Zale Library at Paul Quinn College

1. Zale Library atPaul Quinn College Information Literacy Module 1:Selecting Good Information Dr. David HamrickReference/Cataloging Librarian

2. Why it matters • We select information to • Make DECISIONS and… • Draw CONCLUSIONS • “Is this movie any good?” • Ask a friend, but… • “Do they like the movies I like?” • Read a review, but… • “Does this reviewer have a bias?” • Do you pay attention to the reviewers’ quotes on themovie posters?

3. Why it matters • In writing a college paper, information selection is crucial • Good selection leads to plenty of material, easier writing • Poor selection leads to shallow writing and inaccurate statements • We select different information for different tasks • Wikipedia is okay for quick facts such as dates or places, but • You need more depth and authority to write a good paper

4. What we’re doing • Learning the strengths of different resources • Internet vs. Library • Popular vs. Scholarly writing • Magazines & newspapers vs.Scholarly journals & books

5. What we’re doing • Learning where to find different resources • What is in the library catalog? • What is in an online periodical index? • What kinds of resourcesare on the Internet?

6. Types of resources • Reference books • Encyclopedias, handbooks, directories • Prepared by experts in various topics • Best source of quick,accurate information • Usually not enoughdepth for a paper—just short articles • Gives an overview ofthe subject; goodplace to start

7. Types of resources • Scholarly books • Selected by faculty, librarians for quality of their information • Usually the work of several years, lots of expertise • Provide depth and interpretation of subject • Use the index to find if your topic is covered!

8. Types of resources • Scholarly journals • Articles reviewed by a group of experts in topic • Usually more current than books in same subject • Contain articles on narrower topics in depth

9. Types of resources • News magazines & Newspapers • Written for general readers (not for other scholars) • Not as much depth, not peer-reviewed • Often the best sourcefor information aboutcurrent events &popular culture • Current political stories • Sports, music, film

10. Types of resources • Voyager library catalog • Helps you to find… • Reference books • Circulating books • E-books • Videos • AuthoritativeWeb sites

11. Types of resources • Online journal indexes • Texshare, JSTOR • Help you find articles on a topic • Many articles available in full text (not all!) • Some indexes available for specific topics • Gale Health & Wellness • Ebsco EnhancedBusiness Search • Handbook of Texas Online • Can narrow search byauthor, date, subject, etc.

12. Types of resources • World Wide Web • Most current information, but… • You have to be the reviewer—check reliability • Many good resources available from education, government, library web sites • www.loc.gov (Library ofCongress) • www.ic2.utexas.edu/bbr/(Univ. of Texas Bureau ofBusiness Research) • What about this next one?

13. FAIL

14. Popular or scholarly? • Popular resources… • Are written for the general public • May promote a particular point of view • Entertain more than educate • Exist to make a profit by selling ads • Shorter articles, less depth • May cover many topics • Examples: Sports Illustrated, Vibe, GQ, Essence

15. Popular or scholarly? • Scholarly resources… • Written for other scholars, specialists • Try to be unbiased • Share research and educate • Sell little or no advertising • Long articles with bibliographies • Usually focus on a limited topic • Examples: Journal of the AMA,Business Communication Quarterly

16. The Library and the Web • In the library… • Information is selected for its accuracy/authority • Reviewed/recommended by librarians & faculty • Provided with personal assistance • Organized to keep similar information together • Free and non-commercial

17. The Library and the Web • On the Web… • Many sources of information have an agenda • No one stops misinformation from being posted • Many resources are provided for-profit only • No organization—and no search engine has it all • MANY sources are designed to sell a product

18. Who’s on the web • This doesn’t mean the Web is bad… • It is the best, easiest way to get some information • It gives a voice to alternative points of view! • It encourages collaboration and cooperation

19. Who’s on the web • Many scholarly resources are on the Web • Published by governments (thomas.loc.gov) • Published by universities (www.beg.utexas.edu/) • Published by organizations (www.ama-assn.org) • Published by libraries (www.nypl.org/research/)

20. Use the Web wisely • Be a smart consumer of information • Check the credentials of the author • Check the credentials of the organization • Check the quality of the citations • If you aren’t sure, find an independent evaluation

21. Use the Web wisely • Remember the library has a lot on the Web! • JSTOR, Texshare are there anytime, anywhere • The library web page has links to good resources • The library wiki supplements these—suggest more! http://www.pqc.edu/lib/zale_library.htm http://zalelibrary.pbworks.com/

22. The End • Ask the library staff for help—that’s why we are here!