6. Types of Information Sources
• Indexes and Bibliographies
• Dictionaries
• Encyclopedias
• Handbooks
• Directories
10-6
7. Secondary Sources by Type
• Indexes and Bibliographies
– to find or locate books or articles
– to find authors, topics to use in online
searches
10-7
8. Secondary Sources by Type
• Dictionaries
– to identify jargon of an industry--used for
online searches
– to identify bell-weather events in an
industry
– to identify knowledgeable people to
interview
– to identify organizations of influence
10-8
9. Secondary Sources by Type
• Encyclopedias
– To identify historical or background
information
– To find critical dates within an industry
– To find events of significance to the
industry, company
10-9
10. Secondary Sources by Type
• Handbooks
– To find facts relevant to topic
– To identify influential individuals through
source citations
10-10
11. Secondary Sources by Type
• Directories
– To identify influential people and
organizations
– to find addresses, e-mail, other contact info
on these people and organizations
10-11
13. Evaluating Sources
• Purpose
– What the author is attempting to
accomplish
• identify hidden agenda(s)
• identify direction of bias
– Seek both biased and unbiased sources
10-13
14. Evaluating Sources
• Scope
– Identify dates of inclusion and
exclusion
– Identify subjects of inclusion and
exclusion
10-14
15. Evaluating Sources
• Authority
– Identify background of author
• Credentials: educational,
professional
• Experience: duration, setting, level
– Identify the level of scholarship in
content
• footnotes, endnotes
10-15
16. Evaluating Sources
• Audience
– Identify knowledge level and
background
– Identify orientation and bias
– Seek biased and unbiased sources
10-16
17. Evaluating Sources
• Format
– Order of content
– Versatility of use
• Indexed?
• Searchable?
• Downloadable?
10-17
18. Searching Databases
Select an appropriate database
ABI/Inform
Business InfoSuite
Business Source
DowJones Interactive
Nexis-Lexis Universe
10-18
19. Searching Databases
Select an appropriate database
Construct a search query
Boolean Operators
OR - for plurals, synonyms spelling
variations (woman OR women)
AND - narrows your search
advertising AND bibliography
10-19
20. Searching Databases
Construct a search query
Boolean Operators (cont.)
NOT/AND NOT- eliminates terms
award NOT trophy
ADJ - order key terms within your
search
assisted ADJ living
10-20
21. Searching Databases
Construct a search query
Boolean Operators
NOT/AND NOT- eliminates terms
award NOT trophy
ADJ - order key terms within your
search
assisted ADJ living
10-21
22. Searching Databases
Construct a search query
Boolean Operators (cont.)
? or * - to truncate a term
nur* for nurse, nursing
“X” for phrase searching
“advertising campaigns”
Limiters
dates
source type
language
10-22
23. Searching Databases
Select an appropriate database
Construct a search query
– Review and evaluate search results
• Relevancy
• Quantity
• Timeliness
10-23
24. Searching Databases
– Modify the search query
• Check bibliography
• new key words,
• other authors
• Link directly
• Adapt original search query
• Create new search query with new key
words
• Search for other works by same
author(s)
10-24
25. Searching Databases
Select an appropriate database
Construct a search query
Document findings
Print or download search findings
Download full-text source
Print full-text source
10-25
26. Searching Databases
Select an appropriate database
Construct a search query
Document findings
Retrieve or request articles
Search online catalog
Interlibrary loan
Interlibrary delivery
Supplement results with Web sources
10-26
27. Searching Databases
Select an appropriate database
Construct a search query
Document findings
Retrieve or request articles
Supplement results with Web sources
10-27
28. Web Searches
Select Search Engine or Directory
– Danny Sullivan’s
Search Engine Watch
www.searchenginewatch.com
– Greg Notess”
Search Engine Showdown
www.notess.com/search/
10-28
29. Web Searches
Select Search Engine or Directory
Determine Search Options and
Protocol
10-29
30. Web Searches
Select Search Engine or Directory
Determine Search Options and
Protocol
Construct search query
– Review search results
– Modify search query
– Search using a different search engine
10-30
31. Web Searches
Select Search Engine or Directory
Determine Search Options and
Protocol
Construct search query
Document your findings
– search findings
– full text sources
10-31
32. Web Searches
Select Search Engine or Directory
Determine Search Options and
Protocol
Construct search query
Document your findings
Supplement Web results from other
sources
10-32