This document provides an overview of research basics and library resources from a presentation by Laksamee Putnam, a research librarian. It discusses developing keywords for search topics, evaluating online information sources, searching the library catalog and databases for books and articles, and asking librarians for research help. Evaluation criteria like currency, reliability, authority and purpose are presented for assessing information quality. Boolean operators and truncation are also covered for effective searching.
3. TAKE AWAY…
Readings Discussion
Evaluate the information
Keywords and Connectors
Finding books/articles in the Cook Library
Come up with keywords!
Slides: http://bit.ly/COSC111research2012
4. RESEARCH IS COMPLICATED
What are the pros and cons
of so much information
being online?
What do you do to be sure
you’re finding more than
“information junk food”?
How do you evaluate the
information you find while
Prater, E. (2011) Beware online filter bubbles. TED: Ideas worth researching?
spreading.
http://www.ted.com/talks/eli_pariser_beware_online_filter_bubb
les.html Why is it important to
Appelbaum, Y. (2012). How the professor who fooled Wikipedia support your argument with
got caught by Reddit. The Atlantic. May 15. valid sources?
http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2012/05/how-
the-professor-who-fooled-wikipedia-got-caught-by-
reddit/257134/#
5. EVALUATE WHAT YOU FIND
Go to one of the websites below and analyze it
http://bit.ly/cosmicweb1
http://bit.ly/cosmicweb2
http://bit.ly/cosmicweb3
http://bit.ly/cosmicweb4
http://bit.ly/cosmicweb5
http://bit.ly/cosmicweb6
http://bit.ly/cosmicweb7
6. CHECK FOR CRAP
Currency
How recent is the
information?
Can you locate a date
when the resource was
written/created/updat
ed?
Based on your topic, is
this current enough?
Why might the date
matter for your topic?
http://www.flickr.com/photos/helloeveryone123/393737419
3/sizes/m/in/photostream/
Guidelines for CRAP provided by the Jean and Alexander Heard Library
7. CHECK FOR CRAP
Reliability
What kind of
information is included
in the resource?
Does the author
provide citations &
references for
quotations & data
Where are you
accessing this http://www.flickr.com/photos/schnappi/5930145952/sizes/l/in/photostream/
information?
Guidelines for CRAP provided by the Jean and Alexander Heard Library
8. CHECK FOR CRAP
Authority
Can you determine who
the author/creator is?
What are their
credentials (education,
affiliation, experience,
etc.)?
Who is the publisher or
sponsor of the
work/site?
Is this publisher/sponsor
reputable http://rantchick.com/a-doctrine-on-respect/
Guidelines for CRAP provided by the Jean and Alexander Heard Library
9. CHECK FOR CRAP
Purpose/Point of
View
Is the content
primarily opinion?
Is the information
balanced or biased?
What is the purpose
of the information? Is
it to inform, teach,
sell, entertain or
persuade
http://www.flickr.com/photos/cogdog/5484085301/sizes/m/
in/photostream/
Guidelines for CRAP provided by the Jean and Alexander Heard Library
10. PREPARING TO SEARCH
Articulate your topic
Choose important ideas
Identify keywords
Find background
information
Reference books
Websites
Gather, organize and http://youtu.be/WoZ2BgPVtA0
narrow it down
11. KEYWORDS ARE CRITICAL!
Sample topic:
What current technology improves disabled human mobility?
First, break the question down into keywords:
What current technology improves disabled human mobility?
12. FORMULATING A KEYWORD SEARCH
Consider synonyms/alternati ve spellings for terms
technology
prosthetic
bionic
automation
human
person
people
veteran/polio/child
mobility
paralyze
transportation
move
activity
14. FORMULATING A KEYWORD SEARCH
Formulate your search utilizing various combinations of your
words
String them together using AND/OR/NOT
Truncate *
Phrase searching
15. BOOLEAN SEARCH CONNECTORS
AND OR NOT
For example:
spam AND internet security
Combining >1 topic
OLED OR organic light emitting
diodes
Combining synonymous terms
19. PHRASE SEARCHING
Use quotations to keep a keyword phrase intact (words will be
searched in the specific order)
Examples:
“Bank of America”
“Cisco Systems”
20. PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER…
How Apple created and marketed its products successfully?
Technology Human Mobility
bionic person transport*
prosthetic “disabled veteran” activ*
technolog* OR bionic OR prosthetic
AND
human OR person OR “disabled veteran”
AND
mobility OR transport*OR activ*
21. IMPROVE GOOGLE
sibling AND rivalry
Advanced Google Cook Library’s Guide to
searching the Web
Power searching
Duck Duck Go?
22. FINDING BOOKS
Plenty of relevant
information in print
Use broad keywords
Multiple places to search
Cook OneSearch
Library Catalog
USMAI Libraries
28. FINDING ARTICLES
Features to remember
Yellow Findit button
Citation creations
Email yourself
Also as you are searching
Take a look at the article citations
Make note of additional keywords
29. START YOUR RESEARCH
Start filling out this form:
http://bit.ly/TSEMCooper2012WS
Come up with keywords on your topic
Next class:
Discussion on video
Additional research time for books/articles
30. 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
Hinweis der Redaktion
Example: Someone studying technology and educationWhat population? (k12, college)Specific tasks/venues: Classroom or assignment use?What subject matter? (ex: biology or history?)What specific technology? (Blackboard, wiki, web site, videoconferencing, IM, online databases, what?)Who is using/”making” that technology? (Student or teacher?)What country? (one or comparing countries)What time period? ( and change over time)
Cook OneSearch – USMAI catalog, Towson Universityrobot* OR automation OR machinehuman OR peopleCheck location – Find call numberRefine ResultsAsk a LibrarianSearch HistoryEmail yourselfCitation creation
Refine results to Academic JournalsCheck Content Provider