Part II

• This session will cover:– Finding journal articles on your topic– Using the Library’s online research databases– Evaluating Information

Librarian notes• Begin with a review of how to find books from last

session.• Remind students that they can always ask for

assistance, either at the reference desk or from their personal librarian.

• The search slides are an example. Please customize with search examples from your own discipline.

• You should do a live search, but have PowerPoint slides available as a backup in case the network goes down.

Research Tools

TOPCAT

Databases

TDnet

E-Books

Research Guides

The Trail of Tears

Suppose that you were asked to write a paper for history class on the Trail of Tears, President Andrew Jackson’s forced removal of the Cherokee Indians from the Southeast. Where would you start?

Step 1: General Encyclopedia Articles

• Use general encyclopedias for background information

• Grolier Online Encyclopedias –contains Encyclopedia Americana online

Step 2: Subject Encyclopedias & Reference Books

Step 3: Use Books

Research Guides help you get started with your research

TOPCAT, the library’s catalog, tells which books and journals we own

The One-Search Box connects you with TOPCAT, KenCat, Databases, E-Journals, and E-Books

• Talk about how to read a call number

Step 4: Find Journal Articles

WKU subscribes to over 200 research databases. Use our databases to find out which journals have articles on your topic.

• Use examples from your discipline to demonstrate TDnet and the databases

• Discuss the difference between TDnet and the databases

• Show Boolean searching with examples from your discipline using a Venn diagram– In my experience, it is better to draw the

diagram in front of the students• I recommend making back-up slides (such as

the examples in the next few slides)

EBSCOhost is a commercial service contains a number of widely-used databases, many with the actual full text of the article on the computer. Because the library pays for EBSCOhost and other databases, you don’t have to put in your credit card to read articles.

Academic Search Premier is a general, interdisciplinary database. It contains articles on all subjects.

America: History & Life contains articles on North American history since 1492. This is a good database to use for articles about the Trail of Tears.

AND means that we want to find articles that use BOTH of these words.

OR means that we want to have articles with EITHER ONE of the words.

NOT means we want articles with NONE of the words.

Check this box if you want only articles that have the full text available.

Check this box if you want only scholarly articles (articles that have been peer reviewed).

Jackson and Cherokee

If we want articles that talk about both Jackson and Cherokee, we put the word AND between them

Wrong Cherokee. We are not looking for the Jeep!

We can also search for the Seminole, who were also moved as part of the Trail of Tears.

When we put (Cherokee or Seminole) in the parentheses ( ), the computerputs them together first into a group of articles that have either the word Cherokee or the word Seminole.

Jackson and Cherokee or Seminole and Indian

Jackson and (Cherokee or Seminole) and Indian

When we put (Cherokee or Seminole) in parentheses ( ), the computer will put them together first into a group of articles that have either the word Cherokee or the word Seminole.

Your turn!• You have been assigned to write a paper

on the disparity between prison term sentencing for crack cocaine and powder cocaine. How do you search for this topic?

Evaluating Information

• Websites• Discuss parallels between evaluating websites and

scholarly vs. popular journals• Point out that students should evaluate and think

critically about all materials they use.

• Remind class again about reference assistance and personal librarians

• Remind class again about Facebook, Twitter, and blog

• If time permits– Deconstruct examples of bad searches with

class– Point out the advanced searching commands

for Internet search engines

Thank You!

If you need any assistance whatsoever, please contact the Reference Desk at 745-6125 or at web.reference@wku.edu.

We are always happy to help you!