FSC 632; Library & Research Basics

FSC 632Library & Research

Basics

Linda Galloway2014

Today’s agenda• Who I am, what I do• SU Library

– Locations, hours, how to get help– Where to study/work in the libraries– Remote access to library resources

• Finding materials @ the libraries– Books, articles, other items

• Library services– ILL– Avoiding plagiarism & citing sources– Research & Reference help

About me…• Librarian/subject specialist for Biology,

Chemistry & Forensic Science, STEM bibliographer

• Help people access the content they need, teach (guest lectures and classes), purchase books/other material for the library, create web content, etc.

• Email: galloway@syr.edu

Locations & Hours Open

• Carnegie Library (Science & Technology)• Geology Library (in Heroy Hall)• Bird Library

– Technology Loans– Private study rooms– Team rooms– Computers, printers, scanners

• Hours open online: check library.syr.edu

Finding Quiet Spaces

• Carnegie Library – “silent reading room”• Quiet areas in Bird:

– Check on first floor, it’s currently under construction

– Private study rooms & team rooms (you sign the room out and can reserve rooms for 3 hour time slots)

Help!!

• Contact your subject specialist, Linda Galloway – galloway@syr.edu

• General help: http://library.syr.edu/research/askus

Why??

FindEvaluate

Synthesize Ethically use

Information

Finding Books

Electronic Book

In print: HV8073 .H77 2010

In print: QA276 .A264 2010

Finding Articles

Finding Articles• Library search tool

–SUMMON• Use Subject Guides

– Chemistry– Chemical engineering– Plus hundreds of others

• Databases Main Menu– Search through subject categories for links to

our 500+ databases!

Full text, no newspapers

Journal articles only

Set date range 2006-present

think before (and while) you search….

What types of articles do you want?

Newspaper

Magazine print

Journal

Website

and

Recognize the difference between a magazine and a

journal…..

Peer review: suitability for publication credibility quality control

Primary Sources& Peer Review

Primary Source - Original document containing firsthand information– Lab notebooks, interviews– Original research including journal articles

and preprints

A peer reviewed primary source is a work that is evaluated by experts in the field of study prior to publication. Serves as a measure of quality.

Finding Articles• Library search tool

–SUMMON• Use Subject Guides

–Forensics–Chemistry–Plus hundreds of others

• Databases Main Menu– Search through subject categories for links to

our 500+ databases!

http://researchguides.library.syr.edu/forensics

Search

Finding Articles• Library search tool

–SUMMON• Use Subject Guides

– Chemistry– Chemical engineering– Plus hundreds of others

• Databases Main Menu– Search through subject categories for

links to our 500+ databases!

When searching databases…

Remember: RATS • Key words• Synonyms• Subjects• Suggested topics• Types of materials

– Scholarly Journals, Magazines, etc.

Read All The Screens!

Remote Access to Library Resources

• Almost all resources are available off campus via our proxy server

• Log on once and until you close your browser are recognized as an SU student

• Get to databases/resources via the SU Library web site so you are recognized as a student; http://library.syr.edu

Primary Forensic Scientific Literature

• Find citations to articles in databases• Find full text of articles in journals• Original scientific research articles

– Not review articles– Not books

• Check for scholarly status (you want a peer-reviewed or refereed journal) by consulting ULRICH’S database

Is the journal peer-reviewed?

Questions??

Start with your research assignment…

• Develop a research topic by:– Evaluating topic– Background reading/ review literature– Developing a list of search terms– Writing a clarifying paragraph, thesis

statement (something to prove or disprove) OR a research question

Choose a topic you are interested in.

Carefully define and develop your topic.

A well defined topic is easier to search.

Developing your Topic

1. Choose a topic that interests you.

2. Evaluate your topic.

3. Get a working knowledge of your topic. (develop keyword list)

4. Identify controversies or questions.

5. Develop your research question.

6. Write your clarifying paragraph.

Let’s develop our topic1. Choose a topic that interests you (false confessions)

2. Evaluate your topic (Too broad or narrow?)

3. Get a working knowledge of your topic. (develop keyword list) (How to do this??)

4. Identify controversies or questions (Background reading)

5. Develop your research question (Why?)

6. Write your clarifying paragraph (Or introduction, or abstract)

Background Information

• Google• Encyclopedias

–Encyclopedia of Forensic Sciences–Other print and online–Big “W”

• Books and other media

Legal & News Resources

http://researchguides.library.syr.edu/forensics

Search for:confession AND false AND interrogation

in “Look up a Legal Case”yielded 300+ results

Web Resources

Research Methods & Guidance

Before you begin your research…

• Define your topic• Gain a working knowledge of your topic –

background info, keywords, controversies • Write your abstract/introduction AND your

outline• Make sure you know what you are looking

for• Find articles in the….• Check peer-reviewed status in…

Avoiding Plagiarism and Citing Sources

What is Plagiarism?

• Copy from published sources without adequate documentation

• Paraphrase from a written source without giving credit to the author

• Paraphrase from the web without giving credit

Final tips…

Forensic Science Resources

• Wealth of resources at SU!– However….we don’t have everything

• Interlibrary Loan Services – Try to get you what you need asap– Journal articles, books, chapters, etc.– Service is free – register here:

• https://illiad.syr.edu/

Google

Google Scholar

Summon

Specialized databases

Broad,Interdisciplinary

search Tools

Focused, subject-specific search engines

RSS Alerts

• Set up RSS feeds in databases to be alerted when new articles in your field of interest are published. (I use Scopus to do this).

• Can set up alerts from most databases – by author, subject or receive citation alerts

Search Tips

• Most search tools insert AND between words.– Criminal AND profiling

• To search for an exact phrase, use quotation marks

“criminal profiling”• Use advanced search or read help

sections for further assistance

Determine what you need:

• Book– Background information– In depth review or overviews

• Article– General (review articles)– More narrowly focused– Peer-reviewed, scientific

Think before you search

http://researchguides.library.syr.edu/biology

Need help?

Come visit –

Sci-Tech Library (Carnegie)

galloway@syr.edu

OR http://library.syr.edu/research/askus/

Questions???