CREATING EFFECTIVE RESEARCH ASSIGNMENTS Megan Lowe, Reference Librarian.
Nicole Doyle – Reference Librarian Helen Labine – Reference Librarian
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Nicole Doyle – Reference Librarian Helen Labine – Reference Librarian Trish Johns-Wilson – Reference Librarian Peggy Lunn – Reference Technician Shannon Polk – Reference Librarian Susan Pratt – Reference Librarian Nicole Doyle, Reference Librarian [email protected]
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Nicole Doyle – Reference Librarian Helen Labine – Reference Librarian Trish Johns-Wilson – Reference Librarian Peggy Lunn – Reference Technician Shannon Polk – Reference Librarian Susan Pratt – Reference Librarian. Nicole Doyle, Reference Librarian [email protected]. - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
Transcript of Nicole Doyle – Reference Librarian Helen Labine – Reference Librarian
Nicole Doyle – Reference LibrarianHelen Labine – Reference Librarian
Trish Johns-Wilson – Reference LibrarianPeggy Lunn – Reference TechnicianShannon Polk – Reference LibrarianSusan Pratt – Reference Librarian
Nicole Doyle, Reference Librarian [email protected]
The Research Process
Step One: Identify and Articulate
Step Two: Find Information
Step Three: Analyze and Evaulate
Step Four: Present
Step One
• Determine the nature and extent of information needed…
What do I need?• Books • Articles• Government Reports• Statistics• Technical Reports• Conference Papers• Standards
What Topic?
• Hybrid cars• Serial robots• Fuel cells
129,000 hits!
PhysicsPatents
EconomicsEnergy
Clearly, we will need to NARROW our topic.
How?
Hybrid cars
emissions
Environment
Technical
Fuel savings
Marketing
History, background,
overview
Use a TRUSTED SOURCE to get an overview…
reference bookintroductory textbookedited/trusted website
Why NOT a wiki?
Source:http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/05/07/2562940.htm See also: http://oncampus.macleans.ca/education/2009/05/11/irish-student-dupes-media-with-wikipedia/
WHERE CAN I FIND TRUSTED SOURCES??
Environmental Science Perspective
How do they save fuel?
What technologies impact on fuel
savings?What research has
been done?
Hybrid cars
emissions
Environment
components Powertrain design
Technical
Fuel savingsEconomic
Marketing
History, background,
overview
So What?
• Draft your THESIS STATEMENT
• “Further research should be done to optimize fuel savings in hybrid cars so that environmental gains can be realized.”
Step Two
• Access information effectively and efficiently….
Where to go?
• Google/Internet?• Google Scholar• What happens when Google or other
search engines are insufficient or not helpful for your topic?
A better search on Google Scholar
What have I found?
How do I get the full text?
About Google Scholar
• Ensure your preferences are set to include the UOIT Library.– Allows you to look up full text of articles in our
databases– Will link to our library catalogue to look up
books
Click on “Scholar
Preferences”
1. Find the UOIT Library and check
the checkbox “Find It@UOIT”
2. Be sure to Save
Library Databases
• Library catalogue (books, ebooks, videos, government documents)
• Article databases (journal articles, book reviews, etc.)
• Statistical databases• Government information databases
1.Quick Search Area2.Subject Guides
Library Catalogue
• 50-100 words to describe each book– How many pages does a book typically have?
• Search fields:– Title– Author– Publisher– Subject terms
• We are NOT searching (usually):– Chapter titles– Summaries– Contents
Simple Article Searching
Library Databases do not use the
same language as Google!
• Need to use Boolean Searching…
Translating a Google Search
• Google: hybrid cars fuel savings• Library: hybrid cars AND fuel savings• Better Library Search:
Hybrid cars or hybrid vehiclesAND fuelAND saving* or efficienc*
Subject Guides
Computer Science Perspective
Engineering Perspective
Media Perspective
Environmental Science Perspective
Article Databases: Excellent source for
journal articles!
More Article Databases
Need More?
• What other subject areas might be better?• Are there other keywords we should use?
Hints for Finding Articles
• Find the best database for the subject– Start with subject guides
• Use synonyms if they exist– Connect with OR
• Narrow as far as necessary to get relevant results – use AND to connect key concepts
Evaluate and Select• Simple
– Place of Publication– Timeliness
• Complex– Popular vs. scholarly– Bias– Authority– Point of View– Relevance– Thoroughly researched– Credible references
Step Four: Present• Cite all sources (APA, MLA, other)• Learner Support for writing help
Citation Help on the Website
Copies are also
available in the
library…
More Help…Ask a Librarian!
Reference Desk x2390Hours:
M-Th 8am-9pmFriday 8am-4:30pm
Saturday and Sunday 10am-5pm
Nicole Doyle [email protected]
