Gems 202: Team Dynamics and Research Methodology

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Gems 202 Team Dynamics andResearch Methodology

• Briefing on working with your Teams Librarian
• September 9, 2004

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We will address the following questions this
afternoon 

• What should we expect from our teams librarian?
• How do we find appropriate sources, scholarly
  journals, for our research?
• How can we narrow our topics?
• And
• Your questions about the libraries and working
  with your team librarian.

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Gemstone Librarians

• Key assets in helping you find information
  resources, on and off campus, in many different
  formats
• Print
• Online
• Human
• Will help you identify, access, understand, and
  use the libraries and archival resources.

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From your text Practical Research, page 17

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• These individuals reference librarians are
  there for one reason only to help you and others
  find the information being sought.
•  
• Even as seasoned researchers, we seek the advice
  of these individuals frequently by doing so we
  can often save ourselves a great deal of time.

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General Protocols

• Talking with a librarian is easy just ask your
  question in a direct manner.
• Tell the librarian what you need do not try to
  guess what format the information may be in and
  ask for that format.
• Relate what your assignment is and what help you
  need.
• Contact your team librarian via email or phone
  and do so early.

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Work Smart and Share!

• Keep a searching log of what databases, catalogs,
  and indexes you use and under what search terms
  you do your searching.
• Look for a controlled vocabulary or thesaurus!
• Use the email option on the databases to send the
  results to your email account and team reflector
• Save records via My Account section of the online
  catalog and in Research Port
• Your searching is ongoing and not just a one time
  frenetic activity!

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Find Appropriate Sources Scholarly Journals and
Web Resources

• What is a good scholarly journal and how do I
  find a list of them?
• Ulrichs Periodicals Director (database)
• Journal Citation Report (database)
• Good and bad Web resources, how do you tell them
  apart? http//www.lib.umd.edu/UES/evaluate.html

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How can we narrow our topics?

• On pages 16-19 of your textbook (Practical
  Research Planning and Design) four key items
  about libraries are noted
• Library catalogs
• Indexes and abstracts databases
• Reference librarian
• Browsing (Do it, online too!)

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What are some good ways to learn a great deal
about a subject fast?

• Define terms and learn the jargon
• Subject dictionaries and encyclopedias
• Glossaries in basic or advanced textbooks and
  online
•  
• Locate and read a state of the art or white
  paper or an annual review article
• Library catalogs and WorldCat
• Subject databases

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Ways to save your time!

• Ask us! in person, by phone, email, or chat
• Email references to yourself from databases and
  catalogs.
• Learn to evaluate Web pages. See Tangled in the
  Web.
• Learn to use my account in Research Port and
  the online catalog.
• VPN or other telecommunications problems call OIT
• ProCite and Endnotes
• Ask us! in person, by phone, email, or chat

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• Neal K. Kaske, Ph.D. Manager,Engineering
  Physical Sciences Library
• University of Maryland
• College Park, MD 20742-7011
• 301.405.9144 voice
• 301.405.9164 fax
• (nkaske_at_umd.edu)

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• An hour of searching on the Internet can
  frequently save you five minutes at the Librarys
  Information Desk.
• Questions Please