Information Literacy Welcome to European Master in ABG Annemie Kersten August 11, 2009

Programme Tuesday, August – 9.15Introductory lecture 9.15 – 9.30Coffee/tea break 9.30 – 10.15Introductory lecture – 12.15Modules Friday, August – 10.15Modules and help in setting up search strategies and searching / EndNote demonstration

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

Information-explosion: e-resources

Information overload

Information sources Library Catalogue: to search titles of books, journals, reports in the library. NOT TO SEARCH ARTICLES. Bibliographies (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)

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

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 bibliography (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

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 or Web of Science 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 farms dairy cattle dairy cows dairy herds Concept 3: the Netherlands Gelderland Groningen Noord Brabant Drenthe Friesland …….. Concept 2: 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 of one concept AND to combine concepts NOT to exclude concepts (be careful!) Truncation/masking: For plural/singular words, different spelling e.g. behavio?r, feed*

Boolean operator - OR Either term A or term B must occur

Boolean operator - AND Both term A and term B must occur

Boolean operator - NOT Term A must occur, but term B must not

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”) In Web of Science based on the amount of references in common In PubMed based on MeSH terms and words from title and abstract In Scopus: choose references, keywords or authors in common. Reference lists (cited references) Citations (cited by)

Blackboard course After this introductory lecture, you start: Blackboard course ECS52901_2009_1: A selection of modules / learning units Assisted practicals and self study

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 Welcome to European Master in Animal Breeding and Genetics to see which modules and learning units you have to study

Where to get help? or (4) or (4) or (4)83654 Or ask for help in the Library