Starting Your Research American Indian Studies

Anthropology

Library InstructionFall 2004

Mary S. Woodley818-677-6302

mary.woodley@csun.eduhttp://library.csun.edu/mwoodley/

anthro451.ppt

What is the assignment?

Paper, Presentation, Annotated Bibliography?

Due date – when is the last date for ILL? Citation Style? AAA Style Guide http://www.aaanet.org/pubs/style_guide.htm

Types of publications?

What is an Annotated Bibliography?

A list of citations of books, journal articles, and documents in an appropriate style that includes a brief evaluation of the resource: its relevance, accuracy, and quality. Differs from abstracts which are descriptive summaries without a critical evaluation.

Examples http://www.library.cornell.edu/olinuris/ref/research/sample

Basic Search Strategies: Words to Search by Jargon Keyword Controlled vocabulary – Subject

words/phrases

Key Words Controlled Vocabulary

Basic Search Strategies: Putting concepts together

Boolean operator and

Venn diagrams serve as a visual expression of the Boolean operations

Bazaars

Weaving and Weavers

Basic Search Strategies: Putting concepts together

Boolean operator or

Textiles Textile fabrics

Basic Search Strategies: Putting concepts together

Boolean operator not

Textiles Weaving

linen

and

not

Truncation Symbol used at the end of a word to retrieve variant

endings of that word.

Allows you to search the "root" form of a word with all its different endings.

Broadens or increases search results. Truncation = OR Example: teen* retrieves teen OR teens OR teenager

OR teenagers

However: cat* retrieves cat, cats, but also cataclysm, catacomb, catalepsy, catalog, etc.

Use OR instead to maintain meaning: cat or cats

Wildcards Some databases allow for wildcards

to be embedded within a word to replace a single character. For example:

comp???tion retrieves composition, competition, computation, etc.

wom?n retrieves woman, women Colo?r retrieves color, colour

Need a book?

1. Search the Library's online catalog. Try searching using the keyword search.

2. Write down the floor location of the book and the call number where the book will be found on the shelf

How Call Numbers Work

Need an article? Popular magazines Trade publications Scholarly publications

All three may be available in print or online or both

Types of PeriodicalsScholarly Journals

Authors are authorities in their fields. Authors cite their sources in endnotes,

footnotes, or bibliographies. Individual issues have little or no

advertising. Illustrations usually take the form of

charts and graphs.

Types of Periodicals:Scholarly Journals Articles must go through a peer-review or

refereed process.

Scholarly/academic articles that are read by academic or scholar "referees" for advice and evaluation of content when submitted for publication. Referees recommend to the editor/editorial board whether the article should be published as is, revised, or rejected. Also sometimes know as "peer-reviewed" articles.

Articles are usually reports on scholarly research.

Articles use jargon of the discipline.

Popular Magazines and Newpapers Authors are magazine staff members

or free lance writers. Authors often mention sources, but rarely

formally cite them in bibliographies. Individual issues contain numerous

advertisements. There is no peer review process. Articles are meant to inform and entertain. Illustrations may be numerous and colorful. Language is geared to the general adult

audience (no specialized knowledge of jargon needed).

Internet Resources vs. Surfing the Web Internet Resources include:

Internet accessible databases and journals Use a Web interface Usually require subscription

Exception: ERIC Wizard Equivalent to print indexes and journals Authoritative and reliable

Surfing the Web: Use free search engines

E.G.: Yahoo, Google, HotBot Critical evaluation required

Anyone can put up a Web page! Evaluating Web pages (

http://library.csun.edu/mwoodley/Webeval.html)

Evaluating Internet Resources

Types of Web Sites: the url is a key

.gov

.edu.org.com

AuthorityContent & CoverageTimelinessAccuracyObjectivity

World Wide Web sites come in many sizes and styles. How do you

distinguish a site that gives reliable information from one that gives

incorrect information? Below are some guidelines to help.