1. WRIT 312:
Scientists – Biography and Works
LAKSAMEE PUTNAM
LPUTNAM@TOWSON.EDU
RESEARCH & INSTRUCTION LIBRARIAN
Slides: http://bit.ly/WRIT312Burks2012

2. First…
 Laksamee Putnam
 lputnam@towson.edu
 Cook Library Reference:
 410.704.2462.
 IM/email
 Phone: 410.704.3746.
 Twitter: @CookLibraryofTU
Slides: http://bit.ly/WRIT312Burks2012

3. Take away…
 Introduction to Library Resources
 Biography Basics
 Finding Books and Articles
 Citation Help
Slides: http://bit.ly/WRIT312Burks2012

4. Library Homepage
 Main website
 Library Catalog
 USMAI Catalog
 Cook OneSearch
 WorldCat TU
 Course Gateway
 Research -> Course Gateways -> Select a Course (WRIT 312)

5. Biography Basics
 Start in “Biography in Context” to read up on your
scientist
 Note their name and possible variations
 Charles Darwin
 C Darwin, Charles Robert Darwin, CR Darwin

6. Biography Basics
 What were your scientist’s affiliations?
 Partners? University?
 What key words are associated with your scientist?
 Inventions? Formulas? Field of study?
 Are there any specific publications mentioned which
you could look up?
 Books or Journals written about or by your scientist

7. Finding Books
 A list of books to help you get started
 Search in multiple places
 Use specific books titles if you know them
 Use name variations
 Use keywords
 Request books from other USMAI libraries
 Interlibrary loan for everything else

8. Search Tips
 Boolean “search connectors”
 Stephen Hawking AND Physics
 seismoscope OR seismometer

9. Finding Articles
 Start with Scopus
 Use Author Search to help locate articles written by
your scientist
 Use your keywords to see if there have been articles
written about your author
 If you have a specific citation to look up, check the
Journal List

10. Finding Articles
 No luck in Scopus? Try the other databases listed in
the WRIT 312 Course Gateway
 Science Citation Index, Science Direct, Cook OneSearch
 If the full text isn’t available look for an SFX or Find
It button.

11. Searching the Web
 Try different search engines
 Google Scholar
 Scirus
 Vadlo
 Limit to .gov or .edu
 For example, you can usually search “topic” + .gov
 “transmission electron microscope” site:.gov

12. APA Citing Resources
 Cook Library – Citing Sources
 http://cooklibrary.towson.edu/styleGuides.cfm
 OWL
 http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01/

13. Worksheet!
 Answer the various questions as you:
 Find out more about your scientist in Biography in Context
 Locate books and articles
 Ask if you have questions!

14. Questions?
 Feel free to contact me:
 Laksamee Putnam
 lputnam@towson.edu
 410.704.3746.
 Twitter: @CookLibraryofTU
 Or any reference librarian:
 Visit Cook Library Reference Desk
 410.704.2462.
 IM – tucookchat