This document outlines an instruction session given by Laksamee Putnam, a research librarian, on evaluating online resources. It provides an agenda for the session which includes discussing a pre-class reading, learning how to evaluate resources using the CRAAP method, developing effective keywords, finding a website resource, and discussing challenges in the research process. Students are asked to complete a worksheet evaluating their search process and resources found.

1. Laksamee Putnam
lputnam@towson.edu
Research & Instruction Librarian
http://bit.ly/tsemmcarthursp17c1

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…
 Apply to be a part of
the library’s Civil
Rights Student
Symposium!
 May 12th, 2017
 Find out more here!

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

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?
 What does A or B testing mean
for your research online?
New York Times (2013) If a Story Is Viral, Truth May Be
Taking a Beating http://nyti.ms/1d7MUUB
A or B. (2015). Planet Money podcast.
http://www.npr.org/sections/money/2015/12/11/459412
925/episode-669-a-or-b

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
 Break down your topic into key concepts
 Ask a partner to help you create synonyms

19. Improve Google
Search Engines
 Advanced Google
searching
 Duck Duck Go
 iSEEK
Specific Websites
 Edutopia
 Department of
Education
 Child Stats
Remember to check the Research 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/tsemsp17mcarthur
 Enter your name, keywords, 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 to find scholarly websites!

22. Thanks for listening!
 Fill out Part 2 of your paper worksheet
 Fill out 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