Information Literacy for MOS ECS March 2011

Information literacy An information literate individual is able to: 1.Determine the extent of information needed 2.Access the needed information effectively and efficiently 3.Evaluate information and its sources critically 4.Incorporate selected information into one’s knowledge base 5.Use information effectively to accomplish a specific purpose 6.Understand the economic, legal, and social issues surrounding the use of information, and access and use information ethically and legally

Evaluating search results Determining relevance and quality

Judging bibliographic records Is the content of this document appropriate for my research topic? Is it worth the effort of getting the full text and reading it? Criteria: type of document subject and scope – abstract information primary or secondary research audience date of publication author details

Judging bibliographic records Type of document Books Research reports Theses Conference proceedings Government/policy documents Journal articles

Scientific journals Research Peer reviewed Professional journals Practical Non-peer reviewed

Peer review A standard procedure in scholarly publishing, whereby a prospective publisher submits the manuscript of an article to experts in the research field for their critical scrutiny, under conditions of anonymity, with the aim of assuring quality and reliability of findings.

Judging bibliographic records Primary research presents original research methods or findings for the first time. Examples include: A journal article or research report that presents new findings and new theories A poster presented at a conference Secondary research provides a compilation or evaluation of previously presented material. Examples include: A review article summarizing research or data A textbook

Judging bibliographic records Intended audience Is the publication aimed at scientists, professionals, policy makers, students or a general audience?

Evaluating internet resources Anyone can publish Advertising can be disguised as facts. Quality criteria: Accuracy Objectivity Authority (of author and publisher) Currency Peter Steiner, The New Yorker July 5, 1993

Using the results Referring, citing, quoting Avoiding plagiarism Reference management EndNote Publishing Journal selection, impact factors Open access journals: BioMed Central PLoS Biology

Plagiarism Definition: Taking someone's words or ideas as if they were your own. (also known as) Copy and paste Plagiarism is a serious academic offence Wageningen University uses Turnitin to check student reports. Avoid unintentional plagiarism by citing correctly

Referring, citing, quoting To allow readers to find and check your information sources To give authors of these sources credit for their work. Methods In-text citations and quotes Reference lists Many different styles Bibliographic details differ per document type

Reference management Selecting references Print, download, Export to reference management software EndNote (short demo)

Getting the articles Access to licensed resources only when logged in! Use our link resolver SFX

Publishing Journal selection Impact factors Open access journals: BioMed Central PLoS Biology

Agenda March 23, 15:30 – 17:15 hrs room C435: Classroom lecture + feedback and questions April 28, 14:00-15:30 hrs room PC 602, Exam Before April 30, submission of your assignment via Turnitin See on Blackboard under Assignments

Evaluation Assignment Exam See also course information Contact:

Searching What: specifying search question Where: selecting sources See Blackboard module 4b How: tools and rules Subject: Government policies in Eastern Europe regarding wetland degradation Ramsar, 2003;

What – specifying search question Sources for orientation: Reference works: catalogue, Virtual Reference Desk, WikipediaVirtual Reference DeskWikipedia Internet Search Engines (e.g. Scirus)Scirus Review papers (e.g. Scopus)Scopus Newspapers? (LexisNexis, NYT)

Search example – concepts Government policies in Eastern Europe regarding wetland degradation

Search example – concepts Government policies in Eastern Europe regarding wetland degradation Concept 1 wetlands

Search example – concepts Government policies in Eastern Europe regarding wetland degradation Concept 1 wetlands Concept 2 degradation

Search example – concepts Government policies in Eastern Europe regarding wetland degradation Concept 1 wetlands Concept 2 degradation Concept 3 policies

Search example – concepts Government policies in Eastern Europe regarding wetland degradation Concept 1 wetlands Concept 2 degradation Concept 3 policies Concept 4 eastern europe

Search example – keywords 1. wetland?, marsh*, bog?, swamp? (Thesaurus viewer or Wordtracker,Thesaurus viewer Wordtracker In Blackboard: see Keyword Finding Assistance under Extra Materials) 2. degradation, contamination, pollution, but also…. conservation 3. policy, policies, government, politics, authorities 4. Eastern Europe, Central Europe, Poland, etc. (explode)

Search example – search profile Within aspect: OR Between aspects: AND (Exclude aspects: NOT) Make sets per concept, or use parentheses Adjust during search

Where – selecting sources Choice of information source: Bibliographic databases portals: nature/environmental management metasearch for selection of database Test them ! Quantity Quality

How: Search tools difference in platforms different tools phrase searching? plural searching? field searching? operators? wildcards? thesaurus? see Search Tips and Help

Scopus and CAB ScopusCAB (OvidSP)CAB (EBSCO) "" for phrasephrase phrase search pluralssearch no pluralssometimes ti, ab, kwall fieldsall fields AND/OR/AND NOTAND/OR/NOTAND/OR/NOT PRE/WADJ/NEAR/WITHN/W *= any/ ? =1*=any/ ?= 0,1*=any/?=1/#=0,1 no thesaurusthesaurusthesaurus

Final search in CAB Abstracts and Scopus 1.wetland? OR marsh* OR bog? OR swamp? 2.degradation OR contamination OR pollution OR conservation 3.policy OR policies OR government? OR politic* OR authorit* 4.explode Central Europe via thesaurus CAB: 1 and 2 and 3 and 439 refs Scopus25 refs 1 AND 2 AND 3 AND 4

Following a thread Reference lists Cited by Related records