Laksamee [email protected] and Instruction Librarian
COSC 111: FINDING INFORMATION USING COOK LIBRARY
Web “Pre-searching”
Evaluations – Check for CRAP
Search strategies and Search tips
Finding books: Cook Library Catalog
Finding articles: Databases
TAKE AWAY…
WEB “PRE-SEARCHING”
Why or why not start your search online? Respond here: http://bit.ly/COSC111web
WEB “PRE-SEARCHING”
Why not start your search online? The Invisible Web
http://goshen.libguides.com/beyond_googling
Can you trust this information?
TED video: Online fi lter bubble – Eli Pariser http://
www.ted.com/talks/eli_pariser_beware_online_filter_bubbles.html
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
TRY THESE WEBSITES OUT
CurrencyReliabilityAuthorityPurpose/Point of View
CHECK FOR CRAP
CurrencyHow recent is the information?
Can you locate a date when the resource was written/created/updated?
Based on your topic, is this current enough?
Why might the date matter for your topic?
CHECK FOR CRAP
Guidelines for CRAP provided by the Jean and Alexander Heard Library
http://www.flickr.com/photos/helloeveryone123/3937374193/sizes/m/in/photostream/
ReliabilityWhat kind of information is included in the resource?
Does the author provide citations & references for quotations & data
Where are you accessing this information?
CHECK FOR CRAP
Guidelines for CRAP provided by the Jean and Alexander Heard Library
http://www.flickr.com/photos/schnappi/5930145952/sizes/l/in/photostream/
Authority Can you determine who
the author/creator is? What are their
credentials (education, affi liation, experience, etc.)?
Who is the publisher or sponsor of the work/site?
Is this publisher/sponsor reputable
CHECK FOR CRAP
Guidelines for CRAP provided by the Jean and Alexander Heard Library
http://rantchick.com/a-doctrine-on-respect/
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
CHECK FOR CRAP
Guidelines for CRAP provided by the Jean and Alexander Heard Library
http://www.flickr.com/photos/cogdog/5484085301/sizes/m/in/photostream/
Articulate your topic
Brainstorm
Strategize where to search
PREPARING TO SEARCH
research skills ≠ needle in the haystack
1. Choose a Topic
FORMULATING A KEYWORD SEARCH
1. Choose a Topic The success of Apple products
FORMULATING A KEYWORD SEARCH
2. Narrow/Broaden your search
FORMULATING A KEYWORD SEARCH
2. Narrow/Broaden your search How Apple created and marketed its products successfully
FORMULATING A KEYWORD SEARCH
3. Identify the key concepts
FORMULATING A KEYWORD SEARCH
3. Identify the key concepts Apple
Marketing
Created
Products
Success
FORMULATING A KEYWORD SEARCH
4. Consider synonyms/alternative spellings for terms
FORMULATING A KEYWORD SEARCH
Products
Success
Apple
Marketing
Created
4. Consider synonyms/alternative spellings for terms
FORMULATING A KEYWORD SEARCH
Products Brand Invention Iphone
Success Achievement Fortune Fame Progress
Apple Apple Inc. Mac
Marketing Market Advertise Retail
Created Innovate Design Build
CellphoneCell phoneCellular telephoneWireless phoneMobileSmartphone
SIMILAR IDEAS….DIFFERENT WORDS
5. Formulate your search utilizing various combinations of your words
String them together using AND/OR/NOT
Truncate *
Phrase searching
FORMULATING A KEYWORD SEARCH
AND OR NOT
For example:
spam AND internet securityCombining >1 topic
OLED OR organic light emitting diodes
Combining synonymous terms
BOOLEAN SEARCH CONNECTORS
WHAT AND DOES…
spam AND internet security
WHAT OR DOES…
OLED OR organic light emitting diodes
OLED organic
light emitting diodes
DON’T FORGET: TRUNCATION HELPS
technolog* finds…
technologtechnologtechnologtechnologtechnolog
yiesistsicalically
…etc!
PHRASE SEARCHING
Use quotations to keep a keyword phrase intact (words will be searched in the specific order)
Examples: “Bank of America” “Cisco Systems”
PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER…
How Apple created and marketed its products successfully?
Apple“Apple Inc.”
Mac
Market*advertise
retail
Successinnovateprogress
Apple OR “Apple Inc.” OR Mac
AND
market* OR advertise OR retail
AND
success OR innovate OR progress
6. Limit your search
Appropriate date range
Subject
Publication type
FORMULATING A KEYWORD SEARCH
Keywords come from the search question
Use Boolean “search connectors” to combine keywords in ways that capture the results you need
Use broader terms/concepts when looking for BOOKS.
Use narrower terms when looking for ARTICLES.
SEARCH TERMS AND KEYWORD REMINDERS
Towson CatalogCollection and Call Number
USMAI Combined CatalogRequests
TU WorldCat
Interlibrary Loan (Illiad)
FINDING BOOKS
From:Scholarly JournalsMagazines (inc. Trade Publications)Newspapers
Peer-reviewed articles in multiple journals
JournalsTowson: 64 journals with the words “Computer Science” in the title
DatabasesComputer Science Index: 500 journals on a variety of topics
Go to a subject gateway and choose one appropriate for your topic
SEARCHING DATABASES
Come up with keywords for your topic
Find a website – Check for CRAP
Find a book – Check for CRAP
Find an article – Check for CRAP
As you are finding information on your topic please fi ll in the Google Doc worksheet http://bit.ly/COSC111schmitt
LET’S START SEARCHING!
Feel free to contact me: Laksamee Putnam [email protected] 410.704.3746.
Or any reference librarian: Visit Cook Library Reference Desk 410.704.2462. IM – tucookchat
QUESTIONS?
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