Transcript The University Library UNO
The Criss Library at UNO
An Introduction to
Information Literacy
and the Basics of Library Research
Table of Contents
Introduction to Library Research
Electronic Indexes and Databases
2
Table of Contents
Part I Introduction to Library Research at UNO
3
Table of Contents
Part II The Criss Library Homepage
Search the University Library Catalog
4
Table of Contents
Part III Electronic Indexes and Databases
• Overview of Electronic Indexes and
Databases and Their Access Points
5
Table of Contents
Part IV The World Wide Web
Advanced Searching and Evaluating the Results
6
7 Introduction to Library Research and
Information Literacy
o This presentation will introduce you to the principles of
information literacy
and serve as a guide to the research process at the Criss Library at UNO. o This presentation will also provide an overview of the Criss Library Catalog, electronic indexes and databases, and the World Wide Web.
What Is
Information Literacy
?
The American Library Association defines
information literacy
skills needed to: as the set of Recognize the need for information Access appropriate resources Evaluate information/sources Use information effectively Understand ethical/legal restrictions 8
Why Is
Information Literacy
Important?
To succeed in your classes at UNO To navigate the complex world of information To make the most effective and efficient use of your time in the library To improve and expand your research skills 9
Who Needs To Be Information Literate?
We all do!
• Undergraduates • Graduates • Community members • Faculty 10
Define a Topic
Where do you begin?
Your first step in beginning your research is to define your topic by asking yourself what it is that you want to write your paper about.
• Has there been a current news or radio broadcast that has caught your attention?
• Have you, your friends or family experienced something that you would like to write about?
11
Define a Topic
You’ve brainstormed and determined a subject that you’d like to write about.
Now it is time to create an arguable thesis.
An example from a first year English class: “Displays of the Ten Commandments in public buildings should be prohibited because they violate the separation of church and state.” 12
Define a Topic
What are the key terms in this arguable thesis, and what is the order of importance?
“Displays of the Ten Commandments in public buildings should be prohibited because they violate the separation of church and state.” • • • • “Ten Commandments” would be the main idea “Public buildings” would be second “Church and state” would be third “Violation” would be fourth
13
Sources and Types of Information Now that you understand how to define a topic, we will examine which sources of information are best for finding the following types of information: Current Background Scholarly Opinion-based Statistical
14
Which Sources are Best for Which Type of Information?
Current refers to only the most recent developments on the topic, published within the last year or so.
For current information, the best sources are: • • • Journals Magazines Newspapers 15
Which Sources are Best for Which Type of Information?
Background refers to general information, often brief, and with a historical perspective.
For background information, the best sources are: • Books 16
Which Sources are Best for Which Type of Information?
Scholarly refers to the in-depth study of a subject or topic, peer-reviewed and scholarly.
For scholarly information, the best sources are: • • Books Journals 17
Which Sources are Best for Which Type of Information?
Opinion-based refers to a judgment by a person who may or may not be an expert on the topic; the bias of the author is used to sway the opinion of the reader.
For opinion-based information, the best sources are: • • • Magazines Newspapers The Web 18
Which Sources are Best for Which Type of Information?
Statistical refers to numerical data that may be raw or analyzed (interpreted numbers).
For statistical information, the best sources are: • • • Sources specializing in statistics (i.e. the U. S. Census) Research studies Government documents 19
Characteristics of Information Sources
We will now examine the various information sources and their characteristics. Books Journals Magazines Newspapers Government Documents Statistics World Wide Web
20
Characteristics of Books
Books can provide an in-depth treatment of a topic or an aspect of a topic. Books can also provide a broad overview or historical perspective on a topic. Books may not be as timely as the information found in magazines, journals or other periodicals. 21
Characteristics of Periodicals
The word “periodical” refers to items that are published “periodically.” Journals, magazines, and newspapers are all examples of periodicals. Let’s look at each type of periodical separately.
Journals Magazines Newspapers 22
Characteristics of Periodicals
Journals Journals are published more frequently, and the information is more current than that found in books.
Journals are sometimes referred to as scholarly, peer reviewed, or refereed journals; they are written to present results of research or thorough study of a topic. Journals usually contain fewer commercial advertisements than popular magazines.
Articles are often lengthy (7-10 pages or more) and are usually written by the person who conducted the research.
23
Characteristics of Periodicals
Journals (continued) Articles published have been evaluated by an editorial board of experts before they appear in print. Sources of information are always indicated in some manner, whether it be footnotes, endnotes, works cited page, or a bibliography. Articles may contain charts, tables and/or graphs.
Journals may be published monthly or quarterly.
24
Characteristics of Magazines
Magazines Also known as popular magazines as they are designed to appeal to a broad audience.
Usually printed on glossy paper and may contain many advertisements.
May include opinion and/or current events.
25
Characteristics of Magazines
Magazines (continued) Articles usually less than 5 pages in length.
Usually do not include bibliographies.
Published very frequently, often weekly.
26
Characteristics of Newspapers Newspapers Provide the most current information of the three types of periodicals.
Published daily or weekly.
Not considered as scholarly as a journal article 27
Characteristics of Newspapers Newspapers (continued) Intended to communicate the news rather than provide in-depth research.
Considered a “primary source” as events are recorded /reported at the time they occur.
Present information in a short, concise manner.
28
Characteristics of Government Documents Government Documents Are items published under the authority of a governmental agency.
Can be considered primary source material.
Can be produced at local, state, and federal government levels – municipal (city), county, state legislature, or federal agencies such as the U. S. Congress or Department of Education.
29
Characteristics of Statistical Information Statistical Information Contains data that may be presented in the form of tables or charts and may not include narrative passages.
Are often compilations of data from a variety of separate resources.
30 Currency of the data varies depending upon the source of the data.
End of Part I
Characteristics of the Web
World Wide Web Offers a variety of current, historical, research, secondary, and primary information.
Currency of the information depends upon the author of the page or site –-some are updated daily, while others are not kept up-to-date.
Accuracy/Authority always in question.
31
Evaluation Criteria
Consider these points when evaluating books, periodicals, articles, web pages, newspapers, etc.
Accuracy Authority Objectivity Currency or Timeliness Coverage or Scope • http://www.virtualchase.com/quality/criterial_print.html
32
Criteria for Evaluating Information “Accuracy describes information that is factually irrefutable and complete.” “Consider the editing and publishing policy of the source: Is it peer reviewed?” You should be able to verify factually correct information. “Are there two or more reliable sources that provide the same information?” • http://www.virtualchase.com/quality/criterial_print.html
33
Criteria for Evaluating Information “ Authority refers to the expertise or recognized official status of a source.” “Consider the reputation of the author and the publisher.” “When working with legal or government information, consider whether the source is the official provider of the information.” “Authors recognized as experts amongst their peers are usually cited and reviewed in the literature” and should be verifiable.
• http://www.virtualchase.com/quality/criterial_print.html
34
Criteria for Evaluating Information “Objectivity is the bias or opinion expressed when a writer interprets or analyzes facts.” Is the author using persuasive language?
Is the author presenting other viewpoints, providing the reader with a balanced point of view?
Is the reason for presenting the information clear?
Is something being advertised?
Is the author wanting to influence change?
• http://www.virtualchase.com/quality/criterial_print.html
35
Criteria for Evaluating Information “Currency or timeliness refers to information that is current at the time of publication.” “Consider publication, creation, and revision dates”- are they apparent in the information?
“Beware of Web site scripting that automatically reflects the current day’s date on a page.” • http://www.virtualchase.com/quality/criterial_print.html
36
Criteria for Evaluating Information Coverage or scope “refers to the extent to which a source explores a topic.” “Does the information cover the period of time of interest to you?” What is included? “What is excluded?” • http://www.virtualchase.com/quality/criterial_print.html
37
The Criss Library Homepage
The Library homepage URL is
http://library.unomaha.edu/ You will find links to: Research Tools Services Collections About the Library Help Ask a Librarian Start of Part II
38
The Library Homepage: Layout and Services
The library homepage includes function buttons for
Research Tools
,
Services
,
About the Library
,
Help
,
Ask a Librarian
, and the
Library Catalog
.
39
Link to Research Tools
Click the
Research Tools
function button to search the Library Catalog, find articles in databases, use the
Locate Journals
service, use the Research Wizard, search area library catalogs, and access SCOLA, etc. 40
Link to Services — Organized by Patron Type
Click here for information about
Services
. The information is organized by patron type. Select your patron type to find information about a variety of Criss Library services.
41
Link to Collections
Click here to learn more about the various Criss Library
Collections
, such as the Afghanistan Collection, University Archives, etc.
42
About the Library
43
About the Library
will provide “nuts and bolts” information including library hours, maps, parking, contacts and library directory, etc.
Help Link
The
Help
page will provide an FAQ link for more information about library services and resources, as well as directions, maps and parking information.
44
Ask a Librarian Reference Service 24/7 You can ask reference questions any hour of the day or night. This page will provide information on how to call us, ask by email, or ask via Instant Messaging (IM) via Meebo.
45
The Library Catalog Links
Click the
Library Catalog
links to search for items held in the library’s collection. Select the
Advanced Catalog Search
link for more precise results.
46
Key Access Points for Beginning Research
47 The library homepage includes access points to the
Library Catalog, Databases, Locate Journals
service, and the
Internet.
The following slides will help you navigate these links and services.
Access Tools
What is an access tool?
An access tool is used to locate different types of information.
We will examine four access tools: •
Criss Library Catalog
(for books, journals, media, etc.) •
Indexes or Databases
and other articles) (for scholarly, peer-reviewed •
Locate Journals
service (to find full-text access to articles in print or electronic sources) •
Search Engines
(ex. Google for web sites)
48
The Criss Library Catalog
Let’s start our investigation of access tools with a look at the Criss Library Catalog.
The Criss Library Catalog is the tool that will help you find the items held in our collection: Books Periodicals Media (music CD’s, DVD’s, videos) Reference materials Government Documents
49
The Criss Library Catalog
The Library Catalog will tell you: What materials we hold in our collection Where the item is located in the library What the status of the item is – available, checked out, reserve, library use only, etc.
What periodicals are on the shelves (and sometimes, links to electronic databases that index that periodical) 50
The Criss Library Catalog
A word about periodicals Remember that the Library Catalog will tell you what periodicals we subscribe to in print (sometimes including an electronic link to a database), but to get at the citation or content of the journals, you must look in a print or electronic index.
51
Search the University Library Catalog
Search options include:
Quick Search
– keyword
Advanced Search
– Boolean operators, truncation, and proximity
Journal Title Subject
– Library of Congress Subject Headings
Author Title
Other search options – LCSH, SuDocs, etc.
52
Quick Search
Type your search term here to perform a quick keyword catalog search from the library omepage.
53 Click on the
Advanced Catalog Search
link for more options.
Advanced Search
Other options include searching by title, author, subject, journals, reserves and databases. Advanced searching helps you retrieve more precise results by combining terms with Boolean operators, such as AND, OR or AND NOT. It also allows for searching by material type, location, language, date range, etc.
54
Advanced Search: Boolean Operators
Boolean operators are used to narrow or expand searches. They include the words, AND,
OR
, and
AND NOT
.
AND
• “AND" narrows searches • Example:
love and marriage
results will show only items with
both
terms in search fields 55
Advanced Search: Boolean Operators
Boolean logic is used to narrow or expand searches.
OR
• “OR" expands searches • Example:
love or marriage
Results will show items with
either
term in search fields • Parentheses can be used around Boolean operators to group similar concepts.
• Example: (college or university) 56
Advanced search: Boolean Operators
Boolean logic is used to narrow or expand searches.
AND NOT
• “AND NOT" removes terms • Example:
love and not marriage
results will show items with "love" that do not refer to "marriage” 57
Advanced Search: Truncation
Truncation Allows asterisks to the right of a word fragment: • • One asterisk will look for 1-5 more characters Two asterisks will look for as many letters as necessary to complete the word Examples:
indiv*
will find individual
indiv**
will find individual, individualism, individuality, etc.
58
Advanced Search: Proximity
Proximity Two ways to find words near each other: • • • Use "near" to find words in any order Example: church near state Use “within #” to find words within a specified number range Example:
Church
within 3(#) words of retrieve results with the words
church State
would and
state
in any order within 3 words of one another.
59
Search the Criss Library Catalog
Books Books may provide a more in-depth or historical understanding of the topic but may not be as current as a journal article.
Circulating books are shelved on the third floor.
Reference books are shelved behind the reference desk.
60
Search the Criss Library Catalog
Periodicals Refers to items published “periodically” such as: • Journals • • Magazines Newspapers Formats for periodicals might include: • • Microfiche or microfilm Print • Electronic 61
Search the Criss Library Catalog
Media Other materials are held in the library besides books and periodicals.
The Criss Library has a musical score collection, a video/DVD collection, and a CD collection.
The Archives and Special Collections also has materials related to UNO history and other specialized collections for use in the library.
62
Search the Criss Library Catalog
Reference Materials The Reference Department holds materials that are non circulating but are for use in the library.
Dictionaries, encyclopedias, reference volumes, almanacs, print indexes, and other items are available here.
63
Search the Criss Library Catalog
Government Documents The Criss Library is a designated depository of materials printed by the U. S. Printing Office. Items are located on the first floor, and most documents may be checked out just like books.
Items declared “non-circulating” include certain reference items (e.g. decennial census summary reports or special collections materials such as the Congressional Record).
64
Search for Reserves and Electronic Reserves
Reserves and Electronic Reserves Your instructors may place items on reserve for your class, which means they are set aside in some manner to allow for convenient access for your class.
Items may be held at the Circulation Desk or placed on E-reserves--an electronic link available to you via a password that your teacher should provide.
65
Search for Reserves and Electronic Reserves
Click on the
Services
function button to find materials placed on Reserve. Select your “patron type” (ex.
UNO Student
) and scroll down the page until you find
Reserves & Electronic Reserves
. Reserve materials may be in print, electronic, or streaming audio format and may be searched by course name or instructor. End of Part II
66
Electronic Indexes and Databases The Criss Library Catalog vs. Electronic Indexes and Databases We mentioned earlier that the Library Catalog provides information on the journal holdings in our collection but not on the specific content of the journals.
To access the content of journals, we must search in a electronic database or in a print or electronic index.
Start of Part III Back to Table of Contents
67
Electronic Indexes and Databases Electronic Indexes and Databases The Library Homepage provides several access points for locating databases. • • • The
Alphabetical List
in the catalog is one option. You may also search in the section
Find Articles in Databases
either by
subject
or
full list
.
You may also click on the
Top 10 Databases
list.
68
Access Points for Electronic Indexes and Databases
by subject
link 69
Find databases
using the library catalog.
Access Points – Database Links
70 Several options for locating databases by title are available through the
Criss Library Catalog
, including an a
subject list alphabetical list
, and the new
Top 10 Databases
list.
Access Points – by Subject
71 Click on this drop-down menu to search for a database by the subject or discipline.
Access Points – by Subject
A new option exists for locating databases by subject or discipline through the
Library Catalog
.
I’ve selected
Criss
History
as my subject area or discipline and a list of apro priate databases is provided. Each database has a description with dates of coverage.
72
Access Points – by Subject
After clicking on the subject list for
History
, you will find the list of suggested databases recom mended for research in history.
73
Access Points – by Subject List By clicking on the link to the database JSTOR, you will be directed to the JSTOR homepage. 74
Access Points – by Alphabetical List
By typing in the letter “h” on the alphabetical list, you will be directed to the that begin with the letter “h”.
database
names 75
Access Points – by Top 10 Databases
76 Click on these links to search through an abbreviated list of the ten most frequently accessed databases at the Criss Library.
EBSCO’s Academic Search Premier
and
Lexis-Nexis Academic
are listed here.
Electronic Indexes and Databases
The Criss Library subscribes to over 100 electronic indexes and databases.
The Criss Library has databases that provide a general overview of a broad range of topics as well as some that are more subject specific and in-depth.
We will examine two general databases:
Academic Search Premier
for journal articles and
Lexis Nexis
newspaper articles. for
77
Electronic Indexes and Databases
Academic Search Premier
and
Lexis Nexis Academic
We will now focus our attention on two important databases: • •
Academic Search Premier
for journal articles
Lexis Nexis Academic
for newspaper articles 78
Electronic Indexes and Databases
Academic Search Premier
Academic Search Premier
is the world’s largest academic multi-disciplinary database.
Academic Search Premier
provides full text for nearly 4,700 publications, including full text for more than 3,600 peer-reviewed journals. 79
Electronic Indexes and Databases
Academic Search Premier
PDF back files to 1975 or earlier are available for well over one hundred journals, and searchable cited references are provided for more than 1,000 titles. This database is updated on a daily basis via EBSCO
host.
databases provided to us through
EBSCO
.
80
Academic Search Premier: How to Access It
Academic Search Premier
To access
Academic Search Premier
from the library homepage, select one of the following access points: • • •
Alphabetical List Subject List Top 10 Databases List
81
Academic Search Premier
: Several Access Options
Click on “A” in the
Alphabetical List
, to find the link for the database
Academic
Search Premier.
82
Academic Search Premier
: Several Access Options
Click on “E” for
EBSCO
in the
Alphabetical List
to find the vendor for the database
Academic Search Premier.
83
Academic Search Premier
: Several Access Options
84 By clicking on the link to
EBSCO Connect
, you will find
Academic Search Premier
listed as the second option under all
EBSCO
Indexes.
Academic Search Premier
: How to Access
Click here to access
Academic Search Premier.
85
Academic Search Premier
: The Interface
Type your search terms here. The
EBSCO
interface: notice the database name. 86
Academic Search Premier
: A Sample Search
Type your search terms here. 87
Academic Search Premier
Searching in
Academic Search Premier
As you see in the previous search, I used the terms, “church,” “state,” and “ten commandments.” The Boolean operators are already set as a default to “AND.” The following screen will show other search options.
88
Academic Search Premier
: Search Options
Notice search field options 89
Academic Search Premier
: Boolean Operators
Notice Boolean operators (and, or and not) to refine your search.
90
Academic Search Premier
: Limiting Results
91
Local Titles
means UNO subscribes to the journal.
Full Text
means either links to full text, or HTML and/or PDF documents available.
Scholarly (Peer Reviewed) Journals
means you are selecting research articles.
Academic Search Premier
: Limiting Results
Academic Search Premier
search hints Your instructor will often ask that you find “peer reviewed,” “scholarly,” or “research” articles.
Academic Search Premier
allows you to limit your results to include only the “scholarly” (peer-reviewed) journals.
You may also see the distribution of articles retrieved from the different categories of periodicals- “Academic Journals,” “Magazines,” and “Newspapers.” 92
Academic Search Premier
: Periodical Options
You may click on either periodical option to limit your results to that type of periodical (academic journals, magazines or newspapers.
93
Academic Search Premier
: Available Full Text Formats
This record shows the article is available in three formats:
Linked Full Text
,
HTML Full Text
, and
PDF Full Text.
Clicking on the
UNO Subscribes
link will show the Library Catalog record. 94
Academic Search Premier
: Available Full Text Formats
HTML Full Text The HTML Full Text option will be a text version of the document but is not a scanned image of the original.
HTML Full Text files are smaller than PDF documents and require less memory if e-mailing or saving to a disk or other storage space.
95
Academic Search Premier
: Available Full Text Formats
PDF Full Text The PDF version is a scanned image of the document. The item will appear just as it looks in the original print journal or magazine. PDF files are large and require a lot of memory.
PDF files require Adobe Reader to open.
96
Academic Search Premier
: Available Full Text Formats
UNO Subscribes: The UNO Subscribes link indicates that the Criss Library subscribes to this journal in print, and the link will direct you to the Library Catalog record.
It does not guarantee that the volume/issue you are seeking is available as the subscription may have stopped.
It is important that you note the date, volume, and issue numbers of your citation in order to determine if the library holds the item you need.
97
Academic Search Premier
: Evaluating Your Result List
Academic Search Premier
results What can you tell about the results retrieved in this search?
Are they relevant to the topic?
Are they current?
What types of journals are they appearing in? Scholarly? Popular? Newspapers?
What about the author’s bias? Is it apparent?
98
Electronic Indexes and Databases
Lexis Nexis Academic
This database includes nearly 5,000 publications including newspapers, newsletters, magazines, wire services, federal and state court opinions, federal and state statutes, federal regulations, law reviews and SEC filings.
Lexis Nexis
indexes the
Omaha World-Herald
.
Lexis Nexis
is primarily full-text.
99
Electronic Indexes and Databases
o
Lexis Nexis Academic
To access
Lexis Nexis
from the library homepage, select one of the following access points: • • •
Alphabetical List Subject List Top 10 Databases List
100
Lexis Nexis
: How to Access
Click on the letter “L” to access
Lexis Nexis Academic
from the
Alphabetical List
.
101
Lexis Nexis
– How to Access
102 Click here to access
Lexis Nexis Academic
from the
Alphabetical List
. Notice other
Lexis Nexis
options.
Lexis Nexis
– How to Access
Click here to access
Lexis Nexis
from the
Top 10 Databases
list.
103
Lexis Nexis
: The Interface
104 The
Lexis Nexis
interface
Lexis Nexis
: Power Search
105 Click here for
Power Search.
The
Power Search
option will allow us to refine our search strategy to retrieve more relevant results .
Lexis Nexis
: A Sample Search 106
Power Search
page
Lexis Nexis
Use Lexis Nexis Power Search targeted searching: for more
Lexis Nexis
requires that you complete three steps.
• Enter search terms (terms and connectors or natural language) • Select sources • Specify dates 107
Lexis Nexis
: Search Options
Enter search terms here 108
Lexis Nexis
: Search Options
109 To find out more about connectors, click on the
View Connectors
link. It will describe how to refine your search using terms like
and, or and “and not”
(Boolean operators) as well as other ways to retrieve the most relevant results.
Lexis Nexis
: Search Options
Select from the list of available search options.
how to develop a search strategy. ( You can review
Boolean Searching
and, or
and “
and not”
) and learn about other proximity commands that may help you refine your search. 110
Lexis Nexis
: Search Options Click on the link
Add keywords (Index Terms)
to find the most appropriate terms for your search. 111
Lexis Nexis
: Search Options
112 Click on
Add keywords (Index Terms)
to see how the keyword or keywords you selected are categorized in Lexis Nexis. The categories are
Company, Industry, Subject,
and
Geography
When I type in the word “Church,” I retrieve companies with the name “Church,” affiliated church industries, and the subject heading “church” including a link for “Church and State”.
with a default of
All terms.
Lexis Nexis
: Search Options 113 The drop-down menu allows you to select from the list of available source options including local, regional, national and international news and wire services.
Lexis Nexis
: Search Options 114 Select a specific date or date range to narrow your search. You may search for items published as recently as today, or as far back as the late 1970’s.
Lexis Nexis
: A Sample Search 115 I entered the search terms, “church,” “state,” and “ten commandments” from U.S. Newspapers and Wires within the previous month.
Lexis Nexis
: A Sample Search 116 Clicking on the link
Show
will allow you to select what section of the document will be searched, such as body, headline, dateline, etc. This is useful when you need to broaden or narrow your result list.
Lexis Nexis
: A Result List
Here is a sample document result list.
Clicking on the drop-down menu will allow you to select other viewing options. They include
List, Expanded List, Full Doc ument, Full with Indexing, KWIC
and
Custom
. (
Custom
will not be covered in this presentation.) 117
Lexis Nexis
: Expanded List Option
An example of the
Expanded List
option. 118
Lexis Nexis
: Full Document
119 Here is the full text of an article.
Lexis Nexis
: Full with Indexing
Notice the search terms appear in red in the article. This happens when we Select the options
Full Document
and
Full with Indexing.
120
Lexis Nexis
: KWIC Option
Select
KWIC
to see keywords In context. 121
Lexis Nexis
: Delivery Options
Lexis Nexis
provides several delivery options.
122
Lexis Nexis
allows you to print either citations or full articles.
Lexis Nexis
allows you to e-mail citations or full articles.
Lexis Nexis
allows you to save citations or full text articles.
Lexis Nexis
allows you to export bibliographic references to Refworks.
Lexis Nexis
: Delivery Options
By clicking on the different icons, you can print, e-mail, save or export bibliographic references.
123
Lexis Nexis
: Print Option
124 Click on the print icon and a new window opens to prepare your print job.
Lexis Nexis
: E-mail Option
Click on the e-mail icon and a new window opens to allow you to send the document or citation via e-mail.
125
Lexis Nexis
: Save Option
Click on the save icon and a new window opens to allow you to download the document or citation.
126
Lexis Nexis
: Export Bibliographic Citation Option
Click on the book icon and a new window opens to allow you to directly export your citation into Refworks. 127
Locate Journals
Service
Another service the Criss Library provides is the
Locate Journals
service.
Locate Journals
shows where journals are available full-text (electronically or in print). • • •
Locate Journals
allows you to Search for journal titles Determine if journals are available electronically and/or in print Determine if and where journals are available in full text 128
Locate Journals
Service
Enter a journal name to find out where the journal is available in full text.
129 You may search by title, ISSN number, alphabetically, or by Subject.
Locate Journals
Service: A Sample Search
Note the default selection option,
“Title begins with.”
I have typed in the search box the search terms, “
Church and State.”
130
Locate Journals
Service: A Result Page
Our search using the default selection option,
“Title begins with”
and the search terms, “Church and State,” retrieved one record. We can see from the record that the item is available in the
Criss Library Catalog
and from 06/01/1996 to present in the electronic database
Academic Search Premier
. 131
Locate Journals
Service: A Sample Search
Locate Journals
may be searched by known or unknown titles In the previous search, I typed in the terms “church and state,” and one journal appeared in my result list.
Note that coincidentally,
Church and State
actual name of a journal.
is also the You may type in a known title or words of a title as well.
Locate Journals
will tell you where the journal is indexed and in what format(s) it is available.
132
Locate Journals
Service: A Result Page
Note the coverage dates 133 When you select the option,
Title contains all words,
and you type in the words, “
Church and State
,” you retrieve two results. The first journal title is
Church & State
and the second is the
Journal of Church and State.
Although these titles are similar, they are different journals. Note that they are both available from the
Criss Library
and
Academic Search Premier
but only Journal of Church and State is available through
WilsonOmniFile Full Text Select
.
Locate Journals
Service: A Result Page
When you select the option,
Title equals,
and type in the words, “
Church and State
,” you retrieve one result for the journal title
Church & State
. Avoid ampersands when you are creating a search string.
134
Locate Journals
Service: A Result Page
0009-6334 This record provides the journal Information for
Church & State.
135
Locate Journals
Service: Full Text Access Link
Notice the option to search within a particular publication issue.
Result page for the electronic version of the journal
Church and State
indexed in the data base,
Academic Search Premier.
136
Locate Journals
Service: Print Holdings Access Link
The result page for the print version of the journal
Church and State
in the Criss Library Catalog. 137
A Brief Review
Library Resources So far, we have looked at the Criss Library Catalog, Electronic Indexes and Databases, and the
Locate Journals
Service.
These resources are helpful for finding books and periodical articles in journals and newspapers.
138
A Brief Review (continued)
Library Resources The Criss Library subscribes to electronic resources that we access through the Internet.
These resources are paid for with student fees and other funding and are not available remotely to people unaffiliated with UNO.
What is contained within the indexes has been handpicked by the index providers and may have originated in print format.
End of Part III
139
World Wide Web: Pros and Cons
What is the World Wide Web?
The pros…
The World Wide Web is made up of billions of web pages on a very wide variety of topics. The Web can be a good source of information for some topics and some types of information, particularly current information. Start of Part IV
140
World Wide Web: An Introduction
What is the World Wide Web?
The cons…
The World Wide Web is not the best source for all information. Anyone can create and post Web pages on anything s/he wants whether they are an expert in the field or a fifth grader.
No one is monitoring the credibility or accuracy of the information posted.
141
World Wide Web: Evaluation Criteria
In addition to the previously discussed evaluation criteria- accuracy, authority, objectivity, currency/timeliness, and coverage/scope, remember to consider closely the following points:
Audience
– Who is the intended audience--a student, a political party member, a consumer, someone familiar/unfamiliar with the topic?
Purpose
– Why has this page been created--promotion, commerce, scholarly work, personal expression, other?
142
World Wide Web
Search Engines A search engine is a tool primarily used to locate information on the Web. Similar to the indexes we looked at earlier, search engines can be general or subject-specific. 143
World Wide Web: Google
We will now take a moment to look at a few sites that might relate to the topic of “separation of church and state and the ten commandments in public buildings.” We’ll use Google for our search.
We’ll skip to the
Advanced Search
option.
Our initial search terms will be “church and state” and “separation” and “ten commandments.”
144
World Wide Web: Google
Skip this interface page and click on the
Advanced Search
Interface page.
145
World Wide Web: Google’s Advanced Search Page
Find results by entering search terms or phrases here – notice your choices.
146
World Wide Web: Google Advanced Search
A sample search 147
World Wide Web: Google Advanced Search Results
Notice the URL of each result. Does it indicate a possible bias?
In this search, many of the URL’s have a religious or political tag indicating a possible bias in the content.
Be aware of this!
148
World Wide Web: Google Advanced Search Results
Notice the URL of each result. What is the domain name in the URL? Is it a
.com site.,
a
.org site,
a
.gov site,
a
.net site? W
hat does that tell you? Here is an example of a pbs.org site, a news site for public broadcasting.
Be aware of this!
149
World Wide Web: Google Advanced Search Results
150 Here is the pbs.org site. What do you notice in this site? Is there any indication of the author or publisher of the site? What about the accuracy, authority, objectivity, currency, coverage purpose and audience?
World Wide Web: Google Advanced Search Results
The site is presenting an interview with Judge Roy Moore, the Alabama judge who was removed from office for defying a federal court ruling to remove the monument of the
World Wide Web: Google Advanced Search Results
The site is also presenting an opposing side to Judge Roy Moore, the Reverend Barry Lynn, from the group Americans United for the
World Wide Web: Google Advanced Search Results
Scrolling down the pbs.org site, the site lists the financial sponsors, another helpful piece of information in evaluating the point of view of a site. How would you evaluate this site?
153
World Wide Web: Google Advanced Search Results
Here is another site with the URL: http://www.biblelight.net/bill-of-rights.htm
Does the URL provide a clue to the content? From what you see here, what can you find out about the author of this site? 154
World Wide Web: Google Advanced Search Results
155 Understanding the limits of a Power Point presentation, what else can you learn about this site from what you see here? Remember to consider the purpose, authority, scope and audience as you research sites.
World Wide Web: Google Advanced Search Results
To find the author for this site, I had to scroll down to the bottom of the page.
Does the author appear to be a scholar? A student? A politician? A citizen? 156
World Wide Web: Google Advanced Search Results
Here is the author’s home page. How would you evaluate whether to use this site in your Research? 157
World Wide Web
No single Power Point presentation can illustrate the complexities of evaluating the vast amount of material on the web.
Y
ou now have criteria to consider that will help you make sense of it. Remember: Accuracy, Authority, Objectivity, Currency, Coverage, Audience and Purpose 158
Conclusion
This presentation has guided you through the library resources by type and access tools available to you for your research.
Our hope is that you will become critical and confident users of information.
GOOD LUCK!
For more information or assistance, contact the Criss Library Reference Desk at (402) 554-2992 159 End of Part IV End of Presentation