Hovde K. "You can't get there from here: Student citations in an ephemeral electronic environment" COLLEGE & RESEARCH LIBRARIES 68 (4). JUL 2007. p.312-321 Assoc. Coll Research Libraries, Chicago

[Eugene Garfield]

Karen Hovde : khovde at niu.edu

TITLE:          You can't get there from here: Student citations in an
                ephemeral electronic environment (Article, English)

AUTHOR:         Hovde, K

SOURCE:         COLLEGE & RESEARCH LIBRARIES 68 (4). JUL 2007. p.312-321
                ASSOC COLL RESEARCH LIBRARIES, CHICAGO



ABSTRACT:       This study investigates 1,666 citations to Internet
resources from 529 freshman English composition papers from two different 
years, 1999 and 2004. Web citations are examined in relation to traditional 
print resources, by type and domain, and with special attention to their 
persistence through time. After 7 months from submission of the papers for 
the 1999 sample, 38 percent of the links led to the document cited. After 
12 months for the 2004 sample, 45 percent of the links accessed the 
document. A resubmission of the 1999 citations after 7 years reduced the 
number of successful links to 9 percent. The instability of Web citations 
in undergraduate student papers is discussed in the larger context of 
citation structure, with implications for future scholarship.

AUTHOR ADDRESS: K Hovde, No Illinois Univ, Founders Mem Lib, De Kalb, IL
                60115 USA