This document provides an overview of library and research basics. It discusses contacting the research and instruction librarian Laksamee Putnam for research help. It covers evaluating information sources, using keywords and connectors in searches, and finding books and articles in the library catalog and databases. It also provides tips for analyzing websites and evaluating information. The document demonstrates how to search for information on a viral video and encourages students to contact the librarian with any other research questions.

1. COSC 111– LIBRARY
AND RESEARCH BASICS Laksamee
Putnam
lputnam@towson
.edu
Research and
Please login to the computer, then open a browser and go to: Instruction
http://bit.ly/COSC111research2012 Librarian

2. FIRST…
 Laksamee Putnam
 lputnam@towson.edu
 Cook Library Reference:
 410.704.2462.
 IM/email
 Phone: 410.704.3746.
 Slides: http://bit.ly/COSC111research2012

3. TAKE AWAY…
 Readings Discussion
 Evaluate the information
 Keywords and Connectors
 Finding books/articles in the Cook Library
 Viral Video Research
 Slides: http://bit.ly/COSC111research2012

4. RESEARCH IS COMPLICATED
 Technology has made the way
 Te c h n ology h a s m a de t h e way we we do research ver y dif ferent;
do re s e arc h ve r y di f fe re nt ; h oweve r however there are still some
t h e re a re s t i ll s o m e c o re re s e arc h core research skills which
s k ills w h i c h re m a in t h e s a m e. Wh a t
a re s o m e o f t h e s e s k ills ? remain the same. What are
some of these skills?
 In s o me way s a l l i n fo rmat ion
pre s e n ted to yo u h a s be e n a l te re d  In some ways all information
by t h e a ut h o r’ s pe r s pe c tive a n d i n
t urn yo u a re a l te ri ng i t w h e n yo u presented to you has been
pre s e n t i t . Wh a t a re s o m e n ew altered by the author’s
way s yo u s e e i n fo rmat ion pre s e nted per spective and in turn you
to day a n d w h a t a re th e pro s / c ons are altering it when you
o f e di t i ng i n fo rmat ion to “ m a ke i t present it. What are some new
bet te r. ”
ways you see information
presented today and what are
the pros/cons of editing
information to “make it
Kelly, T.M. (2011). "But Mine's Better": better.”
Teaching History in a Remix Culture.
History Teacher, 44(3), 369-377.

5. RESEARCH IS COMPLICATED
 How is this video
connected to the library
session on plagiarism?
 You are learning to build
and support your own
arguments, why is this
important?
Johnson, S. (2010) Where good
 How can you stay ideas come from. TED: Ideas
connected/current/organi worth spreading.
zed while doing your http://www.ted.com/talks/steven
research? _johnson_where_good_ideas_co
me_from.html

6. EVALUATE WHAT YOU FIND
 Go to one of the websites below and analyze it
 http://bit.ly/cosmicweb1
 http://bit.ly/cosmicweb2
 http://bit.ly/cosmicweb3
 http://bit.ly/cosmicweb4
 http://bit.ly/cosmicweb5
 http://bit.ly/cosmicweb6
 http://bit.ly/cosmicweb7

7. CHECK FOR CRAP
Currency
 How recent is the
information?
 Can you locate a date
when the resource was
written/created/updat
ed?
 Based on your topic, is
this current enough?
 Why might the date
matter for your topic?
http://www.flickr.com/photos/helloeveryone123/393737419
3/sizes/m/in/photostream/
Guidelines for CRAP provided by the Jean and Alexander Heard Library

8. CHECK FOR CRAP
Reliability
 What kind of
information is included
in the resource?
 Does the author
provide citations &
references for
quotations & data
 Where are you
accessing this http://www.flickr.com/photos/schnappi/5930145952/sizes/l/in/photostream/
information?
Guidelines for CRAP provided by the Jean and Alexander Heard Library

9. CHECK FOR CRAP
 Authority
 Can you determine who
the author/creator is?
 What are their
credentials (education,
affiliation, experience,
etc.)?
 Who is the publisher or
sponsor of the
work/site?
 Is this publisher/sponsor
reputable http://rantchick.com/a-doctrine-on-respect/
Guidelines for CRAP provided by the Jean and Alexander Heard Library

10. CHECK FOR CRAP
Purpose/Point of
View
 Is the content
primarily opinion?
 Is the information
balanced or biased?
 What is the purpose
of the information? Is
it to inform, teach,
sell, entertain or
persuade
http://www.flickr.com/photos/cogdog/5484085301/sizes/m/
in/photostream/
Guidelines for CRAP provided by the Jean and Alexander Heard Library

11. PREPARING TO SEARCH
 Articulate your topic
 Choose important ideas
 Identify keywords
 Find background
information
 Reference books
 Websites
 Gather, organize and http://youtu.be/WoZ2BgPVtA0
narrow it down

12. KEYWORDS ARE CRITICAL!
 Sample topic:
 What current technology improves disabled human mobility?
 First, break the question down into keywords:
 What current technology improves disabled human mobility?

13. FORMULATING A KEYWORD SEARCH
Consider synonyms/alternative spellings for terms
 technology
 prosthetic
 bionic
 automation
 human
 person
 people
 veteran/polio/child
 mobility
 paralyze
 transportation
 move
 activity

14. SIMILAR IDEAS….DIFFERENT WORDS
Cellphone
Cell phone
Cellular telephone
Wireless phone
Mobile
Smartphone

15. FORMULATING A KEYWORD SEARCH
Formulate your search utilizing various combinations of your
words
 String them together using AND/OR/NOT
 Truncate *
 Phrase searching

16. BOOLEAN SEARCH CONNECTORS
AND OR NOT
For example:
spam AND internet security
Combining >1 topic
OLED OR organic light emitting
diodes
Combining synonymous terms

17. WHAT AND DOES…
spam AND internet security

18. WHAT OR DOES…
organic
OLED light
emitting
diodes
OLED OR organic light emitting diodes

19. DON’T FORGET: TRUNCATION HELPS
technolog* finds…
technolog y
technolog ies
technolog ists
technolog ical
technolog ically
…etc!

20. PHRASE SEARCHING
 Use quotations to keep a keyword phrase intact (words will be
searched in the specific order)
 Examples:
 “Bank of America”
 “Cisco Systems”

21. PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER…
 How Apple created and marketed its products successfully?
Technology Human Mobility
bionic person transport*
prosthetic “disabled veteran” activ*
technolog* OR bionic OR prosthetic
AND
human OR person OR “disabled veteran”
AND
mobility OR transport*OR activ*

22. IMPROVE GOOGLE
sibling AND rivalry
 Advanced Google  Cook Library’s Guide to
searching the Web
 Power searching
 Duck Duck Go?

23. FINDING BOOKS
 Plenty of relevant
information in print
 Use broad keywords
 Multiple places to search
 Cook OneSearch
 Library Catalog
 USMAI Libraries

24. FINDING BOOKS

25. FINDING BOOKS

26. FINDING BOOKS
Towson Catalog
Collection and Call
Number
USMAI Combined
Catalog
Requests
Interlibrary Loan
(Illiad)

27. FINDING ARTICLES
 Scholarly – Peer
Reviewed
 Use specific keywords
 Utilized advanced
search features
Card Catalogue. [Photographer]. Retrieved from
Encyclopædia Britannica Image Quest.
http://quest.eb.com/images/115_2838287

28. FINDING ARTICLES

29. FINDING ARTICLES
 Features to remember
 Yellow Findit button
 Citation creations
 Email yourself
 Also as you are searching
 Take a look at the article citations
 Make note of additional keywords

30. VIRAL VIDEO RESEARCH
 View a list of the possible videos here:
http://bit.ly/COSCviral2012
 After choosing a video research it!
 Keywords
 Website
 Book
 Article
 Fill out the form here while researching your video:
http://bit.ly/COSCws2012
 Extra time? Fill out the form for another video!

31. QUESTIONS?
 Feel free to contact me:
 Laksamee Putnam
 lputnam@towson.edu
 410.704.3746.
 Or any reference librarian:
 Visit Cook Library Reference Desk
 410.704.2462.
 IM – tucookchat