CM121 Basic Library Info Part 2
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Transcript of CM121 Basic Library Info Part 2
Introduction toLibrary Research
Part 2:
The Globe Education Network (GEN) Online Library and Evaluating Sources
Welcome! The session will begin 8/11/09 at 9 a.m.
Elaine Settergren, [email protected]
April 2009 – Elaine Settergren
Today’s Library Lessons
• GEN Online Library– Databases and E-journals
• Academic Search Premier [EBSCO]
• Academic OneFile [Gale]• ProQuest Newsstand• 360 Search• E-Journal Portal
– E-books– Recommended websites
• Evaluating Sources– Types of sources
• Academic vs. trade vs. popular
– Websites
Where to look?• Like Shopping
• Choose your source based on what you’re looking for
GEN Online Library• http://www.globeeducationnetwork.com/library/
The online library contains:
• Over 39,000 journals online, spanning ≈30 years in 84 databases.
• Over 7,500 e-books.
• Recommended web sites.
• Online help
And more – explore the site!
Databases
What are library databases?
Databases
What are library databases?
1) A private collection of e-"stuff”
2) A specific search engine for finding
and getting the "stuff"
DatabasesPrivate?
– proprietary– Not for “free” on the internet (Google, MSN, etc.)
Example:Consumer Reports website – Must buy a subscription
Library databases such as EBSCO Academic Search Premier– e-versions of Consumer Reports – full-color reviews, charts and buying guides– Free (for you – library pays!)
Databases
The library pays so that you don’t have to!
But that’s why you must:1) Go to the library website
2) Log in
Password: firstname.lastname
Username: last 4 digits of your SS#
Databases“Stuff”?
Professional sources– E-journals, articles, newspaper stories etc.– Professional reports– E-books and e-book excerpts– laws and legal docs, business intelligence,
financial data, images – general documentsDatabases have professional sources that include: articles from
journals, reports, trade publications and news
Let’s Tour the Databases
•EBSCO, Gale, and ProQuest
• 360 Search
•E-journal portal
Academic Search Premier [EBSCO]
• Interdisciplinary
• Many Scholarly
• Many Full text
Academic OneFile [Gale]
• Interdisciplinary
• Many Scholarly
• Many Full text
ProQuest Newsstand
• News: local, national, international
• Current events and editorials
First let’s explore:
360 Search
• Search many databases at once!
• Great for: – Searching by topic (“research by topic” guides)– Finding an article, if you already know the title.
E-Journal Portal
• When you know the journal you want, find it fast!
E-BooksFind them in the GU/MSB catalog, some databases, and Books 24x7
Search the Online Catalog for library e-books
1.Follow catalog link on library homepage2.Search3.Narrow to “electronic”4.Follow the “online access” link in the catalog record
See the e-book guide here:http://www.globeeducationnetwork.com/library/research-guides/
guides-to-resources/e-books-guide/ for details
Books24x7• Not part of the GEN Library, but is part of GEN
Online.
• Business and IT topics only (so far)
• Access through SkillSoft
Our help page for Books24x7 can be found here:http://www.globeeducationnetwork.com/library/research-
guides/guides-to-resources/e-books-guide/books-24x7-help/
Web sources
Research by Topic
• By program/gen ed
• Selected by GEN Librarians
Help! • General Research Guides• Research by Topic Guides• Ask the librarian. I’m happy to help!
APA Citation TipsIn-Text
Author’s name Date of publicationPage # (sometimes)
This will lead the reader to the References at the back of your paper.
ReferencesNameDateArticle TitleJournal TitleJournal Volume #Page #sDate you accessed itDatabase
This will lead the reader to the source.
Additional Tips
• If you already have a citation, you’ll know where to look!
• Cheney, C. L. (2005). Brothers gonna work it out: Sexual
politics in the golden age of rap nationalism. New
York: New York University Press. Retrieved from NetLibrary.
• Garrity, B., & Concepcion, M. (2007, May). A Hip-Hop
History Lesson. Billboard. 119(18), p. 8. Retrieved from EBSCO MegaFILE database.
Evaluating Sources
What does it matter where I find it, as long as I get the information?
Remember the shopping analogy? There are also quality issues.
The Secrets of Sources
• Credible sources make your argument stronger
– Your teachers are watching!
– Your bosses will be watching!
Types of Sources
• Scholarly/Peer Reviewed/Academic materials vs.
• Trade/Professional Publicationsvs.
• Popular Sources
Spectrum of credibility
Not everything fits neatly into a categoryThere are also other categories: consider Newspapers for instance
Scholarly/Peer-Reviewed/Academic
Characteristics:
• Scholarly communication
• Research findings
• Always cites sources
• Few illustrations
Trade/Professional
Characteristics: • For workers in a specific field
– Written by professionals for professionals
• Purpose: keep reader’s updated• “how to”• Usually numerous illustrations
Popular
Characteristics: • Readers = general public• Written by journalists/editors to inform or
entertain• Rarely cites sources• Many illustrations and ads – “glossy”
What do you think?Family Practice Management
New England Journal of Medicine
Health
How to evaluate a website?
Finding Respectable Websites
• Who is backing/endorsing/publishing/writing the information?
• Why?– Selling stuff? Joke? To inform? To entertain?– Fair? Balanced? Objective?
• How does it compare?
• Can you trust the information? How?– Does the website cite its sources?
Explain its research? Anything?
Website Evaluation
• Compare– Check the info against something
else
• Corroborate– Check enough sources to get the
whole story– Confirm, verify
• Context– Does the context of the website
affect the information?
Where to look?
1. For news about the recent outbreaks of swine flu.
2. For research about the effects of second hand smoke
3. For historical information about earthquakes in California
4. For opinions about health care reform in the U.S.
In conclusion…• Exploratory research = Explore!• Focused research = “shop” and trial & error
1. What sort of info do you want?• Overview? In-depth? Statistics?• Scholarly? Popular? Trade?• Book? Article? Recent? Historical?
2. What type of searching? What keywords/subjects?3. Where will you look?
• Databases? Which one?• Library catalog for books? • Websites? Which search engine?
4. Not successful? Ask a librarian or try a new strategy.
Questions? Comments?
Contact the Online Librarian:
Elaine Settergren
http://www.globeeducationnetwork.com/library/