This document provides an overview of research basics and evaluating online resources. It discusses developing keywords for research topics, using Boolean operators and truncation to improve searches, and evaluating websites based on currency, reliability, authority, and purpose. Students are instructed to come up with keywords for their own research topics and search for initial information online using those keywords.

1. TSEM 102
RESEARCH BASICS:
KEYWORDS AND EVALUATION Laksamee
Putnam
lputnam@towson
.edu
Research and
Please login to the computer, then open a browser and go to: Instruction
http://bit.ly/TSEMcooper2012kw Librarian

2. FIRST…
 Laksamee Putnam
 lputnam@towson.edu
 Cook Library Reference:
 410.704.2462.
 IM/email
 Phone: 410.704.3746.
 Slides: http://bit.ly/TSEMcooper2012kw

3. TAKE AWAY…
 Readings Discussion
 Background reading/Internet searching
 Keywords and Connectors
 Evaluating Resources
 Come up with keywords!
 Slides: http://bit.ly/TSEMcooper2012kw

4. RESEARCH IS COMPLICATED
 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”?
 How do you evaluate the
information you find while
Prater, E. (2011) Beware online filter bubbles. TED: Ideas worth researching?
spreading.
http://www.ted.com/talks/eli_pariser_beware_online_filter_bubb
les.html  Why is it important to
Appelbaum, Y. (2012). How the professor who fooled Wikipedia support your argument with
got caught by Reddit. The Atlantic. May 15. valid sources?
http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2012/05/how-
the-professor-who-fooled-wikipedia-got-caught-by-
reddit/257134/#

5. 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

6. IMPROVE GOOGLE
Mayan Calendar AND myths Galileo Galilei AND Earth
 Advanced Google  Cook Library’s Guide to
searching the Web
 Power searching
 Duck Duck Go

7. TRY NEW FEATURES TO HELP BUILD YOUR
KEYWORD LIST AND SEARCH STRATEGY.
 Keywords come from the search question
 Use Boolean “search connectors” to combine keywords in
ways that capture the results you need

8. SEARCH TIP #1
Boolean “search connectors”
AND OR NOT
For example:
abacus AND Japan
Combining >1 topic
Zellige OR Moorish tiling
Combining synonymous terms

9. SEARCH TIP #2
 Use truncation!
 Educat* finds
 Educate
 Education
 Educating
 Educator
 Etc…

10. SEARCH TIP #3
 Phrase Searching…
 Use quotations to keep a keyword phrase intact (words will be
searched in the specific order)
 Examples:
 “Roman numerals”
 “school reform”

11. KEYWORDS ARE CRITICAL!
 Sample topic:
 The role of zero in the development of mathematics
 First, break the question down into key concepts:
 The role of zero in the development of mathematics

12. MORE ON KEYWORDS…
 Expand your list to include synonyms then add to it once you
have done some background reading.
 The role of zero in the development of mathematics
zero development mathematic*
null history numerical
analysis algebra
role

13. PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER…
 The role of zero in the development of mathematics
zero development mathematic*
null history numerical
role algebra
zero OR null
AND
development OR history OR role
AND
mathematic* OR numerical OR algebra

14. EVALUATE WHAT YOU FIND
 Go to 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

15. CHECK FOR CRAP
Currency
Reliability
Authority
Purpose/Point of View

16. CHECK FOR CRAP
Currency
 How recent is the
information?
 Can you locate a date
when the resource was
written/created/updat
ed?
 Based on your topic, is
this current enough?
 Why might the date
matter for your topic?
http://www.flickr.com/photos/helloeveryone123/393737419
3/sizes/m/in/photostream/
Guidelines for CRAP provided by the Jean and Alexander Heard Library

17. CHECK FOR CRAP
Reliability
 What kind of
information is included
in the resource?
 Does the author
provide citations &
references for
quotations & data
 Where are you
accessing this http://www.flickr.com/photos/schnappi/5930145952/sizes/l/in/photostream/
information?
Guidelines for CRAP provided by the Jean and Alexander Heard Library

18. 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 http://rantchick.com/a-doctrine-on-respect/
Guidelines for CRAP provided by the Jean and Alexander Heard Library

19. 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
http://www.flickr.com/photos/cogdog/5484085301/sizes/m/
in/photostream/
Guidelines for CRAP provided by the Jean and Alexander Heard Library

20. BEGIN YOUR OWN RESEARCH
 Come up with key concepts/keywords for your topic
 Search for initial information on websites
 Fill out this worksheet
 Google Doc Worksheet
 Next class:
 Watch TED video and prepare for in-class discussion
 Use your keywords to find books/articles

21. QUESTIONS?
 Feel free to contact me:
 Laksamee Putnam
 lputnam@towson.edu
 410.704.3746.
 Or any reference librarian:
 Visit Cook Library Reference Desk
 410.704.2462.
 IM – tucookchat