2. What’s difference?
• PURPOSE
• SIZE or # of BUILDINGS
• TYPES of MATERIALS
• AGE and SCOPE of COLLECTION
3. Mission
• Public librarians often find
information for you while an
Academic librarian
will teach you to find
the material on your
own.
• This prepares you for
the work ahead
6. How to do Research
Seven Steps of the Research Process
Amended with permission by the Librarians at the Olin and Uris Libraries of Cornell University
STEP 1: IDENTIFY AND DEVELOP YOUR TOPIC
STEP 2: FIND BACKGROUND INFORMATION
STEP 3: FIND INTERNET RESOURCES (if
appropriate for the assignment)
STEP 4: USE DATABASES TO FIND PERIODICAL
ARTICLES
STEP 5: EVALUATE WHAT YOU FIND
STEP 6: PULLING IT ALL TOGETHER
STEP 7: CITE WHAT YOU FIND
7. Research Strategy
• What do you mean?
– Plan of action
– Direction for your efforts
– Conduct research in a systematic not
haphazard method
8. Research Strategy
•Start big doing background
reading
•Narrow your topic for a more
focused product
•Research narrowed topic using
subject specific databases
•Keep track of bibliographic
citations to avoid trouble down
the road.
Ask a question
13. Critically evaluating
website
• Currency • Timeliness of the
information
• Relevance/Coverage
• Depth and importance of
the information.
• Authority
• Source of the information.
• Accuracy
• Reliability of the information
• Purpose/Objectivity
• Possible bias present in the
information.
14. Catalogs: For locating
books, audiovisual
materials, government
documents, etc
Databases: Usually for locating
periodical and newspaper articles
but may cover other materials as
well.
15. Ohio Northern University Libraries
Heterick Memorial
Taggart Law Library
Library
Undergraduate
Library for Law Library
School
16. L IBRARY C ATALOG : P OLAR
Start your search using the basic
keyword search.
17. Library Catalog: Polar
Keyword Search
•Looks in several locations (usually
subject, article title, abstracts or contents)
•Does not require an exact match
•Generates comparatively large number of
hits (not precise)
•Good if you are not familiar with
terminology
•Look for the same or similar words which
keep appearing
18. LIBRARY CATALOG: POLAR
Subject Search
•Looks in one place – subject
•Usually requires an exact match
between your term and a pre-set list of
terms
•Precise (motion pictures -- review)
•Can be used after keyword search
has identified specific subjects
23. Databases
• Often tools for locating journal and
newspaper articles
• Most are subject-specific – some
multi-disciplinary
• Many give access to full text of
articles
• Heterick Libraryhas over 250
24. Scholarly vs Popular
• Periodical means the
same as Magazine
Usually magazines are
more “popular”
• Journals
Scholarly or Professional
Peer reviewed See Research Guide
for this and other
Handouts
26. Finding Articles: General
Database
Boolean Operators
AND – use to narrow your search,
Ozone layer and greenhouse gases
OR – use to expand your search,
Ocean or sea
NOT – use to exclude a search term
Cloning not sheep
27. Finding Articles:
General Database
Some articles are available full-text in PDF or HTML
format. Use the Find It! button for those that are not.
28. Finding Articles:
General Database
Article not available in current database, but
found in another database, by clicking the Find
It! button.
29. Finding Articles:
General Database
Options available to print articles, email them to
yourself, or to save them to a flash drive.
30. Finding Articles:
Subject Databases
Many
subject-specific
databases
available through
the Ebsco
interface.
An academic library's purpose is to support the teaching and research of the college or university. Most academic libraries are much larger than public libraries. Generally, non-academic material is not found in an academic library. Differences exist between academic libraries. Larger academic institutions may have subject-specific libraries, like a science library, a law library, and a medical library. Make sure you know that the building you're heading to is where your resources are held.Does a library ever throw things away? Rarely. But sometimes little-used items are stored in a storage area within the library or off-site so other, more heavily-used books, can be placed in the stacks.On-site items will be indicated in the catalog as "Storage." Off-site items will be indicated in the catalog as either Repository or Remote Storage. They can be ordered by making a request at the Circulation Desk.
