This document outlines an agenda for a library instruction session. It includes introductions and contact information for the librarian Laksamee Putnam. The agenda covers evaluating online resources using the CRAAP test, developing effective keywords and search strings, finding relevant websites to assess, and discussing strategies for effective online research. Students are instructed to complete worksheets assessing their research progress and share results of their website searches.

1. Laksamee Putnam
lputnam@towson.edu
Research & Instruction Librarian
http://bit.ly/tsemmcarthurfa16c1

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.libguide
s.com/tuhumanlibrary
 Sign up to be a book!

4. Agenda
 Pre-class reading Discussion
 Evaluating Resources - TIL
 Keywords
 Find a website resource

5. Wikipedia Woes and Google Gaffs
 What did you find interesting about
these articles/video? What does it
have to do with you learning to
research?
 Who is responsible for “filtering”
information, you or
Facebook/Google/etc?
 Why is it important to support your
argument with valid sources?
 Evaluate the website you found.
What did you do to be sure you
found a credible website? How did
you evaluate the information you
found?
A or B. (2015). Planet Money podcast.
http://www.npr.org/sections/money/2015/12/11/459412925/epis
ode-669-a-or-b
Fortune Video. (2015). Facebook study doesn’t silence filter-
bubble criticism.
http://fortune.com/video/2015/05/08/facebook-study-doesnt-
silence-filter-bubble-criticism/

6. Today I Learned (TIL)
 In Reddit people share “headlines” in TIL format
 Which resources are “good”
 Which resources are “bad”
 How do you know?

7. Today I Learned (TIL)

8. Check for CRAAP
Currency
Relevance
Authority
Accuracy
Purpose/Point of View

9. Check for CRAAP
 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 CRAAP provided by the Bluford Library

10. Check for CRAAP
 Relevance
 How does this
information relate to
your topic?
 Who is the intended
audience?
 How does this resource
compare to others you
have looked at?

11. Check for CRAAP
 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

12. Check for CRAAP
 Accuracy
 Is the information
supported with evidence?
 Has the information been
reviewed?
 How confident are you that
the content is correct?

13. Check for CRAAP
 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

14. Which words?
 Take a look at these pictures.
What do you see?
 Go here and fill in a word to
describe each picture
A
D C
B

15. Keywords are critical!
 Sample topic:
 What is being done to close the gender gap in
technology related careers in the United States?
 First, break the question down into key concepts:
 Concept #1: gender gap
 Concept #2: technology careers
 Concept #3: United States

16. More on keywords…
 Expand your list to include synonyms then add
to it once you have done some background
reading.
 What is being done to close the gender gap in
technology related careers in the United States?
Gender gap technology careers United States
women
under represented
female equality
STEM
Computer Science
Engineer
America
North America
Maryland

17. Putting it all together…
 What is being done to close the gender gap in
technology related careers in the United States?
Gender gap OR women OR female equality
AND
Technology OR STEM OR Computer Science
AND
United States OR America OR North America
Gender gap technology careers United States
women
under represented
female equality
STEM
Computer Science
Engineer
America
North America
Maryland

18. Create keywords
 Complete Part 1 of your worksheet
 Write your research topic on your worksheet
 Pass it to a group member
 Group member fills in key concepts and synonyms
 Give the worksheet back to the original owner

19. Improve Google
Search Engines
 Advanced Google
searching
 Duck Duck Go
 iSEEK
Specific Websites
 Edutopia
 Department of
Education
 Child Stats
Remember to check the Subject Guides from the library!

20. Find a website resource!
 Use your keywords in Google/Edutopia/etc
 Pick the most interesting results
 Assess one website with CRAAP on your worksheet
 Enter 2 of your results here:
 https://padlet.com/lputnam/tsemfa16mcarthurpadlet
 Enter your name, search string, and a link to the website

21. Take a look at the results
 Assess the results posted with the CRAAP assessment
on Part 2 of your worksheet
 What problems did you have ….
 Coming up with keywords?
 Searching for a website?
 Remember you need to find 3 scholarly websites for
you bibliography assignment!

22. Thanks for listening!
 Fill out Part 2 of your paper worksheet
 Fill out 3 TIL statements about your library session today
 Hand the worksheet in to the librarian
 Next library session:
 Pre-class reading and prepare for discussion
 Use your keywords to find books/articles

23. 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