TSEM Cooper - Fall 2011 Research

TSEM: Research Process and Searching LAKSAMEE PUTNAM LPUTNAM@TOWSON.EDU RESEARCH & INSTRUCTION LIBRARIAN

Agenda How to formulate a search Finding Books: Cook Library Catalogs Finding Articles: Databases Citation Resources Hands on database practice

How can I help you? In class session to learn how to use resources Phone help 410.704.3359. Chat help  Go to Library website and click “Ask a Librarian” One-on-one appointments Help at the reference desk

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 filter bubble – Eli Pariser  http://www.ted.com/talks/eli_pariser_beware_online_filter_bub bles.html

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

Formulating a Keyword Search1. Choose a Topic

Formulating a Keyword Search1. Choose a Topic  Zero in mathematics

Formulating a Keyword Search2. Narrow/Broaden your search

Formulating a Keyword Search2. Narrow/Broaden your search  The role of zero in the development of mathematics

Formulating a Keyword Search3. Identify the key concepts

Formulating a Keyword Search3. Identify the key concepts  Zero  Mathematics  Development

Formulating a Keyword Search4. Consider synonyms/alternative spellings for terms  Zero  Mathematics  Development

Formulating a Keyword Search4. Consider synonyms/alternative spellings for terms  Zero  Mathematics  Math  Mathematical  Numerical  Algebra  Trigonometry  Development  History  Analysis  Role

Formulating a Keyword Search5. Formulate your search utilizing various combinations of your words  String them together using AND/OR/NOT  Truncate *

Good searching starts with good keywords Boolean “search connectors” AND OR NOTFor example:zero AND mathematics • Combining >1 topicDevelopment OR history • Combining synonymous terms

Search Tip #1 Use AND when you need to combine more than one topic zero mathematics Zero AND mathematics

Search Tip #2 Use OR to combine synonymous terms (to get results regardless of what term an author uses). development history

Search Tip #3 Use truncation! mathem* finds  mathematic  mathematical  mathematics  Etc…

Search Tip #4 Phrase Searching…  Use quotations to keep a keyword phrase intact (words will be searched in the specific order)  Examples:  “golden ratio”  “Pythagorean theorem”

Find a Book http://cooklibrary.towson.edu Towson Books USMAI Books Interlibrary Loan Demo!

Find an Article Looking for specific research about your topic The library subscribes to thousands of journals (but not all of them) Databases help you search through multiple journals Use subject specific databases to help narrow your article search

Find an Article Go to the Math Subject Gateway Recommended databases-  Academic Search Premier  ScienceDirect  Web of Science Scholarly vs Popular  http://cooklibrary.towson.edu/helpguides/guides/scholarly_d emo/scholarly_demo.swf

Writing andCiting  Allows your readers to verify andResources identify where the informationCook Library and ideas in your paper originatedQuick Tools  Gives credit to the owners of theCiting Sources ideas (avoiding plagiarism)  Provides a connection between your research and the research of related sources

Let’s start searching! Form keywords Then begin researching your own topic  Find a book and an article As you are finding information on your topic please fill in your paper worksheet and this digital worksheet  http://bit.ly/VisualMath

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

TSEM Cooper - Fall 2011 Research

by Laksamee Putnam on Jan 26, 2012

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