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Library Overview

-- Research Process Checklist

-- Scholarly & Non-Scholarly Sources

-- Article Comparison -- Analyze & Evaluate Resources

-- Primary & Secondary Sources

-- Types of Databases

-- Analyze Internet Sources

Purpose: To introduce library research strategies

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Research Process Checklist….. Use abstracts or indexes

to find journal articles

Formulate an effective search strategy 

Find the journals / articles

Evaluate sources  

Cite your sources

Identify and clearly define your topic 

◦ ** Avoid broad subjects (information overload)** Narrow topics will limit your sources (not enough information)

Find background information

Use WorldCat Discovery Local, Horizon Catalog or eJournal Portal to locate library resources    

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Scholarly and Non-Scholarly Sources

--Non-scholarly articles are written in popular magazines

-- information is notresearched --articles are often biased and based on opinions

--Scholarly articles are written

by professionals in the field

-- subject matter experts -- information and data

hasbeen researched &

reviewedby colleagues in the field

What are……?

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Article Comparison Check

Written by journalists and reporters (popular)

Leisure, entertainment & general interest (popular)

Non-technical (popular) No references or

bibliographies (popular) Published daily, weekly or

monthly (popular) Published monthly, quarterly,

semiannually, etc. (scholarly Published monthly, quarterly,

semiannually, etc. (scholarly)

Current research (scholarly)

Statistical data (scholarly) Informative & authoritative

(scholarly) Primary sources for

laboratory and field research (scholarly)

Written by subject matter experts (scholarly)

Peer reviewed (scholarly) Bibliographies/References

included (scholarly)

Scholarly vs Popular…?

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Primary and Secondary Sources

1. Primary sources are first-

hand accounts of history

◦ Interviews, speeches or personal narratives

◦ Photos, artifacts, manuscripts or original

works◦ Biographies ◦ Autobiographies ◦ Census, government or

historical documents ◦ Statistical data or

surveys

2. Secondary sourcesare interpretations of

primary sources. Original research

or work has been analyzed and evaluated

◦ Reviews, monographs◦ Literary criticism◦ Encyclopedias, dictionaries,

handbooks, etc

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Scholarly Journals Check

Scholarly Journals

Scholars, researchers, practitionersExperts in the field (faculty members, researchers)Includes a bibliography, references, notes, and/or works cited sectionEditorial board of outside scholars (known as peer review)Scholarly or professional organizationAssumes a level of knowledge in the fieldIndexed in subject-specialized indexes such as ERIC , MEDLINE, Social Work Abstracts, BioOne, Sociological Abstracts, AGRICOLA or Physical Education Index

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Popular Magazines Check

Popular Magazines

General public

Magazine staff members, journalists, freelance writers

Rarely includes footnotes

Editors work for publisher

Commercial, for profit

Easy to read, aimed at the layperson

Indexed in general periodical indexes such as Index to Black Periodicals or Readers' Guide to Periodical Literature

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Article Review and Evaluation Check

Review and Evaluation ChecklistHave you selected primary or secondary sources?

Are your sources informative, authoritative, relevant, objective & comprehensive?Are your reference books subject specific?

Are your articles written by subject matter experts?

Are they peer reviewed?

Has the source been cited before?

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Full text databases - full text databases contain the entire journal article and abstract  

Topics are subject specific or multidisciplinary

Examples: BioOne, SAGE eJournals, LexisNexis, SpringerLink eJournals, JSTOR, ACM Digital Library, SPIE, Science Direct Subject Collections, EBSCOHost Databases, ProQuest Databases, Oxford eJournals, Optics InfoBase, Project Muse Basic Research and Annual Reviews       

Types of Databases -

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Abstract Databases - are not full text Provide citation or abstract information Topics are subject specific or multidisciplinary

◦ Examples: ERIC, FIRSTSEARCH, MEDLINE, AGRICOLA, PROQUEST ABSTRACT Databases (ASFA: Aquatic Science and Fisheries Abstracts, BioOne, Applied Social Sciences Index and Abstracts, Physical Education Index, Design and Applied Arts Index and more ), Social Work Abstracts & PsyInfo

Types of Databases -

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Full collection of eBooks - the entire book is available online

◦Examples: Springer eBooks, ebrary, Sage eReference, EBSCO eBooks, American Chemical Society, CREDO Reference, Encyclopedia of Social Work, Psychiatry Online and McGraw Hill Access Science

Types of Databases -

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Why use Internet websites?

-- Reliable websites are

informative, authoritative &

comprehensive.

-- Information presented can be verified (.gov, .org, .edu)

* Supreme Court of the United States

* U.S. Census Bureau

* American FactFinder

* 911 Commission Report

Reason not to use websites-- Information overload-- Most sites are commercial-- No ownership to

information provided-- No set standards-- Not peer reviewed, biased

information & not checked for accuracy

-- No verification of information published

-- Sites are often taken off line

Analyzing Internet Sources

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CONTACT

(302) 857-6180 Reference and Research Consultation

(302) 857-6191 Circulation/Reserves

(302) 857-6193 / 7909 Interlibrary Loan

(302) 857-6135 Technology

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