COSC 111 - Fall 2011
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This document provides an overview of strategies and tips for searching for information at Cook Library, including formulating effective keyword searches and evaluating website sources. It discusses searching the library catalog to find books and databases to find articles. Search techniques like using Boolean operators and synonyms are covered. Students are instructed to come up with keywords for their topic, find a book and article, and fill out a worksheet documenting their searches.
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COSC 111 - Fall 2011
- 1. Laksamee Putnam lputnam@towson.edu Research and Instruction Librarian COSC 111: Finding Information Using Cook Library
- 2. Take Away… Search strategies and Search tips Finding books: Cook Library Catalog Finding articles: Databases Website evaluate http://www.ted.com/talks/eli_pariser_beware_online_filter_bubbles.html
- 3. Preparing to Search Articulate your topic Brainstorm Strategize where to search
- 4. research skills ≠ needle in the haystack
- 5. Information Technology “the study, design, development, implementation, support or management of computer-based information systems, particularly software applications and computer hardware.” – Information Technology Association of America Image retrieved from Twitter Image retrieved from MailOnline
- 6. Technology Brainstorming What kinds of (information) technologies? Technologies used to achieve specific goals Encourage communication or learning, etc. Targeted towards certain populations Business or college students, etc.
- 7. Search Terms and Keyword Reminders Keywords come from the search question Use Boolean “search connectors” to combine keywords in ways that capture the results you need Use broader terms/concepts when looking for BOOKS. Use narrower terms when looking for ARTICLES.
- 8. Formulating a Keyword Search Choose a Topic
- 9. Formulating a Keyword Search Choose a Topic The success of Apple products
- 10. Formulating a Keyword Search Narrow/Broaden your search
- 11. Formulating a Keyword Search Narrow/Broaden your search How Apple created and marketed its products successfully
- 12. Formulating a Keyword Search Identify the key concepts
- 13. Formulating a Keyword Search Identify the key concepts Apple Marketing Created Products Success
- 14. Formulating a Keyword Search Apple Marketing Created Consider synonyms/alternative spellings for terms Products Success
- 15. Formulating a Keyword Search Apple Apple Inc. Mac Marketing Market Advertise Retail Created Innovate Design Build Consider synonyms/alternative spellings for terms Products Brand Invention Iphone Success Achievement Fortune Fame Progress
- 16. Formulating a Keyword Search Formulate your search utilizing various combinations of your words String them together using AND/OR/NOT Truncate *
- 17. Formulating a Keyword Search Limit your search Appropriate date range Subject Publication type
- 18. Good searching starts with good keywords Boolean “search connectors”ANDORNOTFor example: spam ANDinternet security Combining >1 topic OLED ORorganic light emitting diodes Combining synonymous terms
- 19. What AND does… spam AND internet security
- 20. What OR does… organic light emitting diodes OLED OLED OR organic light emitting diodes
- 21. Don’t forget: Truncation helps technolog* finds… technolog technolog technolog technolog technolog y ies ists ical ically …etc!
- 22. Similar ideas….different words Cellphone Cell phone Cellular telephone Wireless phone Mobile Smartphone
- 23. Finding Books Towson Catalog Advanced Search USMAI Combined Catalog Requests TU WorldCat Interlibrary Loan (Illiad)
- 24. Searching the Catalog Cook Library Research Library Catalogs Advanced Search Options Location Call number Library Map Other locations Request Interlibrary loan (Illiad)
- 25. Searching Databases Cook Library Subject Gateways Computer Science From: Scholarly Journals Magazines (inc. Trade Publications) Newspapers Peer-reviewed articles in multiple journals Journals Towson: 64 journals with the words “Computer Science” in the title Databases Computer Science Index: 500 journals on a variety of topics
- 26. Evaluate Authority/Authorship – Determine who is responsible for the information. What are his/her credentials? Currency – Is the information current and up-to-date? Is there a publication date? Objectivity – Is there any bias? What is the purpose of the web page (to inform or to persuade)? Scope – Are sources cited? Is the subject covered in depth? Usability – Is the site easy to navigate? Are spelling and grammar correct? Examples http://zapatopi.net/treeoctopus/ http://www.rythospital.com/2011/
- 27. Let’s start searching! Come up with keywords for your topic Find a book Find an article As you are finding information on your topic please fill in the Google Doc worksheet http://bit.ly/COSC111worksheet
- 28. 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
Editor's Notes
- Example: Someone studying technology and educationWhat population? (k12, college)Specific tasks/venues: Classroom or assignment use?What subject matter? (ex: biology or history?)What specific technology? (Blackboard, wiki, web site, videoconferencing, IM, online databases, what?)Who is using/”making” that technology? (Student or teacher?)What country? (one or comparing countries)What time period? ( and change over time)
- Applications of information technology within a specific field – this can still be a huge topic that can benefit from some whittling down. Otherwise you can have too many sources to wade through, and too much trouble focusing your final product.Some ways to think about it:What are some examples of kinds of technologies you might want to pursue? (mobile communications, social media, software, robotics, etc.).Technologies are tools. They ideally should be used to achieve specific goals. For instance, certain technologies might encourage certain kinds of learning by college students. So one way to approach this would be to think of the goals that are important and then find out which technologies are being used to achieve them.Or, in some (many!) cases, technologies applied in certain ways might cause problems; then other technologies might be used to solve those problems. Computer hacking vs. computer security is one obvious example, but there are others!!Since your professor’s expertise is in INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, you might want to focus on this kind of tech. “as defined by the Information Technology Association of America (ITAA), is ‘the study, design, development, implementation, support or management of computer-based information systems, particularly software applications and computer hardware.’” – Wikipedia
- We can’t search the innards of a book when we use the Towson Catalog to find books. Think of a book that is likely to talk about your subject.Examples: maybe you won’t find a book on the subject of motion detectors in the home. But you might find one on security systems for the home.Maybe you won’t find a book on Blackboard per se. But there might be a book that discusses online education that has a chapter on different systems like Blackboard or even Blackboard specifically.When we search for articles using databases, you can search for much more specific topics. Articles because of their length are more specific & also we can search the entire text of articles most of the time to find that needle in the haystack.
- First go over Cook Library Website Help locations: Need Help, Ask a Librarian Quick Tools: Off campus login, Journal List, Help GuidesCatalogs – Towson, USMAI, Worldcat TU Search Foursquare -> Social Media Advanced Search Look at entry Find it or Availability Subject headings Cite feature
- Databases are more efficient!Search Academic Search Premier - facebook AND privacy Note difference between magazine and peer reviewed