Information Overload…Using the Empire State College Online Library to Research & Evaluate Information Sources

Agenda• Academic Support

– What is available?– How to access

resources• The Steps in

Conducting Academic Research

• Using The ESC Library• Evaluating Sources

http://www.esc.edu/ole

ANGEL Community GroupNEC Academic Support

• . One-to-one appointments in person (Latham & Residencies) or via phone, e-mail, webcam, etc.

• Workshops (online & onsite)• Small group assistance (online & onsite) • Online Tutoring – Smarthinking (www.esc.edu/smarthinking)

& Writer’s Complex (http://www.esc.edu/writer)

Accessing Academic Support Resources

http://empire2.esc.edu/staffweb/lisadadamo.nsf/webFaculty & Staff Website Link

Academic Support @ NEC Website

Additional Support

Meet the Learning Coaches

What is a learning coach? A learning coach is someone who provides academic support to students in one-on-one or small group settings in all areas of the writing process and related study skills strategies including time management, organization, reading efficiency, developing a study plan, goal setting, critical thinking, library research skills, note-taking, and learning styles.

Sarah Spence-Staulters is located in Latham working with Schenectady & Latham/Albany students Her hours are: Mondays - 4:45pm-7:45pm

Wednesdays - 4:30pm-8:00pmFridays - 9am-11:30am

Contact Sarah to make an appointment : (518) 783-6203 ext 5992 or Sarah.Spence-Staulters@esc.edu

________________________________________________________________________________ Kate Stockton is located in Latham working with Johnstown & Latham/Albany students Her hours are: Mondays - 4:30pm-6:30pm

Tuesdays - 4:30pm-8:00pmThursdays - 4:30pm-8:00pm

Contact Kate to make an appointment : (518) 783-6203 ext 5992 or Kate.Stockton@esc.edu

Mary Sanders-Shartle is located in Saratoga working with Saratoga & Queensbury students Her hours are: Mondays – 12pm-2pm

Wednesdays – 3pm-6pmThursdays 4pm-6pmContact Mary to make an appointment :(518) 587-2100 ext 2827 or Mary.Sanders-Shartle@esc.edu

Steps to Conducting Academic Research

• Step 1 – Clarify the Assignment

• Step 2 – Develop Research Question/Thesis

• Step 3 - Identify Keywords

• Step 4 – Understand Basic Search Techniques

• Step 5 – Begin Research Process

Step 1 – Clarify Assignment• Is topic specified?

– Consider the …• question(s) you are asked to address/create• discipline through which you are approaching the topic• specific thing(s) you already know/want to know about the topic

• What are the basic requirements?– Length of paper required?– Audience for your research– Time you have available to research– What citation format is required?

• MLA – Modern Language Association– Used in the Humanities

• APA - American Psychological Association– Used in the Social Sciences

• Ask your instructor any questions you may have at beginning of process!

• THOROUGHLY UNDERSTAND YOUR TOPIC!– Know what you are being asked/what you must address– What interests you the most about the topic?– Make a listing of questions you would like to have

answered about the topic– What would capture the interest of the reader?

• Pick issue that can be researched– Make sure topic is not too broad nor narrow in scope

• Resources:– WORKSHEET– Information Literacy– Designing Research Question– www.esc.edu/writer - Go to the “Research Room”

Step 2 – Develop Research Question/Thesis

Click the word WORKSHEET to open an MSWord

copy of the worksheet

Step 3: Identify KeywordsKeywords: Any informative words in the text of a

document, chosen as indicating the main content of the document.

CAUTION• Keywords and subjects are not the same.• Keywords are significant words from a document used as

an index to content.• Subjects are the main focus of a work. Subject headings

are assigned from standards created by catalogers.• Unless you know the word you are looking for is a subject

heading, your search maybe unsuccessful.• Therefore, it is a good practice to start with a keyword

search!!

Step 4: Understand Basic Search Techniques

“Quotation Marks” & (Parenthesis) : allows for the search of groups of words occurring together

EXAMPLES“workplace literacy”“sleep deprivation”

Combine Words and Phrases

Use Truncation

Truncation: to use a shortened form of a word to search for all alternate endings.

sleep* will result in sleeping, sleepy, sleeps depriv* will result in deprived, deprives,

deprivation

Combine Words and PhrasesUsing Boolean Searching

AND

NOTOR

Click here for a link to more information about this

search technique

Source of Pictures: ESC Library website

Boolean PhrasesAnd = a grouping of two specific

ideas (ex. Hurricane and Katrina)

Or = one idea or anther idea (ex. United states or America)

Step 3 – Begin Research Process

• WHAT TO USE -- ESC Online Library• http://www.esc.edu/- Click on My ESC, then Library and

Learning Resources – go to Find Info Quick Start Tutorial• All Databases & Subject Guides

• Provides links to all databases based on subject area• College recommended academic focus websites

• WHAT TO AVOID• General Google searches• Avoid certain “sources” i.e., Wickipedia, unsubstantiated

sources such as blogs, statements from non-experts.

WHAT DO I RESEARCH? • Locate background information using summaries

and overviews in "reference" materials.

• Find books on your topic.

• Use online database services to search for periodical articles using online indexes and abstracts.

• Research your topic on the Internet using search engines and subject directories.

• Evaluate, document and organize your resources.

Using the ESC Online Library

The Best Links for Conducting Your Research

www.esc.edu/library

Links to a comprehensive annotated listing of all the databases the library subscribes to – a one-stop-shopping site for your research. The 3 best databases are EBSCO, JSTOR & PROQUEST.

EBSCOHost  

Best Search Sites to Go To

• Jstor – Most Academic

• Ebsco – Combo Academic & Popular

• Proquest – More popular & academic

EBSCOHost 

Best Place to Start for an Overview of FIVE STEPS FOR FINDING INFORMATION: • Identify Your Topic • Find Keywords That Describe Your

Topic and Create a Search • Get Definitions and Background

Information • Find Journal and Newspaper Articles

and Books • Document Your Information Sources

If you needed immediate help you can always chat live with a librarian

There are 6 main sections of the library website outlined in red above: 1 - Get Started: Everything you need to get started with your research, including Dictionary & Encyclopedia Search. 2 - Journals & Articles: search for articles using our collection of databases. 3 - Books: search for e-books, or print books anywhere in the world. 4 - Cite Your Sources: how to create your bibliography and footnotes (or in-text citations.) 5 -Help: Ask A Librarian via e-mail, phone, or web chat. You can also access our how-tos (tutorials) here. 6 -Search Tips & News: this area shows current tips & news articles from our Library Research Blog.

What Additional Library Resources Do You Have Access To???

Academic Library Services • Public access to academic libraries will depend upon the nature of the

institution (i.e., public university, private college, community college, etc.). Generally, you may be able to use materials within the library itself, but will not be able to borrow books or use interlibrary loan. Some institutions also restrict public access to certain times of the day, so it’s a good idea to call ahead.

• If you use a library at a State University of New York (SUNY) or City University of New York (CUNY) institution, you will have partial access to the collection under the SUNY Open Access and CUNY library agreements.

Public Library Services • The major benefit is that you will have full access to library services in

your city or county of residence.

• As collections tend to support the general interest needs of its community, collections will be limited in the availability of "scholarly" materials.

• Depending upon the size and funding of the library, interlibrary loan services may be available.

Upcoming workshopsNovember 23:Introduction to Library

Research Skills November 30:Don’t Fall Behind, End

the Term Right: Time Management and Origination Strategies for Success

December 3:Don’t Fall Behind, End the Term Right: Time Management and Origination Strategies for Success

December 7: Introduction to Library Research Skills

www.esc.edu/library

             all fields/multidisciplinary  Search one or many of the different EBSCO databases. [view tutorial]

For more assistance and information about doing library research choose any of these links.

www.esc.edu/library

INFORMATION LITERACYwww.esc.edu/infolit