Download to read offline
Uploaded byMelanie Parlette-Stewart
COMM1165 - Level 2 - MSE (Guo) Feb 2013
This document provides an introduction to research skills for mechanical systems engineering students. It outlines how to use the Library Resource Centre to locate high quality sources for research. The presentation covers searching techniques like using keywords and synonyms, evaluating sources using criteria like credibility and accuracy, and citing sources properly. Students are shown databases and guides relevant to mechanical engineering topics. The goal is to help students balance their research across different types of sources and produce well-supported work.
More Related Content
Similar to COMM1165 - Level 2 - MSE (Guo) Feb 2013
COMM1165 - Level 2 - MSE (Guo) Feb 2013
- 1. Introduction to Researchfor Mechanical Systems Engineering Using the Library Resource Centre Melanie Parlette-Stewart, BA, MLIS Program Liaison February 2013
- 2. I am .. . Melanie Parlette-Stewart LRC Program Liaison School of Engineering and Information Technology Email: mparlettestewart@conestogac.on.ca Twitter: @ConestogaLib_MP
- 3. TODAY we will: 1. Improve your search skills through “pre-searching” and “re-searching” to refine keyword strategies 2. Locate various types of resources to balance your research with high quality information from the LRC’s collections 3. Understand the criteria you can use to evaluate resources to ensure they are of good quality. 4. Discover resources to assist you in creating proper citations
- 4. Off-Campus Access Visit the LRC to PIN NUMBERS - You can use your PIN to: get your PIN. • Access resources from Off-Campus Don’t forget to bring • Renew a book, place a hold your student card • Review your account with the 2013 sticker on it!
- 5. LRC Homepage Research Help Engineering Mechanical Systems Engineering YOUR Research Guide http://bit.ly/MechanicalSys Key Tabs: • Articles from Databases • Books . . . • Cite Your Sources • Contact Us
- 6. Today’s Research Topicis…. • Is there a relationship Facebook use and academic performance?
- 7. Finding a sourceto answer your question . . . • Where do we begin? • Google • Wikipedia • Other suggestions…
- 10. Balanced Research Effectiveresearch taps into a variety of sources Encyclopedias Websites Books Technical Scholarly Papers Journals Conference Newspapers Papers Professional Magazine (aka Trade Journals)
- 11. Types of Sources What‟s the Difference? Scholarly Journals Popular Magazines Trade Journals • Scholarly research or projects. • General interest articles, entertainment, or • Industry related information, news and • Illustrations are usually charts and graphs. information aimed at the consumer. Usually trends. Some illustrations. • Authors are authorities in their field. Often colour photographs and illustrations. • Authors are industry experts, professionals, professors or researchers. • Articles are usually written by magazine or practitioners who are not always • Peer review process is in place where the staff, freelance writers, or may be identified content of an article is reviewed by one or anonymous. • Typically no peer review or refereeing more experts in the field. • No peer review or refereeing process. process. Examples: Examples: Examples: IEEE/ASME transactions on mechatronics Wired, Popular Mechanics ASME Mechanical Engineering Magazine
- 12. Choosing Better Sources • How can you tell trustworthy information (the “better” information) from less-trustworthy information (“worse” information)? The CARS Test • C redibility Look for believable, well written information that is free of bias. Locate information about the author(s) and their credentials. How credible are the authors, what is their level of expertise on this particular topic. • A ccuracy The information should be up-to-date, clear. You can confirm accuracy by locating information from a variety of sources. Look for a last updated date. • R easonableness Information should be present objective and balanced arguments. • S upport Other sources should support the information found. Always look for a reference list, bibliography or citations demonstrating where the information came from.
- 13. Pre-Searching: Thinking About YourSearch • What are the keywords or phrases in the question that you would use in your search? • Also think of synonyms and related terms….
- 14. Pre-Searching: Academic Facebook Performance Related Terms or Synonyms (words Related Terms or Synonyms (words that mean the same as the first that mean the same as the first term, above) term, above)
- 15. Let’s Research : LRC Discover Tool Facebook and Academic Performance http://www.conestogac.on.ca/lrc/
- 16. Let’s Re/search: Don‟t forget to Re/Search: Full Text Date Source Type Subject
- 17. Let’s Re/search: Don‟tforget to try using other “PRE-SEARCHING” terms: Ex: Social Networks and Media and Grades . . . and again: don‟t forget to Re/Search: Full Text Date Source Type Subject
- 18. Citing our Sources It'simportant to cite sources you used in your research for several reasons: To show your reader you've done proper research by listing sources you used to get your information To be a responsible scholar by giving credit to other researchers and acknowledging their ideas To avoid plagiarism by quoting words and ideas used by other authors To allow your reader to track down the sources you used by citing them accurately in your paper by way of footnotes, a bibliography or reference list
- 19. Let’s Cite ourSources: Don’t forget to check the style guides to make sure your citation is correct (sometimes there are mistakes!)
- 20. Need more sources? Explore the “Mechanical Systems Engineering” Research Help Guide to discover Databases focused on Mechanical Engineering. These database have: Advanced Search Tools Subject Specific Material http://exploreguides.conestogac.on.ca/MSE
- 21. Summary Researching using theLRC Use Discovery Search first www.conestogac.on.ca/lrc After that, try a relevant Research Help guide for links to even more resources to search http://exploreguides.conestogac.on.ca/MSE Use the “Cite” feature in each database Remember no „citation generator‟ is ever perfect Check it manually using the Writing Centre’s resources for your Citations Style. www.conestogac.on.ca/learningcommons/resources/writing.jsp
- 22. HELP AT THE A1109 LIBRARY Visit the Service Desk Email or Phone Instant Messaging
Editor's Notes
- #3 How you can help them and how they can find you – leads into the ISEMP introduction
- #4 By listening and participating actively in today’s workshop, you’ll vastly improve your skills in information seeking, which will help improve your grades and help you to success in your academic career.
- #5 Student ID and PIN overview
- #6 Student ID and PIN overview
- #7 This will depend on the group of students and their assignment
- #8 We could find out all about this using Wikipedia, right?Perhaps start with Wikipedia – to get them to understand where you’re going with this, say “Wikipedia works for day-to-day questions, but why can’t you use just Wikipedia for all your research needs?” You’re looking for them to understand that a single source, regardless of what it is, is not enough for their research, even if it seems to provide all the answers they need…because it’s providing just one perspective, one author’s viewpoint. Facts may have been excluded or modified. You have to use a variety of sources to ensure you’ve got the best information, and the broadest perspective.List potential sources on the screen or on the board – the ones students suggest and you suggest will depend on the research topic
- #9 Do a quick search for your question, together. Have students look at the first page of results and see if they intuitively know the best from the worst (this can be just by the names of the links and their domain suffixes, or you could pick one or two (one good, one bad) and present the question openly (“Do you think this website is trustworthy, or not? Why or why not? Think about it and then we’ll discuss it.”). You could also do this with preselected websites which you lead students to with links. After the open discussion, present the CAARS/CRAAP acronym to fill in additional considerations. Could also do this in reverse, using the CAARS evaluation tool up front [depends on timing and audience]
- #10 Do a quick search for your question, together. Have students look at the first page of results and see if they intuitively know the best from the worst (this can be just by the names of the links and their domain suffixes, or you could pick one or two (one good, one bad) and present the question openly (“Do you think this website is trustworthy, or not? Why or why not? Think about it and then we’ll discuss it.”). You could also do this with preselected websites which you lead students to with links. After the open discussion, present the CAARS/CRAAP acronym to fill in additional considerations. Could also do this in reverse, using the CAARS evaluation tool up front [depends on timing and audience]
- #13 Do a quick search for your question, together. Have students look at the first page of results and see if they intuitively know the best from the worst (this can be just by the names of the links and their domain suffixes, or you could pick one or two (one good, one bad) and present the question openly (“Do you think this website is trustworthy, or not? Why or why not? Think about it and then we’ll discuss it.”). You could also do this with preselected websites which you lead students to with links. After the open discussion, present the CAARS/CRAAP acronym to fill in additional considerations. Could also do this in reverse, using the CAARS evaluation tool up front [depends on timing and audience]
- #15 Facebook:Social mediaSocial NetworksWeb 2.0TechnologyWebsitesInternetAcademic Performance:EducationHigher EducationLearningGradesGPAStudentsCollege StudentsUniversity StudentsBehaviour
- #19 Discuss the above as the two principle ways to find information through the library.Direct students to go the LRC homepage to get started. Proceed with search examples without additional slides.
- #23 This page links to the Contact Us page by clicking on the screen shot of Contact Us.