Overview of Library Research Anthony P. Valenti Campus Director, Learning Resources 239-732-3776 apvalenti@edison.edu

Agenda Identify Research Needs Doing the Research Selecting a topic What Sources Should I use? Doing the Research Library catalog Library databases Skills for searching Using Research Results Evaluating research results Citation -Plagiarism

Identifying Research Needs Select a topic assigned by your instructor. a subject that interests you. a real information need that you have. Start with broad subjects and then focus on a more specific aspect of the broader topic. Sometimes it helps to phrase it as a question Video Games – Effects on behavior – Does playing violent video games lead to violent behavior in children? Video Games – Education – Can video games be integrated into School Curriculum?

Identifying Research Needs What Sources Should I use? Reference Books - Encyclopedias, Dictionaries, etc. Provides a good overview of a subject. A good tool to use if you are trying to focus on a specific topic Print Books and E-Books Will provide more in-depth analysis of a subject Journal Articles – In print and/or available online via databases Current research, reports and studies related to a specific subject Internet Resources – Use cautiously! More Later.

Edison College Electronic Catalog Includes Books, Journals, and A/V Titles Searchable by Author, Title, Subject, or Keyword Make sure the default is Edison College You do not need to log in to search; However, you do need to log in to view fines and fees, place holds, access e-books, etc. http://www.edison.edu/learningresources/index.shtml

Edison College Access to Electronic Resources Go to the Library website: http://www.edison.edu/library/ Locate the silver search box on the top of the page. Click on Articles in Databases tab. You will see a log in screen. Select Edison as your college if not the default Enter your Connect Card Number, (8 digit Edison ID Number) and your PIN (Default is last 4 digits SS#) Select a database. The default setting is to display databases by Subject. You may also click on the Alphabetical button to see databases listed by name. Begin Your Search

Edison College Electronic Resources Online databases Indexes to articles, book chapters, thesis or other documents: EBSCO, ProQuest, etc. Reference Resources: Online versions of Reference Works: Grove Art Online, Opposing Viewpoints Online, etc. Restricted to Edison College community Sorted alphabetically or by subject Your topic will determine what database to use Recommended General database (with searching demonstration) Academic Search Complete (EBSCO) http://www.edison.edu/learningresources/index.shtml

Skills for Online Searching Subject or Keyword Search Identify Key Concepts “Video Games” AND “violence” AND “children.” Not, “Does playing violent videogames lead to violent behavior in children?” Controlled Vocabulary Different databases may use different terms. EX: “Senior Citizens” or “Elderly Persons” Look to see if database has a thesaurus Boolean Logic “AND” restricts your search results “OR” expands your search results Limits Full Text, Scholarly, Date, etc.

Using the Internet for Research The Internet can provide information; however, proceed with caution! Anyone can post anything at anytime on the Internet. The Web is populated with an abundance of unreliable and inaccurate information. People who publish on the Web have an agenda. Be particularly suspicious of .com sites, which are trying to sell you something. Most scholarly sources are not on the Internet. Only a small percentage of all journals and an even smaller number of books are available on the Internet. Navigating the vast amount of information available on the Internet can be overwhelming. Only a small percentage of search results generally are relevant. www.google.com

Evaluating Research Results Authority Who wrote or compiled the information? What are their credentials? Are they experts or scholars? Bias What is the point of view taken in the material? Is there an obvious bias? Does the author provide factual information or are they expressing an opinion? Currency What is the date of publication? What time period is covered by the information? Documentation Does the material cite the sources for information presented? Are complete citations provided? Is the information unknown?

Citing Research Results A citation is the basic information about a source that identifies it and allows others to locate it. The citations used in a research paper or other work is usually compiled into a bibliography or list of references at the end of the paper or work. Citations are also commonly called references or cited works. Why do we have to cite Materials? To allow others to locate these materials if they are researching the topic. To give proper credit for works, ideas, etc. to the people who created them Citation guides are available on the library’s web page. http://www.edison.edu/library/

Citing Research Results Plagiarism Plagiarism is presenting another person’s work—words, ideas, images, etc.—as your own, and not citing the source. Plagiarism Tutorial on Library Web Page http://www.edison.edu/library/