1. TSEM 102
RESEARCH BASICS:
KEYWORDS AND EVALUATION Laksamee
Putnam
lputnam@towson
.edu
Research and
Please login to the computer, then open a browser and go to: Instruction
http://bit.ly/TSEMcooper2012kw Librarian

2. FIRST…
 Laksamee Putnam
 lputnam@towson.edu
 Cook Library Reference:
 410.704.2462.
 IM/email
 Phone: 410.704.3746.
 Slides: http://bit.ly/TSEMcooper2012kw

3. TAKE AWAY…
 Readings Discussion
 Background reading/Internet searching
 Keywords and Connectors
 Evaluating Resources
 Come up with keywords!
 Slides: http://bit.ly/TSEMcooper2012kw

4. RESEARCH IS COMPLICATED
 What are the pros and cons
of so much information
being online?
 What do you do to be sure
you’re finding more than
“information junk food”?
 How do you evaluate the
information you find while
Prater, E. (2011) Beware online filter bubbles. TED: Ideas worth researching?
spreading.
http://www.ted.com/talks/eli_pariser_beware_online_filter_bubb
les.html  Why is it important to
Appelbaum, Y. (2012). How the professor who fooled Wikipedia support your argument with
got caught by Reddit. The Atlantic. May 15. valid sources?
http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2012/05/how-
the-professor-who-fooled-wikipedia-got-caught-by-
reddit/257134/#

5. WEB “PRE-SEARCHING”
Why start your search online?
 Find background information
 Help solidify research topic
 Find new terminology to use as keywords
 Find links and/or citations to other sources

6. IMPROVE GOOGLE
Mayan Calendar AND myths Galileo Galilei AND Earth
 Advanced Google  Cook Library’s Guide to
searching the Web
 Power searching
 Duck Duck Go

7. TRY NEW FEATURES TO HELP BUILD YOUR
KEYWORD LIST AND SEARCH STRATEGY.
 Keywords come from the search question
 Use Boolean “search connectors” to combine keywords in
ways that capture the results you need

8. SEARCH TIP #1
Boolean “search connectors”
AND OR NOT
For example:
abacus AND Japan
Combining >1 topic
Zellige OR Moorish tiling
Combining synonymous terms

9. SEARCH TIP #2
 Use truncation!
 Educat* finds
 Educate
 Education
 Educating
 Educator
 Etc…

10. SEARCH TIP #3
 Phrase Searching…
 Use quotations to keep a keyword phrase intact (words will be
searched in the specific order)
 Examples:
 “Roman numerals”
 “school reform”

11. KEYWORDS ARE CRITICAL!
 Sample topic:
 The role of zero in the development of mathematics
 First, break the question down into key concepts:
 The role of zero in the development of mathematics

12. MORE ON KEYWORDS…
 Expand your list to include synonyms then add to it once you
have done some background reading.
 The role of zero in the development of mathematics
zero development mathematic*
null history numerical
analysis algebra
role

13. PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER…
 The role of zero in the development of mathematics
zero development mathematic*
null history numerical
role algebra
zero OR null
AND
development OR history OR role
AND
mathematic* OR numerical OR algebra

14. EVALUATE WHAT YOU FIND
 Go to one of the websites below and analyze it
 http://bit.ly/cosmicweb1
 http://bit.ly/cosmicweb2
 http://bit.ly/cosmicweb3
 http://bit.ly/cosmicweb4
 http://bit.ly/cosmicweb5
 http://bit.ly/cosmicweb6
 http://bit.ly/cosmicweb7

15. CHECK FOR CRAP
Currency
Reliability
Authority
Purpose/Point of View

16. CHECK FOR CRAP
Currency
 How recent is the
information?
 Can you locate a date
when the resource was
written/created/updat
ed?
 Based on your topic, is
this current enough?
 Why might the date
matter for your topic?
http://www.flickr.com/photos/helloeveryone123/393737419
3/sizes/m/in/photostream/
Guidelines for CRAP provided by the Jean and Alexander Heard Library

17. CHECK FOR CRAP
Reliability
 What kind of
information is included
in the resource?
 Does the author
provide citations &
references for
quotations & data
 Where are you
accessing this http://www.flickr.com/photos/schnappi/5930145952/sizes/l/in/photostream/
information?
Guidelines for CRAP provided by the Jean and Alexander Heard Library

18. CHECK FOR CRAP
 Authority
 Can you determine who
the author/creator is?
 What are their
credentials (education,
affiliation, experience,
etc.)?
 Who is the publisher or
sponsor of the
work/site?
 Is this publisher/sponsor
reputable http://rantchick.com/a-doctrine-on-respect/
Guidelines for CRAP provided by the Jean and Alexander Heard Library

19. CHECK FOR CRAP
Purpose/Point of
View
 Is the content
primarily opinion?
 Is the information
balanced or biased?
 What is the purpose
of the information? Is
it to inform, teach,
sell, entertain or
persuade
http://www.flickr.com/photos/cogdog/5484085301/sizes/m/
in/photostream/
Guidelines for CRAP provided by the Jean and Alexander Heard Library

20. BEGIN YOUR OWN RESEARCH
 Come up with key concepts/keywords for your topic
 Search for initial information on websites
 Fill out this worksheet
 Google Doc Worksheet
 Next class:
 Watch TED video and prepare for in-class discussion
 Use your keywords to find books/articles

21. QUESTIONS?
 Feel free to contact me:
 Laksamee Putnam
 lputnam@towson.edu
 410.704.3746.
 Or any reference librarian:
 Visit Cook Library Reference Desk
 410.704.2462.
 IM – tucookchat