W EEK 2: L IBRARY R ESOURCES

T YPES OF RESEARCH Depending on what you are trying to accomplish, research can fall into different categories, such as: Finding a particular fact or data to answer a question. Selecting different types of materials in order to create a comprehensive picture. Gathering and analyzing data to find a solution for a problem.

L ET ’ S TRY …. Let’s see if you can match the question below with the correct category of research needed. “What were Apache Indians like?” 1. Finding a particular fact or data to answer a question. 2. Selecting different types of materials in order to create a comprehensive picture.. 3. Gathering and analyzing data to find a solution for a problem.

A ND THE ANSWER IS … Selecting different types of materials in order to create a report, article or book. This type of question will require gathering information from multiple sources because you are asking about the life of the Apaches. Why? Because the answer would not be simple. You are asking more than what they ate for breakfast or what they thought of war, so it would require you to look in many different places for a comprehensive picture.

O NE MORE … If the question is: “Why are the Smokey Mountains called the Smokey Mountains?” Which one? 1. Finding a particular fact or data to answer a question. 2. Selecting different types of materials in order to create a comprehensive picture. 3. Gathering and analyzing data to find a solution for a problem. Questions about this?

R ESEARCH Notice that each of the preceding research topics was phrased as a question. As you think about the research topic you chose last week, ask yourself three questions about the topic that you would like to answer. This will help you come up with keywords and phrases that you can use to search for information.

F ORMULATING YOUR QUESTION How you write your question is just as important as having a question. Think of the Goldilocks and the Three Bears! If your question is too narrow, you might not find enough information. If your question is too broad, you may find too much information and become lost in it all. When deciding how broad or narrow to make the question, keep in mind the type of research category. Let’s consider some of the questions we looked at a moment ago.

F ORMULATING YOUR QUESTION “ Why are the Smokey Mountains called the Smokey Mountains?” Given the type of research category, do you think this question is too broad, too narrow, or just right for this type of research?

F ORMULATING YOUR QUESTION “What were Apache Indians like?” Given the type of research category, do you think this question is too broad, too narrow, or just right for this type of research?

Y OUR R ESEARCH P ROJECT You have already selected your research topics for this class. For your first research assignment, you will think about your topic and decide on three questions you would like answered about the topic. As you progress in your research, you will find many different paths to go down. Don’t be afraid to look at several. Refining your topic and rephrasing your questions is perfectly normal in the research process. Remember also, that several other people have the same topic as you. It is perfectly alright to discuss your research progress together as long as you are NOT copying off of each other. That is a BIG NO-NO!

W HAT ’ S GOING ON TODAY Now that we have a NEED for information, we have to find some information. Today we will focus on the types of information found inside a library. We will then take a tour of the LRC, meet Erin, and do an in-class activity designed to help you become familiar with the resources there.

L IBRARY I NFORMATION S OURCES Books: fiction and nonfiction Be aware that there is a significant time lapse between when a book is written and when it is published so certain types of information might be outdated. Keep this in mind when finding books on your research topic. Also topics that are really current might not have books published on them yet! There is a difference between fiction and nonfiction. FICTION books are make- believe. These are novels, poetry, prose, and plays. NONFICTION are stories that are true. Like autobiographies, biographies, history books, textbooks, and documentaries. (See handout on class site) Reference Sources: Reference Librarian, encyclopedias, dictionaries, directories, almanacs, atlases, indexes, handbooks, thesaurus, manuals, and style manuals. Note that encyclopedias can be a great resource to find background information on a topic. Almanacs are great to find statistics, lists, figures, tables, and specific facts in a variety of areas.

T HAT ONE ENCYCLOPEDIA WE KNOW … 66B083400/25/v9RYES7h-t0

L IBRARY SOURCES CONTINUED … Periodicals: Think Magazines! Remember an important feature of a periodical is currency. We will discuss the differences more in depth next week. Newspapers: local, regional, national, and international which generally cover current events. Multimedia: information in a form other than print or electronic. CD ROMs, DVDs, audiotapes, vinyl records, and 16-mm film are examples.

I NFORMATION RETRIEVAL SYSTEMS These systems allow access to electronic resources and information. Library Catalog: Ever go to the library and search for a book? The catalog is where the library shows what it has in its holding. If you wanted a DVD, book, audiobook, or magazine, you would search the library catalog. Databases: a collection of digitized information (journal/magazines articles) for simplified, fast searching and retrieval. Databases can be subject specific or general. They can have full-text articles or abstracts or both.

W HAT HAPPENS AFTER H ARRISON ? The databases that we will discover in this class will only be available to you as long as you are a student at Harrison College. Once you graduate, you will no longer have access to them. So where do you go to find articles?

I NFORMATION RETRIEVAL SYSTEMS CONTINUED … The Internet: Web Browsers: this special software interprets the Internet files and puts them in a readable format. Examples are Google Chrome, Internet Explorer, and Mozilla Firefox. Search Engines: Use computer software that makes the web searchable by keywords or phrases. Search results may be listed by relevancy, currency, or popularity. Examples are Google, Yahoo!, and MSN.

O NLINE REFERENCE RESOURCES Some good places to go for quick information: Merriam-Webster Online: Thesaurus: Occupational Outlook Handbook: Encyclopedia Britannica: One good online periodical to be aware of: PubMed Central:

F OR THE NEXT CLASS : Read Chapter 2. Complete the Research Assignment #2. Be prepared to take the quiz over Chapter 2. Have a great weekend

O NE MINUTE WRITE - UPS Please answer the following questions. 1. What are two things you learned about today? 2. What points/elements of today’s lecture did you find most confusing? 3. Do you have any suggestions or concerns you would like to bring to my attention?