Abbott breaks library research down into seven basic and simultaneous tasks: design, search, scanning/browsing, reading, analyzing, filing, and writing. He moves the reader through the phases of research, from confusion to organization, from vague idea to polished result.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Introduction -- A library ethnography -- Fundamentals -- The preliminary phase -- Midphase bibliography -- Midphase scanning, browsing, and brute force -- Reading -- Midphase files and organization -- Midphase analysis -- Midphase writing -- Midphase design -- Endphase.