Reference questions wanted!

[telophase]

They're for a Seekrit Projekt that will, fingers crossed, be public at some point soon. So if there's any questions you've got burning to get answered that might require the help of a reference librarian, ask away!

Comments

[trouble]

Can you please recommend a good book for understanding Focault?

[telophase]

Thanks! Can't guarantee it'll get answered too quickly. :)

[lnhammer]

I'm looking for material on Japanese calligraphic scripts -- the different types and uses, and if possible how to learn how to read them. Handwritten, I should specify, as styles of Japanese typography is relatively easy to find.

---L.

[rachelmanija.livejournal.com]

Can you recommend an academically solid book which critically examines the claims of pop evolutionary psychologists? And also (if you have time) an overview on the interactions of mental illness and culture, stuff like how paranoid delusions may manifest differently depending on what the culture at large is afraid of?

[telophase.livejournal.com]

Thanks! Can't guarantee they'll get answered too quickly. :D

On another note, you might like the blog Mind Hacks (http://mindhacks.com/), which posts links to things about neuroscience and psychoclogy.

[rachelmanija.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I hadn't known about that.

[octopedingenue]

It's not strictly involved with mental illness, but The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down is a fascinating account of the culture clash between a group of Western medical doctors and the Hmong family of a young girl diagnosed with epilepsy. Also one of the few popular-lit depictions of Hmong outside of Gran Torino.

[rachelmanija.livejournal.com]

I've read that, but yes, it's excellent.

[octopedingenue]

Drat! Oh well, I should leave this to the experts. :)

[badnoodles.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure if it would fall under reference librarian or IT, but how does one configure EndNote so that Springer/Blackwell/Etc know that you're subscribed through a university library?

[yaviiniia.livejournal.com]

I've been looking for information on Western opera in Japan. Not necessarily what's being performed by who, but what the average person knows or thinks about it.

[rayechu.livejournal.com]

Lol where can a newbie write book reviews for fun? I'm aware of goodreads, librarything, and midwest publishing. Midwest is not the kind of review I'm talking about. And I don't care about getting paid so much as practicing writing for others. Google is being not cooperative with millions of how to write book review results.

[treetelling.livejournal.com]

I'm going to teach a small class at my church on American sacred music - not terribly academic, similar to a Bible study. I've got some individual volumes but I could use a decent overview, particularly if it's short and popular enough to assign to the class. For that matter, I could use more academic works to find if they're recent and really good. Reference points: shape note singing, spirituals, gospel, praise and worship, American hymnody, etc.

[thomasyan.livejournal.com]

What causes gout? Wikipedia says "Recent studies have found dietary factors once believed to be associated are in fact not, including the intake of purine-rich vegetables and total protein." and cites two studies. How does one go about surveying the medical literature and evaluating studies?

What causes tennis elbow and how can it be treated/ameloriated? Googling the web gets me lots of contradictory claims, such as the vibration when striking balls with a tennis racquet is the problem versus it is the initial shock of impact and not the vibration. And there is a claim that "leading with your elbow" on backhands is a prime cause, but I'm not exactly clear on what leading with my elbow means.

How does one carefully evaluate claims in books like Gary Taubes' on diet? I guess this has multiple parts. One is his debunking of commonly held beliefs. Another is his championing of alternative hypotheses.

[lady-ganesh.livejournal.com]

How can I check to see if something is really in the public domain?

I want to host a talk, given by an expert speaker, and offer continuing education credits. How do I go about obtaining CME and other academic certifications?

[thomasyan.livejournal.com]

How effective are health campaigns and health legislation?
I'm thinking of two kinds of effectiveness. First, in changing people's behavior. Second, in improved outcomes. I guess part of this question is how to meaningfully measure and characterize effectiveness.

I think lots of people recommend eating foods that are not energy dense, claiming that that way you'll feel full without consuming tons of calories. What is the scientific basis, if any, for this, and what is the actual claim? For example, for that recommendation to be effective, you not only have to feel full when you finish eating, but you need to stay satisfied, because you end up feeling starved a half hour later, you won't necessarily end up eating fewer calories by the end of the day.

[thomasyan.livejournal.com]

In MA, what are my options for buying 'seedless' pomegranates? Last I checked many years ago, I had to buy a pomegranate tree or a agree buying and getting a whole case shipped, which was a lot more work and/or money than I was willing to spend.

How common is it to suffer an acid reflux attack while asleep and not notice it?