Help - citing from ebooks!

[Burdokva]

Greetings everyone,

Let me say I've been lurking for while on MobileRead. I got a regular, non-touch Kindle 4 for my birthday recently and I love the thing. I only wish I had it several years go when I entered in university...

Now, I am using my Kindle for my Master's thesis. There's a ton of books that are far too expensive or far too difficult to acquire where I live and that little device has greatly eased my life, and opened the window towards new knowledge.

It seems commission that will review my thesis in a few months isn't thrilled (to say the least) about me using ebooks as a source. I need to cite the exact pages, however, and the Kindle doesn't support page numbers. As it stands, my thesis may be rejected...

Kindle Support let me know that this is an ebook specific feature and only some support it. My two questions are:

1. What is the store that has mostly ISBN-page number supported ebooks? Speaking about geopolitics, international relations theory, security and intelligence and such?

2. I see there are a number of authors/publishers here. What is considered the appropriate way of citing from an ebook that does not support page number?


So, dear fellow MobileRead users, please help me on this one! As it stands, my thesis might be rejected on the grounds simply that some citations lack page numbers (even though I've provided proof that I actually have the books and extracted the citations using the Kindle's feature to mark and extract text)...

I would be very grateful for any help and advice!

[Lynx-lynx]

Do you use a research based database?

Have you heard of Citavi? Does your uni library use it, or another research database?

Here's Citavi's address:

citavi.com

I use the Free (English) version and find it absolutely excellent for research purposes.

There are a number of free email lessons that you can tick the box for as well.

Citavi has soo many uses - and it captures not only ISBN info, but also videos and cd's and dvd etc.

The thing is with the free version, you can have as many projects as you like, but only 100 files per project - which isn't a problem for me.

Give it a try and see what you think.

[Radar]

Here are some citation guidelines depending on which style guide the commission uses, as well as ways to get around a ban on citing ebooks. Also check to see if they have specific guidelines established for electronic sources. If they don't already, you may be setting the precedence!

It appears that it is unnecessary to cite specific page numbers when it comes to eBooks. If they absolutely require a page number, you may be able to use the "search inside" feature of Google Books and Amazon to find the printed page number. To me, saying "Chapter 1, section 2, paragraph 3" seems as exact as a specific page number anyway.

Hope that helps!

[BeccaPrice]

I've had teachers (although not thesis advisors) accept Kindle locaton numbers, too.

[ucfgrad93]

Originally Posted by BeccaPrice

I've had teachers (although not thesis advisors) accept Kindle locaton numbers, too.

I used Kindle books extensively in my Masters program without any problems. However, I did not have to do a thesis.

[wizwor]

Originally Posted by Radar

Here are some citation guidelines depending on which style guide the commission uses, as well as ways to get around a ban on citing ebooks. Also check to see if they have specific guidelines established for electronic sources. If they don't already, you may be setting the precedence!

It appears that it is unnecessary to cite specific page numbers when it comes to eBooks. If they absolutely require a page number, you may be able to use the "search inside" feature of Google Books and Amazon to find the printed page number. To me, saying "Chapter 1, section 2, paragraph 3" seems as exact as a specific page number anyway.

Hope that helps!

For such a subjective project, it's best to determine the wants and needs of the judges and abide by them...unless, of course, OP thinks righteousness is its own reward.

[Yves Gorat]

Hi Burdokva,

I agree with Wizwor: even if you find a "watertight" referencing style, as long as using eBooks is frowned upon by your reviewers you will have a disadvantage at the least. Either you try to find print copies from as many of the books used as possible (every university has access to "national" or "global" library networks, whose members either have some of their books available scanned (did you try google books?) or are able to scan certain parts for you) or try to go back to your reviewers and try to (nicely) convince them that times are changing and eBooks will become more prominent. I have similar issues with my thesis...
Good luck!,

Yves

[petrucci]

If you cannot obtain the books from the library or interlibrary loan, I would recommend contacting the publishers and explain that you own the e-book and that you need to obtain page numbers for citations in your thesis.