240 likes | 255 Views
Learn about information literacy, using the MCCC library catalog, searching electronic resources, databases and web information.
E N D
Using the libraryCSS101 - Part 2 Martin J. Crabtree MCCC Library March 2006
Agenda • Review: so just what IS information literacy? • Using the the Mercer Library’s catalog • Searching electronic resources • Databases and Web information • Your turn to use the databases & the web
What is information literacy? Information literacy is the ability to: • Realize that you need information to find something out/answer a question • Know where to go to get the information you need • Ask the right questions to get the information you need • Put all the information you found together to answer your question
Using The MCCC Card Catalog to find books and more • The catalog is available online. Used to find books, videos and other material both in the MCCC collection and the Mercer County Public (MCL) libraries. • You can have materials from MCL brought to the college. Deliveries arrive Tuesday and Friday afternoons. (DVD’s not available from MCL) • You will need to have your student ID card to borrow books or use the library’s computer lab
Starting An Electronic SearchKeywords • Keywords are used when searching electronic databases and web search engines • First step - Generate a list of words (keywords) often nouns that describes or is commonly used when discussing your topic. For example: • Ozone • Layer • Depletion • Atmosphere • Hole
Starting An Electronic SearchBoolean Searching/Logic • Boolean searching - Connecting keywords with the terms • and • not • or • For example • eagles NOT football • (car or automobile) and exhaust • More Terms = Fewer “Hits”
Searching More Than Just KeywordsPhrases & Truncations • To search for a phrase, use quotation marks • “weapons of mass destruction” • Truncations allow for searching related words all at once • The * is usually used. For example: • “child*” would include: child, children, childhood, childproof, etc.
Electronic Databases at MCCCIn General • Over 60 databases available • Many contain periodical articles • Some are useful for searching specific subjects like business, art, or criminal justice. • Others are also useful tools like the Encyclopedia Britannica and the Oxford Dictionary
Electronic DatabasesIn General • Accessible at any computer on the MCCC/JKC campus network • Most are available off campus, need to request a password. • Can print/e-mail/download what you find
Using the internet/world wide web • Before using the web for most college research, try using databases first: • You will have fewer hits to go through • You’ll likely find some good information quickly • The information is always high quality • The internet & web are not the same thing
Some things to consider when searching the web • Everything is NOT on the web and may never be • No search engine covers the entire web • The “invisible web” is huge! • Though there has yet to be consensus, estimates put the size of the invisible web between 2 and 500 times bigger than the “visible” (or surface) web.
Searching the World Wide Web Search Strategy • Searching the Web is much like database searching: • Put together a list of keywords describing the information you desire • Use Boolean logic (and, not, or) to better define your search, use double quotes for phrases, etc. • When searching the web, also: • Consider which search engines/sites may best suit your search needs. Different search engines yield different results. • Use the search engine’s “advanced search” to select limiting parameters (language, date, domain, etc.)
Evaluating Web Sites Is this stuff any good?
Evaluating Web Sites • Quality varies greatly from site to site • YOU are the sole evaluator of the quality of information a site provides
Five Web Info Evaluation Criteria • Accuracy - is it reliable? • Authority - is author qualified on subject? • Objectivity - is the information biased? • Currency - is the information “new” enough? • Coverage - does the info completely cover the topic?
The Bottom Line… Buyer Beware • The web contains a vast amount of information…but not everything • Anyone can put information on the web, hence the quality of web information varies greatly • YOU will often be the only person to decide if the quality of the info you find on the web is good