This document outlines a library session on finding good sources. It discusses finding books and articles, creating keywords, searching different databases, and following the research trail by looking at citations. The session teaches students how to come up with synonyms for their topic, search ScienceDirect using keywords, and do backward and forward citation searching in Scopus and Google Scholar to expand their research. Contact information is provided for the librarian hosting the session.

1. TSEM 190: Finding
(Good) Sources
Laksamee Putnam, lputnam@towson.edu
9/16/2016
http://bit.ly/tsem190fall16c1

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!

3. A quick plug…
 Participate in a Human Library
 Oct 9th
 Oct 11th
 http://towson.libguides.com/tuhumanlibrary
 Sign up to be a book!

4. Agenda
 Questions about finding a book and article
 Creating Keywords
 Trying different databases
 Following the research trail

5. Found a book? Found an article?
 What problems did you have finding the book
in the library?
 How confident are you that the book will
contain relevant information?
 Did you have any issues accessing the article?
 Is it a peer-reviewed journal article?

6. Keywords are critical!
 Sample topic:
 Can air pollution regulation affect climate change?
 First, break the question down into key concepts:
 Concept #1: air pollution
 Concept #2: regulation
 Concept #3: climate change

7. More on keywords…
 Expand your list to include synonyms then add to it once you have
done some background reading.
 Can air pollution regulation affect climate change?
air pollution regulation climate change
smog
carbon dioxide
ozone
Clean Air Act
Clean Power Plan
National Ozone Standard
global warming
greenhouse effect

8. Putting it all together…
 Can air pollution regulation affect climate change?
“air pollution” OR “carbon emissions”
AND
regulation OR “Clean Air Act” OR “Clean Power Plan”
AND
“climate change” OR “global warming”
air pollution regulation climate change
smog
carbon emissions
ozone
Clean Air Act
Clean Power Plan
National Ozone Standard
global warming
greenhouse effect

9. Create keywords
 Take a look at your book and article
 On your worksheet, start by listing any keywords you find in the first box (STEP
FOUR)
 After creating an initial list of keywords, choose the most important ones.
These key concepts are what you want to find in your next resource.
 On your worksheet, separate your keywords into key concepts (STEP FOUR)
 Each concept should be a different idea

10. Create synonyms
 As you search, you will find many synonyms for your key concepts!
 On your worksheet, try to fill in a few synonyms (STEP FOUR)
 Remember to go back and add synonyms to your list as you find them
 Having trouble thinking of a synonym? Try some of these websites:
 Power Thesaurus: https://www.powerthesaurus.org/
 Moby Thesaurus: http://moby-thesaurus.org/
 CAB Thesaurus: http://www.cabi.org/cabthesaurus/
 MeSH Browser: https://www.nlm.nih.gov/mesh/MBrowser.html

11. Try a new database. Find a new article!
 There are more databases that Cook OneSearch. Some of them are subject
specific.
 Use a Subject Research Guide to help you find a relevant database
 Here is the Environmental Science Research Guide
 Try using your new keywords in the Science Direct database
 On your worksheet enter the information on a new article you found.(STEP
FIVE)

12. What does your article cite?
 In Science Direct, look at the reference list for the article you think best fits
your research
 Pick an article from the reference list you think could also be relevant to your
research topic
 On your worksheet enter the information on the article you found (STEP SIX)
 Can you find the full test of this article?

13. What cites your article?
 Check to see if any articles have cited one of your three articles!
 This is easiest in Scopus or Google Scholar
 If using Google Scholar remember to set the library access link to Towson
University
 Find an article relevant to your research topic, that cites one of the articles
you have found already!
 On your worksheet enter the information on the article you found (STEP SEVEN)
 Can you find the full text of this article?

14. What did you learn today?
 How to find a book and article using Cook OneSearch
 The importance of coming up with a variety of keywords to describe my
research topic
 How to use ScienceDirect to find an article
 Backward and Forward Citation searching in Scopus and Google Scholar

15. A little feedback
 Please let me know how I can make the session better!
 http://bit.ly/tsem190feedback

16. Thanks for listening
 Next Library Session on Plagiarism
 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