Leveraging Google Skills

1. Leveraging Google Skills Julia Shaw-Kokot, MSLS, AHIP KT L. Vaughan, MSLS Health Sciences Library University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

2. Library Resources Photo from the NC Wildlife Commission’s Web Site

3. Library Resources • Access multiple resources • Journals • Books • Full text • Expert resources • Not so easy to use • What tools you want to use • Where the tools are located • What hoops to jump through to get to tools • How to get to the information from the tools

4. Google Photo from the NC Wildlife Commission’s Web Site

5. Google • Access multiple resources • Citations (including PubMed) • Full text articles • Non-reference database materials • Reports • Contracts • Government documents at all levels • Google Answers • Easy to use • Simple access • No logins/passwords • Get something no matter what

6. Researchers • Searched PubMed for “Google” (5-28-05 = 80 hits) • Research articles • METHODS: A comprehensive systematic search was undertaken of the published literature to September 2003 in ERIC, LISA, MEDLINE, PREMEDLINE, EMBASE, the Cochrane Controlled Trials Register and Google. • SEARCH STRATEGY: We searched the Cochrane Infectious Diseases Group Specialized Register (August 2004), CENTRAL (The Cochrane Library Issue 3, 2004), MEDLINE (1966 to August 2004), EMBASE (1980 to August 2004), U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM) Gateway (1953 to 1965), Web Science Citation (1981 to August 2004), LILACS (August 2004), Google search engine (August 2004), conference proceedings, and reference lists.

7. Students • Mix of ages (Boomers, GenXers, Millennials) • Students know the web does not meet all their needs. • Characteristics of students • Results rather than facts • Trial-and-error approach • Immediate results

8. Pharmacy Program • PharmD curriculum • About 145 first year students • At least 2 years of college • Many already have degrees in other fields • First year curriculum block • All students in same classes • Very competitive

9. First Year Pharmacy Assignments • Online Assignments since 1998 • Two assignments a year • Fall – guided to library resources • PubMed • International Pharmaceutical Abstracts (EBSCO) • Business database • Natural Products Database • Advanced Google • Spring – Only one guided question • Course integrated with points for completion • Blackboard based

10. Assignment Objectives • Fall • Expose students to key resources • Cooperate with faculty to cover topics students will address in the first year • Evaluate information literacy • Spring • Reinforce skills from Fall • Evaluate retention • Evaluate searching abilities

11. Instructions • In the assignment below you'll be searching for consumer, scholarly, and drug information. You may find the resources listed in the class notes from last fall and/or the Finding Drug Information online module (see buttons in the sidebar) helpful. • Only need to compete one topic in a one week period • See “gold standard” answer after the question has been submitted

12. Topics in Spring Assignment • OTC cold sore creams, like Abreva, compared with Zovirax (prescription) • Cone snail venom for pain relief • Enzyte • Herbal treatment for depression • Influenza vaccine

13. Questions • Consumer health information • Scholarly information • Drug information • Each asks for • What tools used • What search terms used • URL or citation for “Best” item • What makes the best better than others • Provide information requested

14. Hypothesis • If not guided to use specific tools, most students will use Google as at least one resource.

15. Most Used Tools

16. Student Quotes - Google • I went to Google and found www.clinicaltrials.gov… • The search was done as a Google search. After sifting through the propaganda, I was able to get to a warning letter issued to Berkeley by the FDA on their website. • Google, seemed to search a larger database • First in Google, I found herbals that had a claim of aphrodisiac properties. Then at Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database, I typed in the herbal(s)

17. Student Quotes –Google • www.google.com, since this is what the general public would probably use • I found this information on Google because the search yielded no results in PubMed, eFacts and Comparisons, Lexicomp, Micromedex, or the Natural Medicines Database. Other databases may not have this drug because it is under scrutiny and is a non prescription drug.

18. Student Quotes • Lots of sites on the web are trying to sell the products so the information is probably bias. • I went to PubMed, as we were told last semester, to research these drugs. We were told this was the best resource for randomized trial information. I found it to be a great source of information. I will definitely use this resource in the future.

19. Student Quotes – Drug Tools • I used the eFacts – Drug Facts and Comparisons database because I am very familiar with the database. Pharmacy 69L recommends using this reference when researching DIR information. • I used Micromedex for my search because I feel that this database is the most straightforward and the contraindications are clearly outlined

20. Student Quotes – Drug Tools • Lexi-Comp. I used this database because it will distinguish drug information for peds and adults. • Lexi-Comp, just seems easier to read, better layout. • Lexi-Comp because it is a reliable source for general drug information

21. Findings • Resources were used appropriately • Google was not over used!  • Good understanding or numerous CHI sources • Adept at trial and error • Willing to look in multiple resources • Filtering skills were good • Quality over immediacy • Evaluative skills were good • Able to articulate why one source was better than another

22. If Everyone Uses Google… • It has become another information resource • Relate Google to traditional library resources • Build on Google skills • Searching • Filtering • Evaluation

23. References • Brower, S. (2004). Millennials in action: A student-guided effort in curriculum-integration of library skills. Medical Reference Services Quarterly, 23(2), 81-88. • Frand, J. L. (2000). The information-age mindset. Educause Review, 35(5), 14-24. • Jones, S. (2002). The internet goes to college: How students are living in the future with today's technology (Survey Results No. Pew Internet Project Survey). http://search.epnet.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=eric&an=ED472669: Pew Internet & American Life Project. 5/4/05, from the Web site database.

24. More References • Kelley, K. B., & Orr, G. J. (2003). Trends in distant student use of electronic resources: A survey. College & Research Libraries, 64(3), 176-191. • Miller, T. (2005). In defense of stupid users. Library Journal, 130(5), 58-58. • Oblinger, D. (2003). Boomers, gen-xers, and millennials: Understanding the "new students." EDUCAUSE Review, 38(4), 36.

25. One More Reference • OCLC. (2002). How academic librarians can influence students' web-based information choices (White Paper on Information Habits of College Students). http://www2.oclc.org/pclc/pdf/printondemand/infomrationhabits.pdf: OCLC. 5/3/05, from the web site.