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Doing TV Research Online: A Crash Course. Gary Handman ghandman@library.berkeley.edu 643-8566. The point of all this. Describes organization of library information Introduce selected sources for finding books and journal topics online
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Doing TV Research Online: A Crash Course Gary Handman ghandman@library.berkeley.edu 643-8566
The point of all this... • Describes organization of library information • Introduce selected sources for finding books and journal topics online • 2. Introduce a group of basic moves and features common to many online catalogs and indexes. • 3. Practice using these features in selected databases.
The Information Universe What Does It Contain?
The (Library) Information Universe I’d rather be Doing research! • Books • Journals (Magazines) & Newspapers • Government docs • Maps • Media (video, sound recording, etc.) • Computer files (e.g. CD-ROMS) • Online Resources Dissertations • Manuscripts • Ephemera
Why a Book? Why a Journal Article? The Information Universe
The Information Universe But how do you find this stuff? (along with a cute, available guy?)
Library Catalog(s) Journal/Newspaper Indexes The Information Universe
Library Catalog Bada-bing! OskiCat and Melvyl • Inventory of what the Library owns: • Books • Journals (BUT NOT what’s inside of them!!!!!!) • Media • Manuscripts, documents, maps…etc. etc. etc. etc.) • Search by: • Author • Title • Subject (keywords)
Call # Get da Book in da Stax The Information Universe: Books In the zone : the twilight world of Rod Serling / <1997> Author: Wolfe, Peter, 1933- Published: Bowling Green, OH : Bowling Green State University Popular Press, c1997. Location(s): MAIN: PN1992.77.T87 W66
The Information Universe: Finding Articles Yes! Print Indexes Live! • Article Databases (Indexes/Abstracts) • Databases produced by different commercial publishers; often look/act differently from one another. • Regularly updated • Allow subject/author searching in a group of journals in a particular discipline or topical area. • Some indexes also offer abstracts-- short description of article content I know! I’ll do my paper on Marilyn Manson!
Choosing an Articles database (index) Look at the listings of article databases available via the library www.lib.berkeley.edu: includes listings by SUBJECT, NAME, etc. General Databases are often good places to start (particularly for newsy/topical issues)
Gary’s Desert Island Index/Article Database List No Now Playing
GH Desert Island Index/Article Database List • Academic Search Complete • MLA Bibliography • FIAF Index • Communication Abstracts No Now Playing
full text! links to UCB holdings All databases are not created equal (or by the same company)…
Two possibilities: • Links you to full-text in ANOTHER article database • Or • Flips you over to MELVYL so you can locate a physical copy of the journal at UCB or elsewhere.
The Information Universe (Now) Online is Cool • But Remember: Not everything is online!!!!!: • Article Databases: Generally only go back 10-20 yrs online (some exceptions – e.g. Historical Newspapers) • Not every publication is indexed • Fairly small (but rapidly growing) subset of the books and journal universe is currently available in full-text
The Information Universe • Remember Also: • Not every topic has lots written about it, either in books or journal lit. • --Research on very current topics • --Research on radically specific topics • --Research on topics off the beaten academic track or off the pop culture radar
How to Begin? Before you click: THINK • Formulate a concise, concrete statement of the research problem • Formulate your search in terms of • keywords and key phrases: The impact of televisionadvertising and television violence on school performanceandpre-adolesecentsocial interaction.
Commercials Ads …etc. Children Youth Adolescents …etc. Academic achievement Grades …etc. Socialization, relationships, peer interaction…etc. Media TV…etc How to Begin? Before you click: THINK • Think of synonyms for key words/phrases The impact of televisionadvertising and television violence on school performanceandpre-adolesecentsocial interaction.
The Information Universe • What to do if nothing is turning up: • Tweak your topic: Broaden it / select a different angle • Rethink your search strategy (new keywords, new concepts, etc.) • Bail out completely and choose another topic
Gooooogle Scholar??? A few cautionary words about research on the Net The Net Google Rocks! LibraryLand
Common Search Features: --Save list of good stuff --Mail Articles/Citations to yourself
Connecting from off-campus PROXY Server! www.lib.berkeley.edu HELP: Connecting from Off Campus
…being driven over the edge by your research? Call me: Gary Handman 643-8566 ghandman@library.berkeley.edu
a word about primary resources • Television: • Broadcast News = fergeddaboutit (or pay Vanderbilt) • Transcripts: Vanderbilt TV Archive (news)—short summaries; Lexis/Nexis • Programs = some in MRC • Commercials and Ads = lots in MRC • See: http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/MRC/primarysources.html