1. Getting Started OR Now what do I do? Using Google and the Library InfoGuides
2. Brainstorming a Topic: Looking for Ideas Think about a topic that interests you. Consider the following idea-starters: My friends and I like to argue about… Someone believes…; however, I believe… I think we should pass a law so that…
3. Getting Started Google Wikipedia? Library Resources - InfoGuides
6. Benefits of Google Searching Become more familiar with a topic Pick out search terms that can be used for library searching Find bibliographies Google Scholar, Google Books…
7. Searching Google More Effectively Limit your results by producer or organization: site: .org .edu .gov Refine searchoptions Find recent websites - “climate change” 2008..2010 Synonyms - ~film-> movies, movie, cinema Advancedsearchlink
8. Smarter Googling Focus a Google search: site: -- limits results to certain sites or domains american history / american history site:loc.gov libertarian / libertarian site:edu intitle: -- limits results to pages with search terms in the page title rosa parks king / intitle:"rosa parks" intitle:king douglass abolition / intitle:douglassintitle:abolition
9. Smarter Googling Build from good results: link: -- discover what other sites link to a site historymatters.gmu.edu link:historymatters.gmu.edu related: -- discover other similar sites related:loc.gov related:snopes.com
10. Googling continued-> Limitations Quotation marks can be used around phrases “climate change” but they might eliminate useful results if too specific barack hussein obama vs. “barack hussein obama” Databases often DO require quotes around phrases. Synonyms ~ work well with one-word searches BUT not with phrase searching like “climate change” Many databases will retrieve similar terms like global warming, greenhouse effect… Other limitations… For more tips, see: http://bit.ly/moregoogle
11. Limitations Limitations of Google as a research tool Google’s index doesn’t include everything that is online. (e.g., licensed resources) Searches often have overwhelming numbers of results. Databases usually more focused.
12. Limitations Realities of the Web Most info on the Web is not scholarly Web is constantly in flux, being edited and indexed; inaccurate to think of Google info as a static “snapshot” of the Web
13. Google Instant Released Sept. 8, 2010 Revises results as you type More info: Introducing Google Instant (YouTube) Could Reinvent Channel Flipping (wired.com) Is this the best they could come up with? (telegraph.co.uk)
14. Google Scholar Google’s index of scholarly literature Set Google preferences to get Mason resources (“Find it@GM”) Google Scholar is one way to access resources, not the way. Is the “cited by” information useful?
15. Google Books Useful in conjunction with library catalog (linked from catalog record) May include book summaries, reviews, table of contents, selected pages, etc. Links to purchase options BUT the library can often provide it for free.
16. Can you find… Authoritative information about the species of bird called the Baltimore oriole
17. Can you find… Authoritative information about the species of bird called the Baltimore oriole Baltimore oriole –baseball Baltimore oriole birds –baseball Baltimore oriole +habitat Baltimore oriole +plumage etc.
18. Can you find… Reputable academic discussions (essays, articles, etc.) about Lady Gaga
19. Can you find… Reputable academic discussions (essays, articles, etc.) about Lady Gaga "lady gaga" site:edu link:ladygaga.comsite:edu
20. Can you find… Information about George Mason (the man); limited to only .edu or .org sites, not .com sites
21. Can you find… Information about George Mason (the man); limited to only using .edu or .org sites, not .com sites george mason site:edusite:org (“george mason” site:edu) OR (“george mason” site:org) “george mason” site:edu|site:org
22. Can you find… You’re building a model of an 18th-century sailing ship. What is thefore topmast studding sailand where does it go?
23. Can you find… You’re building a model of an 18th-century sailing ship. What is thefore topmast studding sailand where does it go? sailboat diagram
24. Connecting Your Search Terms Google & Research Databases offer this type of searching. Databases may present this option in differently.
25. In-class Activity Directions: Pre-selected search terms will be written on small pieces of paper Students will be divided into groups Each group will search Google using the chosen search terms Students will be instructed to share their findings with the class and note the following items: Number of search results/hits Scholarly resources (e.g. resources written by subject experts) Resources not appropriate for academic research Other useful information for researching topic (e.g. bibliographies, links, additional search terms) Students will take notes on the handout given to them by the librarians Primary objective is to get students to start evaluating search results and judging the appropriateness for academic research.
26. In-class Activity Selected Search Terms: Human computer interaction Video games and violence Climate change and public health Cancer and diet Elder abuse Sports injury and prevention Impressionism and art
29. InfoGuides Starting point for ideas By subject/discipline Reliable sources evaluated by librarians Variety of sources: books, articles, images, DVDs, primary sources Resources you only have access while students at Mason
30. Other Library Resources Ask-a-Librarian Library Catalog to locate book, e-books, DVDs, government documents Research Databases Articles (some fulltext) Video clips Images Etc. Research Databases by Subject
31. Library Assignment #2 Purpose of this assignment: Start thinking about your information sources and their appropriateness for academic research. Imagine that you are writing a research paper on a historical figure from your readings (examples: Frederick Douglass, Abraham Lincoln, Rosa Parks). Then answer the following question in 200-250 words. Search Google for information on your figure. Look at the first page of your Google results. What did you find? Are they academic sites? Commercial, etc.? Would these sources be helpful in writing a scholarly, academic research paper? Why or why not?
Editor's Notes
Highlight pros and cons Do not need to read individual points as students will have access to PPT through Infoguide
SLIDE hidden because of possible time constraints & not everyone wants to address Wikipedia—it’s up to you Will be included in extended PPT version posted on Honors College Infoguide
See above
Try example search in Google using search techniques above or other techniques you find useful during instruction or reference.DEMONSTRATE with live search in GoogleChoose a search example you think would work well.Emphasize points you think are important when searching Google (e.g. Boolean searching, ways to refine your search, retrieve relevant results)
More advanced Google searching operators. Add these to a search to focus a search on particular pages.For each, compare the two searches that are separated by the slash. Instructor might demonstrate, or might split the class in half and have one half search one way and the other half search the other way.site:Allows search in a particular domain such as gmu.edu or loc.gov … also allows limiting to particular domain ranges, such as .edu sites.Example 1: 330 million hits vs. 21,000 hitsExample 2: helpful when researching topics for which there is a lot of non-academic info on the Webintitle:Searches page titles rather than entire pages. The logic is that if a term appears in the title, the page is likely to be relevant to that term. A page titled “Digital Photography” is more likely to be about digital photography than a page titled “Bob’s Photo Shoot.” Use with caution – easy to accidentally eliminate relevant information; titles do not always reflect page content accurately.
link:Shows what other pages link to a page. The logic is that the more pages there are that link to Page X, the more likely it is that Page X contains useful or relevant information. Also, when you find a useful page, seeing what links to it is a way to discover more pages on the same topic. Example is a site from CHNM at GMU.related:Finds pages that are considered similar by Google. Example of snopes.com returns truthorfiction.com, urban legends page at about.com, factcheck,org, etc.bit.ly link at bottom goes to Google Help page
Possible search technique to elaborate on
Also, not only does the Web constantly evolve, but Google’s search functionality evolves too! Google THIS WEEK released a new version of its search called Google Instant.
Also, not only does the Web constantly evolve, but Google’s search functionality evolves too! Google THIS WEEK released a new version of its search called Google Instant.
Also, not only does the Web constantly evolve, but Google’s search functionality evolves too! Google THIS WEEK released a new version of its search called Google Instant.No need to go into detail about it, but it illustrates the constantly changing world of information… to be a smart user/researcher you have to be agile and not get too tied to one particular search tool. A good researcher has a variety of tools in his or her toolbox, and can switch from one tool to another as needed. Google’s aim is fewer keystrokes; anticipating more searches via mobile devices? Via TV remotes? What will the future of Web searching look like?More info: Youtube video - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ElubRNRIUg4Wired - http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2010/09/google-instant-tv/Telegraph.co.uk - http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/google/7991057/Google-Instant-the-technology-anti-climax-of-the-decade.html
Go into Google preferences and search for George Mason in the Library Links section – this activates the linkages between Google Scholar and Mason databases. The “Find it@GM” link is subject to authentication/proxy – you’ll have to log in if using this from off campus.Google Scholar is a side door to the house… another way into the library DBs.“Cited by” is one measure of item’s usefulness
Another tool in the toolbox. Using Google Books (examine a sample catalog record) as a supplement info source to help evaluate possible research materials.
Results are likely to include pages related to the baseball team unless otherwise specified.
Basic results are likely to be non-academic.
Basic results are likely to be non-academic.First example is okay, but also includes pages from college newspapersSecond example finds pages at .edu sites that contain a link to Gaga’s website.
The first example produces zero results – why? (default AND; there are no pages that are .edu AND .org)Examples 2 and 3 employ OR in different ways.
Searching for the terms as text may not be as efficient as searching for sailboat diagram.
Searching for the terms as text may not be as efficient as searching for sailboat diagram.
SLIDE hidden because of time constraints. Time limitations may prevent in-depth discussion of Boolean searching during class. For more information on Boolean searching see additional PPT marked Boolean Searching Examples from OLLI L814 Library Research on the Wiki. More detailed PPT to be posted on HNRS 110 InfoGuides section Also idea of connecting search terms/Boolean searching will be addressed in the following Library Catalog library session
Mention how during the research process you can start in Google to get background information, search term ideas BUT then take that information to the library to find books & articles…Note: High quality websites will take you to library resources (bibliographies, etc.)SuggestInfoguides as starting point for researchShow example of infoguide (Honors College & subject-based infoguide like art, psychology, literature)
Highlight pros and cons Do not need to read individual points as students will have access to PPT through InfoguideNot every resource every published—We have a lot but not everything—We’re more selective!
Please spend time highlighting the Infoguides onlineHonors College Infoguide as course guideDiscipline-based infoguide like Psychology, Art, History, etc.
Highlight other aspects of the library website:-Links to other library resources catalog and databases finding books, articles, etc.-Ask-a-Library features (IM, liaisons, etc.)-Think of as brief intro to library website
