Information Literacy

ECS-65100

Programme Teachers:

Introduction lecture Practicals Feedback lecture Blackboard modules

Irene Veerman

Marco van Veller

Definition

Information Literacy is defined as the ability when there is a need for information, to be able to identify, locate, evaluate, and effectively use that information for the issue or problem at hand.

Why should you be information literate?

Now during your study Courses Thesis

Later as a professional Basis for research Input for decisions

Why Information Literacy?

(Scientific) information overloadformerly….

De Sola Price, D.J. (1961). Science since Babylon. Yale University Press. New Haven.

Why Information Literacy?

(Scientific) information overloadformerly….more recently

http://arxiv.org/show_monthly_submissions

Which skills do you need?

Define your need Search effectively Evaluate results Manage results Use and cite correctly Keep abreast Communicate, publish

Loet van Moll

Skills 1: Define your need

Purposelook up fulltext, orientation, in-depth search

Level scientific, professional, news Type

data, news, books, research article, laws, company information, government information

Topicresearch question

Examples in Blackboard

Use of research resourcesThree Resources Identified as Most Important by Researchers Research Resources % Ranking in Top 3Journal articles 71.1%Monographs 32.0%Chapters in books with many authors 21.8%Expertise of individuals 19.4%Organizations web sites 15.3%Original text sources, e.g. newspapers, historical records 12.5%Conference proceedings 11.6%Datasets . published or unpublished 8.1%Other sources (specified by interviewee) 6.8%Preprints 5.1%Non-text sources, e.g. images, audio, artifacts 2.9%

Researchers and discovery services. Behaviour, perceptions and needs.A study commisioned by the Research Information Network, 2006.

Articles

Scientific journalsResearchPeer reviewed

Professional journalsPracticalNon-peer reviewed

Resources and finding aidsResourcesJournal articles scientific

professional

Monographs books

reports dissertations proceedings

EncyclopediasWebsitesBlogsDatasetsNews

Finding aidsBibliographiesLibrary cataloguesInternet search enginesGateways/ portals

Bibliographies - bibliographic databases

Bibliographic databases

Structured references with abstract, keywords, link to full-textin some also: cited by, related records

Mainly scientific articles, some also other types

Good search facilities (better than Google) Different search platforms

Google Scholar?

The optimal bibliography

contains all relevant publications links to the full text, if WUR has a

subscription is updated frequently has good search facilities can be searched from anywhere ………………………………

Bibliographic databases

All disciplines• Scopus• Web of Science• Google Scholar

Specific topics• CAB-Abstracts• Biological Abstracts• FSTA• Medline/ PubMed• ……………..

Overlap Additional Use several databases

Example search

Sensitivity of models on leaching of pesticides to groundwater

WoS Scopus CAB SciFinder

144 157 115 145

After deduplication

73 48 59

WoS

Scopus

CAB

SocIndex

ASFA

LSW

Biological Abstracts

PsycInfoPsycInfo

Google Scholar

Portals

Choice of bibliographic databases

MetaSearch

Catalogue

Books

Journals

Maps

Reports, theses, etc.

WoS

Scopus

CAB

SocIndex

ASFA

LBW

Biological Abstracts

PsycInfoPsycInfo

Google Scholar

Getting the articles

Only when logged in!

Know how to use the Wageningen UR library

Physical library (Forum) Virtual library (Digital Library)

Skills 2: Search effectively

WHERE??Use the right finding aid(s) for your need

HOW??Use the right search (terms)

Search effectively

Finding the focus Identifying key concepts Finding search terms (keywords) Combine with Boolean operators Limitation: period, language, region

Finding the focus

Effect of windmills on the marine environment

Questions: Which effects?How can wind energy be collected?What does the marine environment exist of?

Background: Encyclopedia, books, reviews

Limitation

years of publication geographic region language additional concept(s)

Identifying key concepts

Effect of windmills on the marine environment

Identifying key concepts

Effect of windmills on the marine environment

Finding search terms

windmills OR wind power OR wind energy OR windfarm

marine OR sea OR oceanenvironment OR fishes OR fauna OR

macrobenthos OR seals OR …….effect OR impact OR influence OR

disturbance OR ……..

What will you learn?

windmills

marine

environment

Search history

Selected articles

Importance of using multiple sampling methodologies for estimating of fish community composition in offshore wind power construction areas of the Baltic Sea

Spatial planning of offshore wind farms: A windfall to marine environmental protection? abstract: … no-take zones for fish, with possible

spill-over effects… Underwater noise from three types of offshore wind

turbines: Estimation of impact zones for harbor porpoises and harbor seals keywords: … seal; oceans; seas; power plants …

Other skills

Know how to evaluate Bibliographic references Internet resources

Know how to apply search results Referring, citing, quoting

• Literature lists• Plagiarism

Reference management• EndNote

Publishing

Feedback lecture

Skills – Define your need– Search effectively– Evaluate results– Manage results– Use and cite correctly– Keep abreast– Communicate, publish

EndNote Exam Questions

Blackboard modules https://edu2.web.wur.nl/

Before practicals: Modules 1, 2, 3, 4.a.1 and 4.a.2Assignment exercise 1 Subject, exercise 2.1 Databases

individually or with 2

During practicalsDiscussion subject and database selectionGoing on with modules 4.a.3, 4b, 5, 7 and 8Continuation exercises of assignment

Quizzes, Extra materials

Exercise Visit a real library

Evaluation

Assignment ExamSee also course information

Contact:marco.vanveller@wur.nlDiscussion board