Searching

1
Searching Evaluating Resources
Presented by Matt Makowka, Reference Librarian

• Rhetoric 1302 Sept. 8, 2006

2
Internet a.k.a. the web, etc.

• WWW
• Contains text, images, sound, and video.
• Numerous hits with many duplicates.
• Anyone can publish pages on the Web.
• Unregulated (unreliable) source of information.

3
Searching the Web

• Government information/Web sites
• Associations organizations
• Current news (limited)
• Background info / preliminary research
• Always search the Web with a critical eye

4
Electronic Databases or Indexes

• Indexes journal articles, books, newspaper
  articles, dissertations (material originally in
  print).
• Covers a variety of topics, some are subject
  specific. E.g., ERIC-education
• Some are full text. Many will link to full text.
• When you are looking for articles on a topic
  start here.

5
Searching Periodical Databases

• Need to research articles, esp. scholarly.
• Greater concern for authoritative sources.
• More powerful advanced searching.
• Need newspaper or journal archives/backfiles.

6
Popular magazines Scholarly Journals

• Whats the difference?
• What are peer-reviewed journals anyway?

7
Popular Vs. Scholarly Periodicals

• Popular Magazines
• Intended for a general audience.
• Articles written by journalists who may or may
  not have special training
• Articles do not have footnotes
• Magazines have advertising, photographs, and
  glossy pages
• For Profit
• Not Peer-reviewed

• Scholarly Journals
• Intended for an audience knowledgeable in the
  field
• Articles are written by scholars, whose names are
  listed along with credentials
• Articles are footnoted and list sources used
• No advertising, few photographs, and usually
  printed on plain paper
• Usually not for profit
• Peer-reviewed

8
How do I find peer-reviewed articles and journals?

• Use a scholarly database rather than a general
  database. (MEDLINE vs. Readers Guide Abstracts)
• When available, limit to scholarly/peer-reviewed
  journals when you search your database.
• Check in Ulrichs or Ulrichs Web to see if the
  journal you want is peer-reviewed.

9
(No Transcript)
10
(No Transcript)
11
Selecting Your Database(s)

• Choose by subject http//www.utdallas.edu/library/
  collections/dbases.htm
• Or from the Alphabetical List (descriptions given
  for individual databases)
• Ask a Reference Librarian we know whats best
  and can save you time!
• Available from home using your Comet Card number
  and last name.

12
(No Transcript)
13
Developing a Search Strategy

• Select a topic
• Identify keywords
• Identify synonyms
• Group concepts and add connectors (Boolean)
• Use truncation and/or wildcard keys if available

14
Evaluating Sources (ABCs)

• Authority
• Audience
• Bias
• Currency
• Scope

15
Authority

• Does the authors name appear on the Web page?
• What are his/her credentials?
• Does the author provide contact information?

16
Audience

• What age group/education level/political
  affiliation/etc. is the audience?
• Is this for a person with in-depth knowledge or a
  layperson?

17
Bias and Currency

• What is the purpose of the source?
• Is the source objective?
• Could the writer or the organizations
  affiliation put a different spin on the
  information presented?

• When was the work published?
• How old are the sources or items in the
  bibliography?
• If a Web page, do the links work? When was it
  last updated?

18
Scope

• What does/doesnt the work cover?
• Is it an in-depth study (many pages) or
  superficial (one page)?
• Are sources and statistics cited?
• If a Web site, does it offer unique info not
  found in any other source?

19
Citing your sources

• MLA, APA, Chicago Manual of Style, and other
  citation manuals available at the Reference Desk.
• Copies may be available in Main Stacks
• RefWorks (on Library Homepage) can help you
  manage citations and create Works Cited.
• Need help citing? The writing lab can help.
• Links for citing electronic documents
  http//www.utdallas.edu/library/collections/hot.ht
  mcitations
• Plagiarism tutorial http//www.utdallas.edu/7Etad
  035000/Plagiarism20Tutorial/Plagiarism.htm

20
Other Library Services

• Appointment with a reference librarian
• Contact Loreen Phillips
• loreen.phillips_at_utdallas.edu
• or
• Stop by the reference desk and ask
• Ask a UT System Librarian-Live Chat
  http//www.lib.utsystem.edu/students/ask.htmlM
  on.-Thurs. 1200-600 pm Fri. 1200-400 pm CST

• Telephone Reference
• 972-883-2955
• MondayThursday 800 a.m.- 1000 p.m.
• Friday 800 a.m.-800 p.m.
• Saturday 1000 a.m.-700 p.m.
• Sunday 100 p.m.-1000 p.m.
• E-mail Reference Ask A Librarian
• http//www.utdallas.edu/library/howto/forms/erffor
  m.html
• Questions usually answered within 2 business
  days.

21
Original content created by Stephanie Isham
Matt Makowka. Editing for RHET1302.015 by Susie
Kutchiupdated Sept. 2006 by Isham Makowka

• The University of Texas at Dallas LibrariesAn
  Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action
  UniversityP. O. Box 830643 Richardson, TX
  75083-0643 972-883-2955