FST 101 Library Session

Susan Bloom, MLIS

Lesson Objectives

• JET library quick virtual tour

• Scholarly Searching 101

• Accessing books and articles

• LibGuides

• Finding trustworthy websites

• Help!

QUICK VIRTUAL TOUR

Discovery (search everything)

Items professors

have reserved

for students

Borrow items for free from other libraries

Research guides

FAQ

HELP!

Scholarly Searching

101

Search terms

“A word or combination of words entered into the search input field (or search box) to find information on a particular subject or topic. Also known as a query term”

Queensland Government. (2011, April 19). Search term. In CUE Standard Definitions. Retrieved from www.qld.gov.au/web/cue/definitions/

Which terms to useGOOGLE

SEARCHING DISCOVERY

How much does an

African elephant

weigh?

Is Pluto a planet?

(weight or weigh)

and “African

elephant”

Pluto and planet

Choosing KeywordsSpeak like a caveman Think it, don’t search it words:

Effect / Affect

Impact

Change

Influence

Advance / Improve

Help / Aid

Cause

Pro / Con

Benefit

Selecting the Right Number of Keywords (Video Link)

POLL 1

LimitersLimiters are extra controls you can place on

your search parameters to zero in on the

specific information you are looking for.

Be careful! You can place too many limits on a

search and end up with no results.

Quotations

Example: If a student enters King of the Hill into a search bar,

the system will look for the words king, of, the and hill

anywhere in any article, regardless of whether it is next to the

other words. If the student enters “King of the Hill” the

database will only retrieve instances of the phrase appearing as

a whole.

WillDillDaBoss. (2012, September 22). A very overlooked character [Digital image]. Retrieved February 26, 2013, from http://community.us.playstation.com/t5/PlayStation-All-Stars-Battle/A-very-overlooked-character/td-p/38337517

When quotations are placed around a group of words, the system

will only search for instances where those words appear in the same

word order.

Quick Tips

Make sure everything is spelled correctly

Start out broad and add terms or limiters one at a time

Do not use punctuation

Do not use abbreviations

DISCOVERY

Discovery (Search All)

Discovery – Also known as “Search All” is a system

that allows you to search for everything the library

offers (books, articles, images, films, maps, etc.) all

in one place.

While it looks like Google, it behaves differently!

Practical Demonstration

LIBGUIDES (AKA RESEARCH GUIDES)

LibGuides

LibGuides are collections of useful information on a particular topic. They are usually created by a librarian and make researching easier.

• They may contain:• A list of suggested

search terms• A bibliography• Suggested databases

to use

• Journals and websites to peruse

• Notable authors• Definitions• Any other pertinent

information

http://molloy.libguides.com/fst

FINDING TRUSTWORTHY WEBSITES

Website Extensions

• Common website extensions

• .com – Commercial

• .biz – Small business

• .net – Network

• .edu – Education

• .org – Organization (charity)

• .gov – Government

• Country codes

• Examples: .eu; .cn

• www.google.com

Fresh venture. (2009, May 19). Domain extensions [Digital image]. Retrieved from http://www.fresheventure.com/images/DomainExtensions.gif

Oh CRAAP!

• Currency

• Relevance

• Authority

• Accuracy

• Purpose

The Opte project. (n.d.). Map of the internet [Map]. In The Opte Project. Retrieved October 6, 2011, from http://opte.org/maps/

Currency

• Do you need current information or historical data?

• When was the piece published?• Have their been any revisions? • When was the latest edition published?

Relevance

• Does the information speak to your topic?

• Who is the intended audience?

• Is the scope sufficient?

“Scope - extent or range of view, outlook, application,

operation, effectiveness, etc.”Random House, Inc. (n.d.). Scope [Def. 1]. In Dictionary.com. Retrieved from http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/scope

Authority

• Who is the author?

• Have they written on this topic previously?

• Do they hold a degree in the topic?

• Are they a part of any professional organization?

• Do they provide contact information?

• Who is the publishing company?

• Have they published pieces on similar topics before?

Accuracy

• Is the information supported by another source?• Do the conclusions the author develops seem

plausible?• Has the article been cited in any other published

works?• Is it from a peer-reviewed source?• Are their spelling and/or grammar mistakes?

Purpose

• Why do you think the author wrote this piece?• What is the goal of the publisher?• Is the source biased?

“Biased - an inclination of temperament or outlook; especially : a personal and sometimes unreasoned judgment”

Merriam-Webster. (n.d.). Bias [Def. 3b]. In Merriam-Webster Dictionary. Retrieved from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bias

POLL 2

Need help?

• Instant Message Online• Text (516) 714-4486• Call (516) 323-3911• Email molloylibrarian@gmail.com• Visit • Facebook & Twitter• Private appointments

Review

How many search terms should you

normally use in a search?

How will adding quotations to a search

term effect your search?

What are limiters?

Examples?

What is a LibGuide?

Library Instruction Survey

• Please go to http://molloy.libguides.com/• Scroll to the bottom of the page• Click on the link on the left hand side

titled “Librarian Class Instruction Survey”•My name is Susie Bloom