Non-Fiction Research?

It might depend on the publisher, but if it were me, I would compile the list of sources as I got them and then plan to put the list in the completed book. It wouldn't take any extra time at all to log the source in your list.

On the other hand, let's say you had lots of glossy color photos of the forests and their representative birds, you might say at the bottom of each entry in tiny print source: John Wildernessguy, ABC Forest.

When you're sending out your email, make sure to mention that you will need to cite the contact as source, otherwise your book will lack a certain amount of legitimacy. In other words, without the source, it might seem as if you pulled the data out of the air. I'm sure any serious park ranger who knows his job will be happy to let you use his name. Otherwise you might have to say Source: ABC Park Forest which should be good enough.

You may also want to cross reference information they give you with a good almanac, just to see if there are any discrepancies. Otherwise, a reader who lives near XYZ Forest may read your entry about predominant wildlife in that forest and say, now wait a minute, koala bears are nowhere near here, this guy is wrong.

Just keep records of all communication and you should be fine.

Any additional information you use that did not come directly from a ranger would have to be cited as Source: 2005 New American Almanac.

allen

Great advice! I don't think there's much more anyone can add.

If it's okay...may I hijack the thread just to ask a similar question (okay, two) along the same lines?

(#1) I, too, have conducted a few interviews through e-mail. If I am quoting someone, but want to only put their first name and maybe a last initial (ex: Kayla M.), do I need their written permission for this. The reason I ask is:
a) because of the subject matter of my book, whatever Kayla M. says is not her sole thought, but the same thoughts of millions of other people (hence the reason it is going into my book in the first place).
b) What happens if I take the general theory (my book is about theories, btw), and change the words while remaining close to what was said (again, I ask this simply because they're common theories, not just one person's thoughts).

Which do you think a publisher would prefer, and which do you think the best way to go about it would be. Once again, the theories I plan on mentioning are highly discussed among people all around the world.

(#2) Throughout my book, I would like to include short interviews. While I am in the process of acquiring these interviews, there are a few already published interviews that I would like to include as well (both because they're really good, and because I'm constantly questioning What if I can't get these interviews?) I know I have some, but the people that really, really matter...I'm hesitant. Since my book is unofficial, is it at all possible to include already published interviews (or pieces of them), if the original source is cited not in the back of the book, but right there before the interview? It's not that I have anything to hide...my book is about theory and speculation. It puts everything in one spot, so to me it would make sense to use other interviews from other sources. I just don't know if copyright laws would agree with my logic.

Again, sorry to hijack the thread...I really hope it's okay. And thanks in advance to anyone who can answer my questions.

Kelsey ,

As someone who has been quoted in newpaper articles, one of my pet peeves is not being quoted accurately. I go to great pains to say exactly what I mean and having it changed, even with the best of intentions, makes me gunshy about being interviewed again. It can also lead to a misrepresentation of the facts, which I confident you are eagar to avoid.

Just some thoughts to ponder,
Chac / Heather

Heather,
Yes, thank you, that's what I was wondering. I was planning on sending the people I wanted to quote a release form with exactly how their quote will be used so they can either say yes or no.

Consent

Jack said:

I've decided to try and do this via e-mail, so I can then print copies of their responses as sort of a backup incase there are later any disputes on the info. But is that enough? Do I need to also get a consent to disclose their response? And do I need to reference anything anywhere in the book?

Thank you.

Click to expand...

Hi Jack --

In my experience, it is best to get things in writing. So have the respondents sign a standard author release form. I can send you a template if you wish. That way both are clear of the parameters of the relationship; and you've got it for future reference in case a question arises.

Jack said:

...In the back, am I then required to site the source? Or would saying I got the data by contacting all the park forestry departments be sufficient enough?...

Click to expand...

If this is a serious work, YES you need to cite sources. Your request should have made clear what the information is to be used for. If information is provided in an official capacity and without some reservation (confidential, off the record, etc.) then it is ordinarily understood to be available for citation or quotation.

If the information is not from a published or otherwise publicly available source (such as, say, an annual report of a public agency), then your source citation is typically something like: John Doe, Chief Biologist, Whatsis National Wildlife Refuge, personal communication, December 4, 2005.

You can look at my published papers (see http://www.library.ca.gov/html/statseg2a.cfm and search on my last name) for examples of how I handle citations of personal communications (the ferret paper should have examples, but others do as well). Or see the style guide I wrote for the Bureau (available in the Reports and Articles section of my website) for discussion of the point. Or see, say, The Chicago Manual of Style for guidance on citing such sources. You might find my little style guide for the Bureau useful on other counts, as I also outline the principles of source citation in a short introduction.

--Ken