1. CoSMiC Scholars : Utilizing
library resources
Laksamee Putnam
Research & Instruction Librarian
lputnam@towson.edu

2. First…
Laksamee Putnam
lputnam@towson.edu
Cook Library Reference:
410.704.2462.
IM/email
Phone: 410.704.3746.
Twitter: @CookLibraryofTU
Albert S. Cook facebook profile!

3. Agenda
What is the purpose of the library? Discussion.
Research skills. Discussion.
General search strategy
In our library
Practice
Follow along with my slides here:
http://slidesha.re/cosmicslides

4. What is the purpose of the library?
Type in this URL and respond to the question above:
http://bit.ly/cosmicpollpurpose
View other responses:
http://bit.ly/cosmicpoll1

5. What is the purpose of the library?
Besides storage for books
Besides a place to study late
Besides the largest place on campus with computers
The purpose of the library mirrors the purpose of this
academic institution as a whole

6. What is the purpose of the library?
To help make you an informed consumer
To hone your research skills

8. Research Skills
“It was a dark and stormy “Skin cancer is the most
night.” common form of cancer.”

9. The Research Process
Interpreting the
Selecting a Assignment
Topic
Reading Identifying &
Background Listing
Refining a Information Vocabulary
Topic
Using Online
Databases
& Indexes
Evaluating Citing
Sources Gathering Sources
Sources
Drafting Paper or
Presentation

10. research skills ≠ needle in the haystack

11. Keywords are critical!
Sample topic:
How successful is breast cancer treatment?
First, break the question down into keywords:
How successful is breast cancer treatment?

12. More on keywords…
Expand your list to include synonyms then add to it once you
have done some background reading.
How successful is breast cancer treatment?
successful breast cancer treatment
effective breast neoplasm therapy
remission breast carcinoma [specific name]

13. Putting it all together…
successful breast cancer treatment
effective breast neoplasm therapy
remission breast carcinoma tamoxifen
successful OR effective OR remission
AND
“breast cancer” OR “breast neoplasm” OR “breast carcinoma”
AND
treatment OR therapy OR tamoxifen

14. Ok you’ve got keywords
Now what?
Where do you go first?

15. Web “Pre-searching”
Why or why not start your search online?
Type in this URL and respond to the question:
http://bit.ly/cosmicpollweb
View other responses:
http://bit.ly/cosmicpoll2

16. Web “Pre-searching”
Why not start your search online?
The Invisible Web
http://goshen.libguides.com/beyond_googling
Can you trust this information?
TED video:
Online filter bubble – Eli Pariser
http://www.ted.com/talks/eli_pariser_beware_online_filter_b
ubbles.html

17. Web “Pre-searching”
Why start your search online?
Find background information
Help solidify research topic
Find new terminology to use as keywords
Find links and/or citations to other sources

18. Try these websites out
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

19. Check for CRAP
Currency
Reliability
Authority
Purpose/Point of View

20. Check for CRAP
Currency
How recent is the information?
Can you locate a date when the resource was
written/created/updated?
Based on your topic, is this current enough?
Why might the date matter for your topic?
Guidelines for CRAP provided by the Jean and Alexander Heard Library

21. Check for CRAP
Reliability
What kind of information is included in the resource?
Does the author provide citations & references for
quotations & data
Is the author qualified to write on the topic?
Guidelines for CRAP provided by the Jean and Alexander Heard Library

22. 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
Guidelines for CRAP provided by the Jean and Alexander Heard Library

23. 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
Guidelines for CRAP provided by the Jean and Alexander Heard Library

24. In our library
Catalog
Search for books
Databases
Subject gateways
Search for articles
Citation help
Make sure your own paper passes CRAP

25. Practice!
Try to find some resources for your current classes!
Try to find a book!
Try to find a website!
Try to find an article!

26. Questions?
Laksamee Putnam
lputnam@towson.edu
Cook Library Reference:
410.704.2462.
IM/email
Phone: 410.704.3746.