This document outlines an instruction session presented by Laksamee Putnam, a research and instruction librarian, on evaluating online resources. It discusses using the CRAAP test to assess credibility, developing effective keywords and searching techniques, finding a relevant website resource to analyze using keywords, and completing a worksheet to reflect on the session. Students are encouraged to contact the librarian or reference desk with any other questions.

1. Laksamee Putnam
lputnam@towson.edu
Research & Instruction Librarian
http://bit.ly/tsemthompsonsp17c2
Please login to a
computer and go to this
URL

2. First…
 Laksamee Putnam
 lputnam@towson.edu
 Cook Library Reference:
 410.704.2462.
 IM/email
 Phone: 410.704.3746.
 Twitter: @CookLibraryofTU
 Albert S. Cook Facebook profile!

3. Agenda
 Pre-class reading Discussion
 Evaluating Resources - TIL
 Keywords
 Find a website resource

4. Wikipedia Woes and Google Gaffs
 What are the pros and cons of so
much information being online?
 What do you do to be sure you’re
finding credible resources?
 Which criteria did you like best
from the “Spotting Bad
Science”? Why?
 What does A or B testing mean
for your research online?
 Who do you think is responsible
for fact checking? Why?
Brumming, A. (2015) A rough guide to spotting bad
science. Compound Interest.
http://www.compoundchem.com/2014/04/02/a-
rough-guide-to-spotting-bad-science/
New York Times (2013) If a Story Is Viral, Truth May
Be Taking a Beating http://nyti.ms/1d7MUUB
A or B. (2015). Planet Money podcast.
http://www.npr.org/sections/money/2015/12/11/4594
12925/episode-669-a-or-b

5. Today I Learned (TIL)
 In Reddit people share “headlines” in TIL format
 Which resources are “good”
 Which resources are “bad”
 How do you know?

6. Today I Learned (TIL)

7. Check for CRAAP
Currency
Relevance
Authority
Accuracy
Purpose

8. Check for CRAAP
 Currency
 How recent is the
information?
 Can you locate a date
when the resource was
written/created/updated?
 Based on your topic, is this
current enough?
 Why might the date
matter for your topic?

9. Check for CRAAP
 Relevance
 How does this
information relate to
your topic?
 Who is the intended
audience?
 How does this resource
compare to others you
have looked at?

10. Check for CRAAP
 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

11. Check for CRAAP
 Accuracy
 Is the information
supported with evidence?
 Has the information been
reviewed?
 How confident are you that
the content is correct?

12. Check for CRAAP
 Purpose
 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

13. Which words?
 Take a look at these pictures.
What do you see?
 Go here and fill in a word to
describe each picture
A
D C
B

14. Keywords are critical!
 Sample topic:
 Can air pollution regulation affect climate change?
 First, break the question down into key concepts:
 Concept #1: air pollution
 Concept #2: regulation
 Concept #3: climate change

15. More on keywords…
 Expand your list to include synonyms then add
to it once you have done some background
reading.
 Can air pollution regulation affect climate change?
air pollution regulation climate change
smog
carbon dioxide
ozone
Clean Air Act
Clean Power Plan
National Ozone Standard
global warming
greenhouse effect

16. Putting it all together…
 Can air pollution regulation affect climate change?
“air pollution” OR “carbon emissions”
AND
regulation OR “Clean Air Act” OR “Clean Power Plan”
AND
“climate change” OR “global warming”
air pollution regulation climate change
smog
carbon emissions
ozone
Clean Air Act
Clean Power Plan
National Ozone Standard
global warming
greenhouse effect

17. Create keywords
 Complete Part 1 of your worksheet
 Write your research topic on your worksheet
 Break your topic down into key concepts
 Find a partner to help you fill in synonyms
 Give the worksheet back to the original owner

18. Potential Topics
 What role do chlorofluorocarbons play in climate
change?
 What do global circulation models predict for the
future?
 How is human health altered by climate change?
 What are environmental refugees and how can we help
them?
 How long will our fresh water resources last?

19. Improve Google
 Advanced Google
searching
 Duck Duck Go
 Gred Laden Climate
Change search Engine
 Intergovernmental
Organization Search
Engine
Try these alternative search engines

20. Find a website resource!
 Use your keywords in Google
 Use your keywords in one of the Google alternatives
 Pick the most interesting result
 Enter your results here:
 https://padlet.com/lputnam/thompsonpadletsp17
 Enter your name, search words, and a link to the website

21. Take a look at the results
 On your worksheet assess a result posted with the
CRAAP assessment
 What problems did you have ….
 Coming up with keywords?
 Searching for a website?

22. Thanks for listening!
 Fill out Part 2 of your paper worksheet
 Fill out TIL statements about your library session today
 Hand the worksheet in to the librarian
 Next library session:
 Pre-class reading and prepare for discussion
 Use your keywords to find books/articles

23. Questions?
 Feel free to contact me:
 Laksamee Putnam
 lputnam@towson.edu
 410.704.3746.
 Twitter: @CookLibraryofTU
 Or any reference librarian:
 Visit Cook Library Reference Desk
 410.704.2462.
 IM – tucookchat