This document provides an overview of a library instruction session on evaluating online information sources. It introduces the librarian Laksamee Putnam and provides her contact information. The agenda includes discussing articles on online information evaluation, background research techniques like keywords and databases, and how to apply the C.R.A.P. test to analyze sources. Guidelines are given for refining topics, searching keywords, evaluating websites, and beginning research with databases and an assigned worksheet.

1. IDHP 110
Laksamee Putnam
lputnam@towson.edu
Research & Instruction Librarian
Slides:
http://bit.ly/IDHP110libaoslides12

2. First…
 Laksamee Putnam
 lputnam@towson.edu
 Cook Library Reference:
 410.704.2462.
 IM/email
 Phone: 410.704.3746.
 Twitter: @CookLibraryofTU
 Albert S. Cook facebook profile!
 Slides: http://bit.ly/IDHP110libaoslides12

3. Agenda
 Article/VideoDiscussion
 Background reading/Internet searching
 Keywords
 Evaluating Resources

4. Wikipedia Woes and Google Gaffs
 What are the pros and
cons of so much
information being
online?
 What do you do to be
sure you’re finding more
than “information junk
food”?
Appelbaum, Y. (2012). How the professor who
 How do you evaluate
fooled Wikipedia got caught by Reddit. The the information you find
Atlantic. May 15. while researching?
http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archi
ve/2012/05/how-the-professor-who-fooled-
wikipedia-got-caught-by-reddit/257134/#  Why is it important to
support your argument
Prater, E. (2011) Beware online filter bubbles.
TED: Ideas worth spreading.
with valid sources?
http://www.ted.com/talks/eli_pariser_beware_
online_filter_bubbles.html

5. The Research Process
Interpreting the
Selecting a Assignment
Topic
Reading Identifying &
Background Listing
Refining a Information Vocabulary
Topic
Using Online
Databases
& Indexes
Evaluating Citing
Sources Gathering Sources
Sources
Drafting Paper or
Presentation

6. 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

7. Improve Google
Autism and vaccines Body image and girls
 Advanced Google  CookLibrary’s
searching Guide to the Web
 Power searching

8. Keywords are critical!
 Sample topic:
 Which age is childhood obesity in the
United States the highest?
 First,
break the question down into
keywords:
 Which age is childhood obesity in the
United States the highest?

9. More on keywords…
 Expand your list to include synonyms then add
to it once you have done some background
reading.
 Which age is childhood obesity in the United
States the highest?
age obesity United States
childhood overweight USA
youth BMI U.S.A.

10. Combine your keywords
Boolean “search connectors”
AND OR NOT
For example:
obesity AND children
Combining >1 topic
BMI OR body mass index
Combining synonymous terms

11. Additional Search Tips
 Use truncation!  Phrase Searching…
 Use quotations to
keep a keyword
 Educat* finds phrase intact (words
 Educate will be searched in
the specific order)
 Education
 Educating
 Examples:
 Educator  “advanced
practice nurses”
 Etc…  “long term care”

12. Evaluate what you find
 Goto one of the websites below and
analyze it
 http://bit.ly/cosmicweb1
 http://bit.ly/cosmicweb2
 http://bit.ly/cosmicweb3
 http://bit.ly/cosmicweb4
 http://bit.ly/cosmicweb5
 http://bit.ly/cosmicweb6
 http://bit.ly/cosmicweb7

13. Check for CRAP
Currency
Reliability
Authority
Purpose/Point of View

14. Check for CRAP
 Currency
 How recent is the information?
 Can you locate a date when the resource
was written/created/updated?
 Based on your topic, is this current enough?
 Why might the date matter for your topic?
Guidelines for CRAP provided by the Jean and Alexander Heard
Library

15. Check for CRAP
 Reliability
 What kind of information is included in the
resource?
 Does the author provide citations &
references for quotations & data
 Where am I accessing this information?
Guidelines for CRAP provided by the Jean and Alexander Heard
Library

16. Check for CRAP
 Authority
 Can you determine who the author/creator
is?
 What are their credentials (education,
affiliation, experience, etc.)?
 Who is the publisher or sponsor of the
work/site?
 Is this publisher/sponsor reputable
Guidelines for CRAP provided by the Jean and Alexander Heard
Library

17. Check for CRAP
 Purpose/Point of View
 Is the content primarily opinion?
 Is the information balanced or biased?
 What is the purpose of the information? Is it
to inform, teach, sell, entertain or persuade
Guidelines for CRAP provided by the Jean and Alexander Heard
Library

18. Begin your own research
 Fill out this worksheet
 http://bit.ly/IDHP110libaosurvey12
 Next class:
 “Read” and prepare for discussion
 Use your keywords to find books/articles

19. 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