Conducting Library Research ENG 120 Spring 08

1
Conducting Library ResearchENG 120Spring 08

• ENG 120
• Fall 2007

2
Why is this class important to me?

• Prof White
• For other classes requiring research
• For the remainder of your college career
  (undergrad grad)
• For general research using Google, Ask.com, etc.

3
Goals

• Understand the research process
• Develop skills navigating Orionthe Iona
  College library catalog to search for and locate
  books and materials in the library
• Understand characteristics of a library catalog
  record
• Understand characteristics of a journal and a
  journal article
• Develop vital search strategies to use in
  searching databases
• Understand the differences between Google and
  subscription databases (AKA-the Deep Web)

4
Steps in the Research Process

• Decide on a topic-preferably as soon as
  assignment is given.
• Compile background information by browsing print
  sources such as, textbooks, reference books,
  Orion Catalog, databases, Google
• Determine keywords for searching- Select terms
  that describe the topic
• Determine search terms or phrases
• Consider using results list of Subject
• Headings for more resources
• Conduct advanced search utilizing limits

5
Steps in the Research Process

• Use databases to search for journals and
  scholarly articles and research papers.
• Select appropriate database from library Webpage
• Consult with a reference librarian if having
  trouble finding sources or to find additional
  sources.
• Be mindful not to plagiarize
• Cite Sources
• Compile list of references used
• use appropriate format- MLA, APA, etc.

6
Research Sources

• Primary vs Secondary Sources
• http//www.iona.edu/library/help/sources.cfm
• Broad (books) vs Narrow (journals)
• Books better for broad views of topic
• Journal article better for narrow or specific
  information
• Current vs Historical Information
• Periodicals, Newspapers, and Websites for recent
  info
• Books better for historical info

7
Research Sources

• ORIONBooks, videos, other materials at the
  library, journal holdings, but Not Journal
  Articles!
• www.iona.edu/library/
• Journal Article Databases collections of
  articles from reputable sources, including
  scholarly journals (AKA Peer Reviewed) The
  Internet
• www.google.com or www.ask.com

8
More Research Sources

• A Guide to Library Research
• This guide is from Duke University.
• Remember, some things pertain only to Dukes
  library, but the process to take while searching
  for and collecting information for your paper is
  the same everywhere.
• http//www.lib.duke.edu/libguide/home.htm

9
Additional Reference Resources

• Browse the shelves before/after Call
• Browse the book, 10,000 Ideas for Term Papers
• Specialized encyclopedias dictionaries
• Yearbooks, almanacs, atlases
• Manuals, handbooks, guides, directories
• These reference resources are located in the
• Reference Room on the first floor of Ryan
• Library-Just past Starbucks!

10
Whats a database?

• A database is a collection of records . each
  record represents one item in the collection.
  Items can be
• books
• journal articles
• magazine articles
• multimedia materials
• microfilm or microfiche
• ORION is actually a type of database
• Each record in ORION represents an item in the
  librarys collection

11
A Record in ORION Provides Essential Information

• Main Author Sampson, Anthony.
• Title Black and gold tycoons,
  revolutionaries, and apartheid
• Publisher New York Pantheon Books, 1987.
• Location Ryan Library
• Call Number 323.1 S 192
• Status On shelf
• Map (map)

12
A Record in Orion Provides
13
Field-Searching in ORION

• In ORION (or any other database) you can search
  in a specific field within the record
• Fields you can search in
• Keyword the default search automatically
  inserts AND but you can use and, or, not,
  phrase
• Title, exact in quotes
• Title Keyword in quotes
• Author (last name, first name)
• Author (sorted by title)
• Subject
• Journal Title Keyword in quotes
• Call Number
• Keyword Relevance
• www.iona.edu/library

14
Choose your Keywords

• In order to begin your search, you must decide
  what your search terms, or keywords, will be
• Heres an example of a topic
• Social conditions during the Apartheid era
• Keywords???

15
Do you have a phrase?

• If your keywords are really a phrase, you need to
  know how to phrase search
• Examples
• men of magnitude
• inter-racial friendship
• life in Port Elizabeth
• segregation and the penal system

16
Boolean AND-OR-NOT

• Use AND to narrow down your search results
• Example death penalty AND crime
• Use OR to broaden your search results
• Example death penalty OR capital
  punishment
• TIP use OR for MORE
• Use NOT to exclude a word from your search
  results
• Example coffee NOT java
• Illustration
• http//kathyschrock.net/rbs3k/boolean/

17
ORION Guided Search / Advanced Search

• The Guided Search is a custom search (a.k.a
• the advanced search in other databases)
• more structured
• more search boxes for terms
• drop-down lists for selecting how to combine
  search terms and what fields to search in the
  record
• provides connectors for Boolean searching

18
Limiting

• Most databases will allow you to select one or
  more limits to place on a search to fine-tune it
• In ORION, you can limit your search to a specific
• location / collection
• date range
• item type (ex., serials)
• medium (video, microfilm/microfiche)

19
Finding Books and Materials in the Library

• Call NumberDewey Decimal Number
• Whos Dewey?
• Melvil Dewey-1873
• Whats Dewey?
• Dewey Decimal Classification System
• A general knowledge organization tool that
  divides the entire world of knowledge into ten
  main classes
• 000-900

20
Books from other libraries

• Search catalogs of other libraries via the Iona
  College Libraries web page http//www.iona.edu/lib
  rary/research/books.cfm
• Request a book that is not in our collection via
  interlibrary loan http//www.iona.edu/library/se
  rvices/interlibraryloan/bookrequest.cfm
• Be sure to allow enough time for these
  materials to arrive usually about
• 2 weeks

21
Journals and E-Resources

• Why use databases, especially Ionas?
• You can find the most up-to-date information on
  any topic by searching for journal articles in
  electronic databases
• Your tuition goes towards the 3K to 10K each
  database costs, so use them!
• The library currently subscribes to over 70
  online electronic databases that provide access
  to over 15K journals, newspapers, and magazines
  which can be accessed on or off-campus

22
Scholarly Journals vs Popular Magazines

• Scholarly journals are written by experts in the
  field
• Scholarly journals are peer-reviewed (valid,
  significant, and original)
• In many electronic databases, you can limit your
  search to peer-reviewed journals only

23
About Electronic Databases

• Electronic databases provide access to a
  collection of articles from scholarly journals
• May also contain magazine articles, newspaper
  articles, images, statistics, etc.
• Electronic databases can be either
  multidisciplinary or subject-specific
• Multidisciplinary (covers many subjects a
  general database)
• Academic Search Elite
• ProQuest Research Library
• Subject-specific
• ERIC-Education/Abstracts/Full-Text
• Humanities Abstracts/Full-Text
• Criminal Justice Abstracts

24
The Internet vs. Electronic Databases

• Some important differences
• Electronic databases contain a collection of
  information (articles, images, statistics, etc.)
  that has been selected and packaged into a
  product that the library () Subscribes ()to
• Information in our electronic databases comes
  from reputable sources and/or publications
• Many electronic databases include a high
  percentage of scholarly journals

25
More About the Internet and Electronic Databases
.

• Information on the Internet
• Comes from ANYWHERE
• Is published by ANYONE
• Is not screened or peer-reviewed prior
• to publication
• There is little quality control on the Internet

26
Using Internet Resources

• Check to see who or what organization is
  responsible for the Internet content
• Is it Authoritative, Accurate, Objective,
  Current?
• http//www.iona.edu/library/help/wwwevaluation/

27
Scholarly Journals

• Articles written by experts in their fields of
  study, generally scientists, not a journalist
• Articles written for others in the same field,
  not for general public
• Articles often report results of research and are
  quite lengthy
• Often primary sources (while popular magazines
  are often secondary sources)

28
Scholarly Journals

• Journals are not glossy, have few photographs
  and few advertisements
• Not typical magazines that can be purchased at
  any newsstand
• Articles usually preceded by abstracts and have
  lengthy bibliographies

29
Scholarly Journals

• Many databases can limit search to scholarly
  journals
• Some databases only contain information from
  scholarly journals (JSTOR, PsycARTICLES)
• Sometimes popular sources are preferable
• A note about Wikipedia

30
Searching in electronic databasesLimiting

• Place limits on your search to get fewer, but
  more useful, results
• Electronic databases will allow you to select one
  or more limits to place on a search, such as
• scholarly (peer-reviewed or refereed) journals
  only
• specific publication date ranges
• document type (ex., periodical or newspaper
  article)
• a specific journal

31
POP QUIZ!

• Book or Journal?
• Koppelman, K. L. (2005). Understanding human
  differences multicultural education for a
  diverse America. Boston Pearson/Allyn and Bacon.
• Why?

32
POP QUIZ

• Book or Journal?
• Gallavan, N. P., Bowles, F. A., Young, C. T.
  (2007, Summer). Learning to write and writing to
  learn Insights from teacher candidates. Action
  in Teacher Education The Journal of the
  Association of Teacher Educators, 29(2), 61-69.
• Why?

33
POP QUIZ-3!

• Book or Journal?
• Van Zee, E. H., Hammer, D., Bell, M., Roy, P.,
  Peter, J. (2005, November). Learning and teaching
  science as inquiry A case study of elementary
  school teachers investigations of light. Science
  Education, 89(6), 1007-1042. Retrieved September
  14, 2007, from ERIC database (EJ759950)
  http//rocky.iona.edu 2048/ login?url
  http//search.ebscohost.com /?login.aspx?directtr
  uedbericANEJ759950siteehost-live
• Why?

34
Getting Full-Text Articles

• Click the Iona Find Full-Text button
• Opens up new window
• Will link directly to article if found in another
  database
• Will link to where the article can be found if
  Iona owns the journal in print
• Will say not available and offer option of
  getting article through Document Delivery-Approx
  5 days

35
Citing Your Work

• Appropriate style guides available at all library
  locations-MLA, APA, Taurabian
• Citation help page on library website
• http//www.iona.edu/library/help/citing/
• Link to Noodle Tools Automatically generates a
  bibliography for you in MLA or APA style

36
For More Reference Help

• Ask at the Reference Desk
• Reference phone number 637-7716
• E-mail reference from the Libraries webpage
• AOL/AIM Instant Messenger RyanReference
• Set up a RAP appointment (Research Assistance
  Program)
• One-on-one appointment with a librarian for
  research help

37
Got question?Ask a Librarian!
And Get-Just the Facts!