ISTC 201L A K S A M E E P U T N A M

L P U T N A M @ T O W S O N . E D U

R E S E A R C H & I N S T R U C T I O N L I B R A R I A NSlides: http://bit.ly/istcspring2015c1Please login to your computer

and go to this link!

First…Laksamee Putnam

lputnam@towson.edu

Cook Library Reference:◦ 410.704.2462.

◦ IM/email

Phone: 410.704.3746.

Twitter: @CookLibraryofTU

Albert S. Cook Facebook profile!

Slides: http://bit.ly/istcspring2015c1

A quick plug…

The Big Read

Free copies of the book!

Kick off event –◦ Tuesday, February 24th, 5-6:30

PM Potomac Lounge, University Union

Book Discussion–◦ March 11th, 12:30-1:30 PM, Cook

Library 507

AgendaReading Discussion

Background reading/Internet searching

Keywords

Evaluating Resources

Wikipedia Woes and Google Gaffs

What are the pros and cons of so much information being online?

What do you do to be sure you’re finding credible resources?

◦ How do you evaluate the information you find while researching?

Why is it important to support your argument with valid sources?

New York Times (2013) If a Story Is Viral, Truth May Be Taking a Beating http://nyti.ms/1d7MUUB

The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center (n.d.) Cancer Update Email – It’s a Hoax! http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/kimmel_cancer_center/news_events/featured/cancer_update_email_it_is_a_hoax.html

Dickson, E. (2014) I accidentally started a Wikipedia hoax. The Daily Dot. http://www.dailydot.com/lol/amelia-bedelia-wikipedia-hoax/

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

Improve Google

INTERNET AND BULLY

Advanced Google searching

Duck Duck Go

BODY IMAGE AND GIRLS

Cook Library’s Guide to the Web

Keywords are critical!Sample topic:

◦ Which age is childhood obesity in the United States the highest?

First, break the question down into concepts:◦ Which age is childhood obesity in the United States the highest?

More on keywords…

Expand your list to include synonyms then add to it once you have done some background reading.

Which age is childhood obesity in the United States the highest?

childhood obesity United States

adolescent over weight USA

child* obese North America

young BMI

Create keywords Write your topic on the worksheet

Pass the worksheet to a partner

Partners enter key concepts/synonyms

Return the worksheet to the original owner

Search Tip #1Boolean “search connectors”

AND OR NOT

internet AND children◦ Combining >1 topic

instruct OR teach◦ Combining

synonymous terms

Search Tip #2Use truncation!

Educat* finds◦ Educate

◦ Education

◦ Educating

◦ Educator

◦ Etc…

Search Tip #3Phrase Searching…

◦ Use quotations to keep a keyword phrase intact (words will be searched in the specific order)

◦ Examples:◦ “No Child Left Behind”

◦ “school reform”

Putting it all together… Which age is childhood obesity in the United States the highest?

childhoodchild*

adolescentyoung

obesityover weight

BMI

United StatesUSA

North America

child* OR adolescent OR young

AND

obesity OR overweight OR BMI

AND

United States OR USA OR North America

Go back to your keywordsFill in the Search Strategy boxes

Insert AND, OR, NOT

Can you truncate any of your words?

Can you use phrase searching?

Evaluate what you findGo to one of the websites below and analyze it

◦ http://bit.ly/cosmicweb4

◦ http://bit.ly/cosmicweb6

◦ http://bit.ly/cosmicweb7

Check for CRAP

Currency

Reliability

Authority

Purpose/Point of View

Check for CRAPCurrency

◦ How 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?

Guidelines for CRAP provided by the Jean and Alexander Heard Library http://www.flickr.com/photos/helloeveryone123/3937374193/sizes/m/in/photostream/

Check for CRAPReliability

◦ What kind of information is included in the resource?

◦ Does the author provide citations & references for quotations & data

◦ Where am I accessing this information?

Guidelines for CRAP provided by the Jean and Alexander Heard Library

http://www.flickr.com/photos/schnappi/5930145952/sizes/l/in/photostream/

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

Guidelines for CRAP provided by the Jean and Alexander Heard Library

http://rantchick.com/a-doctrine-on-respect/

Check for CRAPPurpose/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

Guidelines for CRAP provided by the Jean and Alexander Heard Library

http://www.flickr.com/photos/cogdog/5484085301/sizes/m/in/photostream/

Analyze your WebsiteUse your search strategy in Google

Use your search strategy in Cook Library’s Guide to the Web◦ Pick the most interesting result from both

Enter your results here:◦ http://padlet.com/lputnam/istcsp15padlet

Enter your name, search string, and a link to the website

You need 3 scholarly web resources for your paper. Take this time to try to find at least one website you can use!

Thanks for listening!Next class:

◦ Watch 2 more video and prepare for discussion

◦ Use your keywords to find books/articles

Questions?Feel free to contact me:

◦ Laksamee Putnam

◦ lputnam@towson.edu

◦ 410.704.3746.

◦ Twitter: @CookLibraryofTU

Or any reference librarian:◦ Visit Cook Library Reference Desk

◦ 410.704.2462.

◦ IM – tucookchat