Information Literacy YAS Welcome to Scientific Wageningen: Developing Academic Skills and Attitude Annemie Kersten September, 2009
Morning group – h: Introductory lecture – h: Break – h: Introductory lecture: search strategy – h: Modules (BlackBoard)
Afternoon group – h: Introductory lecture – h: Break – h: Introductory lecture: search strategy – h: Modules (BlackBoard)
Information Literacy "To be information literate, a person must be able to recognize when information is needed and have the ability to locate, evaluate, and use effectively the needed information" (ALA, 1989) Why should you be information literate? –Later as a professional –Now during your studies
What will you learn? How to search for scientific information How to use the Wageningen UR Digital Library How to use bibliographic databases on different platforms How to set up a search strategy How to evaluate search results How to cite and reference your sources
Information-explosion: e-resources
Information overload
Information sources Library Catalogue: to search titles of books, journals, reports in the library. NOT TO SEARCH ARTICLES. Bibliographic databases (article databases): to search journal articles, book chapters etc. Internet by using a search engines, such as Google, Yahoo, Scirus, Google Scholar
Where to search - evaluation Compare a search for “horse breeds” in: Google or Google Scholar GoogleGoogle Scholar Library Catalogue (records of books, journals, reports etc.) Library Catalogue CAB- Abstracts (bibliographic database: records of articles, book chapters etc.) CAB- Abstracts
Wageningen UR Physical Library
Physical Library (books)
Physical Library (journals)
Physical Library (stacks)
Wageningen UR Digital Library Portals: a guide to information resources by subject area and general reference Catalogue Electronic journals My Library MetaLib URL after off-campus log in
What and where? Known item searching Concept searching Following a thread Illustration © Loet van Moll 2009
Known-item searching If you have a reference already For a book: search an online Catalogue, by author, by title etc. For an article: search a bibliographic database (article database) by author, by article title or an online Catalogue by journal title
Concept searching If you do not have a reference already Compile a list of keywords about your search question and define a search strategy
Search strategy in 5 steps 1.Analysis of the search question 2.Formulation of search terms per concept 3.Combination of search terms 4.Too many hits : refine the search question 5.Not enough hits : broaden the search question
Analysis of the question (step 1) Breeding programs in dairy farming in the Netherlands: First identify key concepts Concept 1: dairy farming Concept 2: breeding programs Concept 3: Netherlands
Analysis of the question (step 1) Which databases? CAB Abstracts, Agris, Agricola via OvidSP Scopus, Web of Science, Google Scholar Wageningen catalogue (for books, reports, theses, etc.) Tip: Use the Portals on the library website
Formulation of terms per concept (step 2) Concept 1: dairy farming dairy farming dairy farms dairy cattle dairy cows dairy herds Concept 3: Netherlands Netherlands Gelderland Groningen Noord Brabant Drenthe Friesland …….. Concept 2: breeding programs breeding programs breeding programmes breeding practices breeding strategies breeding structure breeding schemes breeding value selective breeding selection strategies sire selection …….
Formulation of terms per concept (step 2) How do you find several terms per concept? Use a Thesaurus (if available) look at narrower, broader and related terms scan relevant references on words in title, abstract and keywords fields Read the introduction of an article: e.g. “The aim of the present study was…”
Combination of search terms (step 3) Boolean operators: OR to combine synonyms and search terms of one concept AND to combine concepts NOT to exclude concepts or search terms (be careful!) Use wildcards (truncation/masking): For plural/singular words, different spelling e.g. behavio?r, feed*
Boolean operator - OR author OR manage OR publish Either the term author or the term manage or the term publish must occur Broadens your search it.com/kc/4674.htm it.com/kc/4674.htm
Boolean operator - AND author AND manage AND publish The term author and the term manage and the term publish must occur Restricts your search it.com/kc/4674.htm it.com/kc/4674.htm
Boolean operator - NOT author NOT manage NOT publish = author NOT (manage OR publish) The term author must occur, but both the term manage and the term publish must not occur Restricts your search it.com/kc/4674.htm it.com/kc/4674.htm
Combination of search terms (step 3) 1. dairy farm* OR dairy cattle OR dairy cow? OR dairy herd* 2. breeding program* OR breeding practice? OR breeding strateg* OR breeding structure? OR selection scheme? OR breeding value? OR selective breeding OR selection strateg* OR sire selection 3. Netherlands (use thesaurus if available or choose specific field to search) 4. Grass breeding program* (#1 AND #2 AND #3) NOT #4
Combination of search terms (step 3) ((dairy farm* OR dairy cattle OR dairy cow? OR dairy herd*) AND (breeding program* OR breeding practice? OR breeding strateg* OR breeding structure? OR selection scheme? OR breeding value? OR selective breeding OR selection strateg* OR sire selection) AND (Netherlands)) NOT (Grass breeding program*) Go to OvidSP and select CAB- Abstracts
Results (step 4/5) Too many: refine your search! More concepts, limits, etc Too few: broaden your search Less concepts, no limits, more or other databases
Other strategy: following a thread Related articles (“more like this”) e.g. Web of Science, Scopus, Pubmed Citations (cited by): more recent publications E.g. Web of Science, Scopus, PsycINFO Illustration © Loet van Moll 2009
Select and evaluete results Type of document Subject and scope Intended audience Date of publication Blackboard module 5 Illustration © Loet van Moll 2009
Citing and referencing Avoid plagiarism Backboard module 7 Illustration © Loet van Moll 2009
BlackBoard course After this introductory lecture, you start: Blackboard course ECS52901_2009_1: A selection of modules / learning units Assisted practical and self study Exam Information Literacy 26 October 2009
How to log in to the BlackBoard Course? WUR account and enrolled in BB: Login using your WUR account Go to Click on User Login button Enter Username and Password and click on Login button Select ECS52901_2009_1
How to log in to the BlackBoard Course? WUR account, not enrolled in BB: Login using a guest account Go to Click on User Login button Enter Username user01 and password user01 Select ECS52901_2009_1 Guest accounts user01 through user16
Blackboard: Course Information Select Course information and open YAS Welcome to Scientific Wageningen: Developing Academic Skills and Attitude For help: or (4)84501 or (4)83654 Library Service Desk Or ask for help in the Library