This document provides an overview of resources for researching scientists and their biographies and works. It introduces Laksamee Putnam as the instructor and lists databases, books, and citation styles that can be used to find biographical information about scientists. Key tips are provided on searching the library catalog, databases like Scopus and ScienceDirect, and the web to locate relevant books and articles. Students are directed to complete a worksheet to apply these skills in researching their assigned scientist.

1. WRIT 312:
Scientists – Biography
and Works
LAKSAMEE PUTNAM
LPUTNAM@TOWSON.EDU
RESEARCH & INSTRUCTION LIBRARIAN
Slides: http://bit.ly/writ312fall2014

2. First…
 Laksamee Putnam
 lputnam@towson.edu
 Cook Library Reference:
 410.704.2462.
 IM/email
 Phone: 410.704.3746.
 Twitter: @CookLibraryofTU
Slides: http://bit.ly/writ312fall2014

3. Take away…
 Introduction to Library Resources
 Biography Basics
 Finding Books and Articles
 Citation Help

4. Library Homepage
 Main website
 Library Catalog
 USMAI Catalog
 Cook OneSearch
 Course Gateway
 Research -> Course Gateways -> Select a Course (WRIT 312)

5. Biography Basics
 Start in “Biography in Context” to read up on your
scientist
 Note their name and possible variations
 Charles Darwin
 C Darwin, Charles Robert Darwin, CR Darwin

6. Biography Basics
 What were your scientist’s affiliations?
 Partners? University?
 What key words are associated with your scientist?
 Inventions? Formulas? Field of study?
 Are there any specific publications mentioned
which you could look up?
 Books or Journals written about or by your scientist

7. Finding Books
 A list of books to help you get started
 Search in multiple places
 Use specific books titles if you know them
 Use name variations
 Use keywords
 Request books from other USMAI libraries
 Interlibrary loan for everything else

8. Search Tips
 Boolean “search connectors”
 Stephen Hawking AND Physics
 seismoscope OR seismometer

9. Finding Articles
 Start with Scopus
 Use Author Search to help locate articles written by
your scientist
 Use your keywords to see if there have been articles
written about your author
 If you have a specific citation to look up, check the
Journal List

10. Finding Articles
 No luck in Scopus? Try the other databases listed in
the WRIT 312 Course Gateway
 Science Direct, Cook OneSearch
 If the full text isn’t available look for a Find It button.

11. Searching the Web
 Try different search engines
 Google Scholar
 Wolfram Alpha
 Refseek
 Limit to .gov or .edu
 For example, you can usually search “topic” + .gov
 “transmission electron microscope” site:.gov

12. APA Citing Resources
 Cook Library – Citing Sources
 http://cooklibrary.towson.edu/styleGuides.cfm
 OWL
 http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01/

13. Worksheet!
 Answer the various questions as you:
 Find out more about your scientist in Biography in
Context
 Locate books and articles
 Ask if you have questions!

14. 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