1. ENVS 798 :
Finding
Scientific
Information
Using Cook
Library
Laksamee Putnam
lputnam@towson.edu
Research & Instruction
Librarian

2. First…
 Laksamee Putnam
 lputnam@towson.edu
 Cook Library Reference:
 410.704.2462.
 IM/email
 Phone: 410.704.3746.
 Twitter: @CookLibraryofTU
 Albert S. Cook facebook profile!

3. Take away …
 Search strategies & search tips
 Finding books and articles
 Finding government information
 Keeping track of your information

4. Getting Started
 Background
information – aka
Gathering
 Identify keywords
 Find related
references
 Learn more about
the topic

5. Getting started
 Background information
 Encyclopedias
 Environmental Encyclopedia
 General books on environmental policy
 American Environmental Policy 1990-2006
 A history of environmental politics since 1945
 The government website
 http://www.science.gov/index.html

6. Getting started
 eBooks
 From the catalog
 Sage Reference
 eBrary

7. Search tips
 Keywords
 Topic : Electronic Waste
 Environmental effects?
 Policy worldwide? In the US?
 Synonyms/alternative spellings
 electronic, electric, digital, computer, cell phone
 waste, trash, debris, litter
 effects, consequence, impact
 environmental, environment, ecology
 policy, law, bill, act, plan

8. Search tips
 Search Tip #1
 Boolean search connectors
 nanotechnology AND environment
 Combining more than 1 topic
 Personal
care products and
pharmaceuticals OR PCPP
 Combining synonymous terms

9. Search Tips
 Search Tip #2
 Truncation
technolog* finds…
technolog y
technolog ies
technolog ists
technolog ical
technolog ically
…etc!

10. Search Tips
 Search Tip #3
 Phrase searching
 “Endangered species act”

11. Finding books
 Cook Library Website
 Catalog
 Library
Catalog
 Cook OneSearch
 Remember!!
 You can request books from other USMAI
libraries

12. Finding articles
 Home base:
 ENVS 798 Course Gateway
 Journal List
 Research databases

13. Finding articles
 ScienceDirect
 “Refine Results” on the left
 RSS
 References
 Related Articles
 All Fields – Abstract, Title, Keywords
 Search history
 Export Citation – Ref Works

14. Finding articles
 Scopus
 Add Search Field
 Refine Results
 Save search alert
 View “Cited by”
 View References Cited
 Create Bibliography
 Export to RefWorks

15. Finding articles
 If there is an article you can’t access
 Request it through Interlibrary Loan
 Iliad login needed

16. Government Information
 Find the governing body website
 http://www.science.gov/
 http://www.scienceaccelerator.gov/
 Course Gateway – Policy section
 GreenR
 Scirus
- http://www.scirus.com/
 Google: site.gov

17. RefWorks
 Bibliographic management software
 Towson University subscription
 Off campus: RWTowsonU
 Organize citations
 Create bibliographies
 Import records

18. Questions?
 Feel free to contact me:
 Laksamee Putnam
 lputnam@towson.edu
 410.704.3746.
 Or any reference librarian:
 Visit Cook Library Reference Desk
 410.704.2462.
 IM – tucookchat