1. TSEM 102
RESEARCH BASICS:
KEYWORDS AND EVALUATION Laksamee
Putnam
lputnam@towson
.edu
Research and
Please login to the computer, then open a browser and go to: Instruction
http://bit.ly/TSEMcooper2012kw Librarian
3. TAKE AWAY…
Readings Discussion
Background reading/Internet searching
Keywords and Connectors
Evaluating Resources
Come up with keywords!
Slides: http://bit.ly/TSEMcooper2012kw
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. WEB “PRE-SEARCHING”
Why start your search online?
Find background information
Help solidify research topic
Find new terminology to use as keywords
Find links and/or citations to other sources
6. IMPROVE GOOGLE
Mayan Calendar AND myths Galileo Galilei AND Earth
Advanced Google Cook Library’s Guide to
searching the Web
Power searching
Duck Duck Go
7. TRY NEW FEATURES TO HELP BUILD YOUR
KEYWORD LIST AND SEARCH STRATEGY.
Keywords come from the search question
Use Boolean “search connectors” to combine keywords in
ways that capture the results you need
8. SEARCH TIP #1
Boolean “search connectors”
AND OR NOT
For example:
abacus AND Japan
Combining >1 topic
Zellige OR Moorish tiling
Combining synonymous terms
9. SEARCH TIP #2
Use truncation!
Educat* finds
Educate
Education
Educating
Educator
Etc…
10. SEARCH TIP #3
Phrase Searching…
Use quotations to keep a keyword phrase intact (words will be
searched in the specific order)
Examples:
“Roman numerals”
“school reform”
11. KEYWORDS ARE CRITICAL!
Sample topic:
The role of zero in the development of mathematics
First, break the question down into key concepts:
The role of zero in the development of mathematics
12. MORE ON KEYWORDS…
Expand your list to include synonyms then add to it once you
have done some background reading.
The role of zero in the development of mathematics
zero development mathematic*
null history numerical
analysis algebra
role
13. PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER…
The role of zero in the development of mathematics
zero development mathematic*
null history numerical
role algebra
zero OR null
AND
development OR history OR role
AND
mathematic* OR numerical OR algebra
14. 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
16. 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
17. 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
18. 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
19. 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
20. BEGIN YOUR OWN RESEARCH
Come up with key concepts/keywords for your topic
Search for initial information on websites
Fill out this worksheet
Google Doc Worksheet
Next class:
Watch TED video and prepare for in-class discussion
Use your keywords to find books/articles
21. 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