Academic Writing for International Students of Business

Using library catalogues

University and college libraries usually have online catalogues. These allow students to search
for the materials they want in various ways. If the title and author’s name are known, it is easy
to check if the book is available. But if you are making a search for material on a specific topic,
you may have to vary the search terms. For instance, if you want information about exploration
for oil, you might try:

• oil exploration


• exploring for oil


• hydrocarbon exploration


• exploring for hydrocarbons

You have been given an essay title: ‘Outline the current state of global exploration for oil, and
relate this to future levels of production.’

 You have entered the term ‘oil exploration’ in the library catalogue search engine,
and these are the seven results. Which would you select to borrow?
Give your reasons.

1.2:Critical Reading 13

Full

details Title

Edition/

Year Location Holdings

1

Oil exploration and human rights

violations in Nigeria’s oil producing

communities/Olubayo Oloduro.

2013 Main Library Availability

2

Oil and gas exploration and

production (electronic resource):

Reserves, costs contracts/Nadine

Bret-Rouzaut and Jean-Piere

Favennec.

3rd ed.

2011 Main Library Availability

3

Deepwater pretroleum exploration

& production [electronic resource]:

a nontechnical guide William L.

Leffler, Richard Pattarozzi, Gordon

Sterling.

2011 Main Library Availability

4

Hydrocarbon exploration and

production/by Frank Jahn, Mark

Cook and Mark Graham.

2nd ed.

2008

Science

Library Availability

5

China and the global energy crisis:

development and prospects for

China’s oil and natural gas/Tatsu

Kambara, Christopher Howe.

2007 Main Library Availability