keywords/evaluation

1. ISTC 201
L A KSA M E E P U T N A M
L P U T N A M @ TO WS O N . E D U
R ES EA RC H & I N ST R U C T I O N L I B R A R I A N
Slides: http://bit.ly/istcspring2015c1Please login to your computer
and go to this link!

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/istcspring2015c1

3. A quick plug…
The Big Read
Free copies of the book!
Kick off event –
◦ Tuesday, February 24th, 5-6:30
PM Potomac Lounge, University
Union
Book Discussion–
◦ March 11th, 12:30-1:30 PM, Cook
Library 507

4. Agenda
Reading Discussion
Background reading/Internet searching
Keywords
Evaluating Resources

5. 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 credible
resources?
◦ How do you evaluate the
information you find while
researching?
Why is it important to support
your argument with valid
sources?
New York Times (2013) If a Story Is Viral, Truth May Be Taking
a Beating http://nyti.ms/1d7MUUB
The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center (n.d.)
Cancer Update Email – It’s a Hoax!
http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/kimmel_cancer_center/ne
ws_events/featured/cancer_update_email_it_is_a_hoax.html
Dickson, E. (2014) I accidentally started a Wikipedia hoax.
The Daily Dot. http://www.dailydot.com/lol/amelia-bedelia-
wikipedia-hoax/

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
INTERNET AND BULLY
Advanced Google searching
Duck Duck Go
BODY IMAGE AND GIRLS
Cook Library’s Guide to the Web

8. Keywords are critical!
Sample topic:
◦ Which age is childhood obesity in the United States the highest?
First, break the question down into concepts:
◦ 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?
childhood obesity United States
adolescent over weight USA
child* obese North America
young BMI

10. Create keywords
Write your topic on the worksheet
Pass the worksheet to a partner
Partners enter key concepts/synonyms
Return the worksheet to the original owner

11. Search Tip #1
Boolean “search connectors”
AND OR NOT
internet AND children
◦Combining >1 topic
instruct OR teach
◦Combining
synonymous terms

12. Search Tip #2
Use truncation!
Educat* finds
◦ Educate
◦ Education
◦ Educating
◦ Educator
◦ Etc…

13. Search Tip #3
Phrase Searching…
◦ Use quotations to keep a keyword phrase intact (words will be searched in
the specific order)
◦ Examples:
◦ “No Child Left Behind”
◦ “school reform”

14. Putting it all together…
 Which age is childhood obesity in the United States the highest?
childhood
child*
adolescent
young
obesity
over weight
BMI
United States
USA
North America
child* OR adolescent OR young
AND
obesity OR overweight OR BMI
AND
United States OR USA OR North America

15. Go back to your keywords
Fill in the Search Strategy boxes
Insert AND, OR, NOT
Can you truncate any of your words?
Can you use phrase searching?

16. Evaluate what you find
Go to one of the websites below and analyze it
◦ http://bit.ly/cosmicweb4
◦ http://bit.ly/cosmicweb6
◦ http://bit.ly/cosmicweb7

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

18. 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
http://www.flickr.com/photos/helloeveryone123/3937374193/size
s/m/in/photostream/

19. 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
http://www.flickr.com/photos/schnappi/5930145952/sizes/l/in/photostream/

20. 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
http://rantchick.com/a-doctrine-on-respect/

21. 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
http://www.flickr.com/photos/cogdog/5484085301/sizes/m/in/ph
otostream/

22. Analyze your Website
Use your search strategy in Google
Use your search strategy in Cook Library’s Guide to the Web
◦ Pick the most interesting result from both
Enter your results here:
◦ http://padlet.com/lputnam/istcsp15padlet
Enter your name, search string, and a link to the website
You need 3 scholarly web resources for your paper. Take this time to try
to find at least one website you can use!

23. Thanks for listening!
Next class:
◦ Watch 2 more video and prepare for discussion
◦ Use your keywords to find books/articles

24. 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