Finding Information in the Finding Information in the Interdisciplinary Field of Interdisciplinary Field of Environmental StudiesEnvironmental Studies

Bruce SlutskyBruce Slutsky

Robert Van Houten LibraryRobert Van Houten Library

Bruce.Slutsky@njit.eduBruce.Slutsky@njit.edu

Disciplines within Environmental Disciplines within Environmental ScienceScience

Atmospheric ScienceAtmospheric Science BiologyBiology ChemistryChemistry Climate ChangeClimate Change ConservationConservation EcologyEcology GeologyGeology

Global Warming Global Warming Hazardous WastesHazardous Wastes OceanographyOceanography PollutionPollution PopulationPopulation Soil ScienceSoil Science SustainabilitySustainability

Retrieving InformationRetrieving Information

We are flooded with scientific, technical and We are flooded with scientific, technical and policy information.  Scientists, engineers policy information.  Scientists, engineers and students must be able to find and students must be able to find information at all levels from a multitude of information at all levels from a multitude of information resources available to them. information resources available to them.

AIM of This TutorialAIM of This Tutorial

To show how information learned in the To show how information learned in the Research Roadmaps can be applied to the Research Roadmaps can be applied to the environmental sciencesenvironmental sciences

To progress from a general to a more To progress from a general to a more specific search on a topicspecific search on a topic

To become familiar with some subject To become familiar with some subject specific databasesspecific databases

Review of Research RoadmapsReview of Research Roadmaps(HUM 101)(HUM 101)

Library Home Page (Library Home Page (http://library.njit.eduhttp://library.njit.edu) ) Finding a book from the NJIT Library Finding a book from the NJIT Library

CatalogCatalog Google “Phenomenon”Google “Phenomenon” Evaluating the Validity of Web SitesEvaluating the Validity of Web Sites List of Library DatabasesList of Library Databases

Topics within Environmental ScienceTopics within Environmental Science

There is an infinite number of topics with the There is an infinite number of topics with the general subject of environmental science general subject of environmental science

As an example, we will search for As an example, we will search for information on climate change.information on climate change.– In generalIn general– Correlation between climate change and air Correlation between climate change and air

pollutionpollution

Looking for Books on Climate Looking for Books on Climate ChangeChange

More general information on climate change More general information on climate change are found in booksare found in books

Can search on:Can search on:– Climate change as keyword phaseClimate change as keyword phase– Climatic changes as subject phraseClimatic changes as subject phrase– Global warming as subject phraseGlobal warming as subject phrase

Most books are downstairs in Circ CollectionMost books are downstairs in Circ Collection Some electronic books are availableSome electronic books are available

Looking for Articles on Climate Looking for Articles on Climate ChangeChange

Magazine ArticlesMagazine Articles Journal Articles (Peer Reviewed Literature)Journal Articles (Peer Reviewed Literature)

Some Magazines with Articles on Some Magazines with Articles on Climate ChangeClimate Change

Business WeekBusiness Week Chemical WeekChemical Week EconomistEconomist PlanningPlanning

These magazines will obviously have articles These magazines will obviously have articles on other topicson other topics

Some Journals Available at NJIT Some Journals Available at NJIT with Articles on Climate Changewith Articles on Climate Change

Journal of ClimateJournal of Climate Climatic ChangeClimatic Change Nature *Nature * Science*Science* Global Change BiologyGlobal Change Biology

* Notice – these journals are very * Notice – these journals are very multidisciplinarymultidisciplinary

List of Databases Available at the List of Databases Available at the NJIT libraryNJIT library

Entire list may be found at Entire list may be found at http://library.njit.edu/databases/index.phphttp://library.njit.edu/databases/index.php

In this tutorial we will examineIn this tutorial we will examine– Academic Search PremierAcademic Search Premier– Lexis-Nexis Academic UniverseLexis-Nexis Academic Universe– ScopusScopus

Each database differs in coverage, search Each database differs in coverage, search interface and special featuresinterface and special features

Academic Search PremierAcademic Search Premier

A large scholarly, multidisciplinary full text A large scholarly, multidisciplinary full text database designed specifically for academic database designed specifically for academic institutions. It offers critical information from institutions. It offers critical information from many sources found in no other database.many sources found in no other database.

Contains indexing and abstracts for over Contains indexing and abstracts for over 8,450 journals, with full text for more than 8,450 journals, with full text for more than 4,650 of those titles. 4,650 of those titles.

Special Features in Academic Special Features in Academic Search PremierSearch Premier

Can Limit to Peer Review JournalsCan Limit to Peer Review Journals Can Limit Search to Full-Text JournalsCan Limit Search to Full-Text Journals Will suggest terms to narrow searchWill suggest terms to narrow search Gives a link to help from the NJIT LibraryGives a link to help from the NJIT Library Will automatically generate citations in the Will automatically generate citations in the

format you need (i.e MLA or APA)format you need (i.e MLA or APA) Can Export to EndNoteCan Export to EndNote Can Save in a Folder for Future ReferenceCan Save in a Folder for Future Reference

ScopusScopus

Scopus is a large multidisciplinary abstract and Scopus is a large multidisciplinary abstract and citation database. It covers:citation database. It covers:

Over 16,500 titles from more than 4,000 Over 16,500 titles from more than 4,000 international publishers, including coverage of international publishers, including coverage of – 15,400 peer-reviewed journals (inc > 1200 Open Access 15,400 peer-reviewed journals (inc > 1200 Open Access

journals) journals) – 575 trade publications 575 trade publications – 315 book series 315 book series – Extensive conference coverage (3,6 million conference Extensive conference coverage (3,6 million conference

papers) papers)

Scopus – Special FeaturesScopus – Special Features

Tabular display of results allows you to easily sort results Tabular display of results allows you to easily sort results according to date, relevance, authors, source title and according to date, relevance, authors, source title and number of citations (cited-by’s). number of citations (cited-by’s).

Refine Results gives you a quick overview of all of your Refine Results gives you a quick overview of all of your results according to source title, author name, year, results according to source title, author name, year, document type and subject area document type and subject area

Allows links to the full-textAllows links to the full-text Can output to MLA, APA and other bibliographic formatsCan output to MLA, APA and other bibliographic formats Can export into EndNoteCan export into EndNote Can Set up alerts via e-mail or RSS feedCan Set up alerts via e-mail or RSS feed

Lexis-NexisLexis-Nexis

Full-text of more than 350 newspapers from the U.S. Full-text of more than 350 newspapers from the U.S. and around the world, many same day of publication, and around the world, many same day of publication, plus the most extensive archives available anywhere of plus the most extensive archives available anywhere of The New York Times (dating back to 1980) and The The New York Times (dating back to 1980) and The Washington Post (dating back to 1977) Washington Post (dating back to 1977)

More than 300 magazines and journals and over 600 More than 300 magazines and journals and over 600 newsletters, including: American Journalism Review, newsletters, including: American Journalism Review, Business Week, The Economist, Library Journal, New Business Week, The Economist, Library Journal, New Republic, Newsweek, and Variety Republic, Newsweek, and Variety

Hard-to-find broadcast transcripts from the major Hard-to-find broadcast transcripts from the major television and radio networks, including ABC, CBS, television and radio networks, including ABC, CBS, CNN, FOX, NBC and NPRCNN, FOX, NBC and NPR

Sample SearchSample Search

Let’s do a search on any correlation Let’s do a search on any correlation between climate change and air pollution between climate change and air pollution using:using:– Academic Search PremierAcademic Search Premier– Scopus Scopus – Lexis-NexisLexis-Nexis– GoogleGoogle

Devising Optimal Search StrategiesDevising Optimal Search Strategies

Choose the proper database(s) Choose the proper database(s) – Be aware of the scope and limitations Be aware of the scope and limitations

Use all relevant search terms and appropriate Use all relevant search terms and appropriate Boolean logic Boolean logic – Think of concepts not wordsThink of concepts not words

Devise a search strategy for: Devise a search strategy for: – Precise search Precise search

Expand strategy if too few are found Expand strategy if too few are found

– Exhaustive search Exhaustive search Cut down if too many citations are retrieved Cut down if too many citations are retrieved

Evaluating the Retrieved ReferencesEvaluating the Retrieved References

Look at the title of the articleLook at the title of the article Read the abstract which is a one paragraph Read the abstract which is a one paragraph

summary of the article to help you decide if summary of the article to help you decide if it is relevant.it is relevant.

Read the entire paper, incorporate the Read the entire paper, incorporate the information into your assignmentinformation into your assignment

Evaluating Web SitesEvaluating Web SitesAuthorityAuthority

Who is responsible for the contents of the page? Who is responsible for the contents of the page? If the site is sponsored by an organization, is this If the site is sponsored by an organization, is this

information prominently and clearly displayed? information prominently and clearly displayed? Is there a way of verifying the legitimacy of the Is there a way of verifying the legitimacy of the

page's sponsor? Is there a phone number or page's sponsor? Is there a phone number or postal address to contact for more information? postal address to contact for more information? (Simply an email address is not enough.) (Simply an email address is not enough.)

Is it clear who wrote the material and are the Is it clear who wrote the material and are the author's qualifications for writing on this topic author's qualifications for writing on this topic clearly stated?clearly stated?

Evaluating Web SitesEvaluating Web SitesAccuracyAccuracy

Are the sources for any factual information clearly Are the sources for any factual information clearly listed so they can be verified in another source? listed so they can be verified in another source?

If data are included, is the source of the data If data are included, is the source of the data indicated? indicated?

Is the information free of grammatical, spelling, Is the information free of grammatical, spelling, and typographical errors? (These kinds of errors and typographical errors? (These kinds of errors not only indicate a lack of quality control, but also not only indicate a lack of quality control, but also can actually produce inaccuracies in information.) can actually produce inaccuracies in information.)

Is it clear who has ultimate responsibility for the Is it clear who has ultimate responsibility for the accuracy of the content of the material? accuracy of the content of the material?

Does the data/information make sense?Does the data/information make sense?

For AssistanceFor Assistance

Bruce SlutskyBruce Slutsky– slutsky@adm.njit.eduslutsky@adm.njit.edu or 973-642-4950 or 973-642-4950

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