1. GERO 101: Research Process
and Searching
LAKSAMEE PUTNAM
LPUTNAM@TOWSON.EDU
RESEARCH & INSTRUCTION LIBRARIAN
Slides: http://slidesha.re/Y2k2FL

2. A quick plug…
 Get Writing Help at
Cook!
 Appointments:
 Monday – Thursday 6-9
 Sunday 3-9
 Walk-ins:
 Monday – Thursday 7-8
 Sunday 5:30-6:30
Image from: http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrsdkrebs/6812988187/

3. 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

4. Agenda
 Scholarly vs Popular
 How to formulate a search
 Finding Books/Articles
 Citation Resources
 Hands on database practice

5. Scholarly vs Popular
 Scholarly  Popular
 Written by an expert for  Entertaining but lack
other experts depth
 Support your argument  Grab people’s interests but
with high quality should not be your only
information resource

6. Scholarly vs Popular
Images take from the Purdue University tutorials

7. Scholarly vs Popular
 DuckDuckGo (2012). There are no “regular results”
on Google anymore.
 http://vimeo.com/duckduckgo/bubble

8. Formulating a Keyword Search
1. Choose a Topic

9. Formulating a Keyword Search
1. Choose a Topic
 End of life care of elderly

10. Formulating a Keyword Search
2. Narrow/Broaden your search

11. Formulating a Keyword Search
2. Narrow/Broaden your search
 Elderly depression in end of life care

12. Formulating a Keyword Search
3. Identify the key concepts

13. Formulating a Keyword Search
3. Identify the key concepts
 Elder
 Depression
 End of life care

14. Formulating a Keyword Search
4. Consider synonyms/alternative spellings for terms
 Elder
 Depression
 End of life care

15. Formulating a Keyword Search
4. Consider synonyms/alternative spellings for terms
 Elder
 Elder*
 Senior
 Aged
 Older person
 Older adult
 Depression
 hopelessness
 End of life care
 Palliative care
 Terminal care

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

17. Formulating a Keyword Search
6. Evaluate what you find
 Check for CRAP
Currency
Reliability
Authority
Purpose/Point of View

18. 3 ways to find Books
 http://cooklibrary.towson.edu
 Towson Books
 USMAI Books
 Interlibrary Loan

19. Finding Articles
 Go to the Gerontology Subject Gateway
 Numerous databases to choose from
 Search more than one
 Use your keywords and refine your search

20. Writing and
Citing  Allows your readers to verify and
Resources identify where the information
Cook Library and ideas in your paper
originated
Quick Tools
 Gives credit to the owners of the
Citing Sources ideas (avoiding plagiarism)
 Provides a connection between
your research and the research of
related sources

21. Let’s start searching!
 Research your own topic!
 Begin by filling out this online spreadsheet
 http://bit.ly/WpfAkF
 After you are done please go here to send me
feedback on this session
 http://bit.ly/VLiBPh

22. Questions?
 Feel free to contact me:
 Laksamee Putnam
 lputnam@towson.edu
 410.704.3746.
 Twitter: @LibrarianLaks
 Or any reference librarian:
 Visit Cook Library Reference Desk
 410.704.2462.
 IM – tucookchat