be sure that you look at least at one title for a younger audience.
Try to identify any current subject specific encyclopedias that would provide additional in-depth information for your topics.
Examine a current one-volume general encyclopedia.

You may use the same general encyclopedia for both topics but you will need different subject-specific encyclopedias for each topic. Therefore you should examine at least 7 different encyclopedias.

You are to compare them in summartive [sic] form on such topics as currency of material as related to publication date, applicability and usefulness of bibliographies or reading lists, indexing, authority of contributors, cross referencing, arrangement of articles, appropriate pictorial and chart information. Feel free to add other comparison terms (e.g., price).

Please present your findings in chart form. Attach to your chart a bibliography containing full citations for each encyclopedia you consulted. Please use the APA style manual to compile this bibliography.

Then prepare a brief essay / paper, no less than 400 no more than 500 words on your reactions to strengths and weaknesses of print and non-print encyclopedias.

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I love it. It sounds like something I would do just for the hell of it. Hooray for Hermionish activities!