Using the Library Effectively

1
Using the Library Effectively

• For CRTW
• Critical Arguments

2
Why Use the Internet?

• Fast searches
• Variety of viewpoints
• Quick retrieval
• Preliminary sorting of information

3
Why to Worry about Internet Sources

• Lack of editorial control or quality
  assuranceless respected by professionals in most
  fields
• Lack of permanence (to some extent alleviated by
  htttp//www.archive.org)
• Obvious and hidden biases
• Internet as the easy way out
• Unreliable evidence that looks reliable
• Traps and frauds (see site 1 and site 2)

4
Why Use the Library?

• Focused, subject-related searching efficient
  use of time
• Retrieval
• Reliability (access to peer-reviewed sources)
• Credibility (fact-checking, peer-review)

5
Drawbacks to Using the Library

• Library may not hold the material it may be
  necessary to order material on Interlibrary Loan
• Time required for turnaround it takes time to
  get books in print, articles in indexes, texts on
  the web, etc., so it may be a little behind.
• Age of collection (especially with books)is
  material timely and relevant?

6
Effective CRTW 201 Search Strategy

• Figure out what descriptors get you good
  information on your topic (see PH p. 309-311)
• Anticipate and account for biases in the
  information you find (see PH p. 335 ff.)
• Compensate by looking for material that
  represents multiple viewpoints on an issue
• Key Record the relevant information for
  retrieval and documentation (see form on PH
  318-320).

7
Practice topic faith-based environmentalism

• Look this up in a regular search engine like
  Yahoo! or MSN, with and without limiters
• Look it up in a metasearch engine like
  www.dogpile.com or www.mamma.com
• Look it up in Infotrac and Academic Search
  Premiere
• Look it up in a specialized database

8
Practice topic (continued)

• Look it up in the Dacus online catalog using a
  subject search
• Look it up in the Dacus online catalog using
  Words in Title
• Look it up in InfoTrac using the words together
  as a keyword
• Look it up in InfoTrac using the words as
  separate keywords
• Look it up in a specialized database

9
Results of Search on March 24
Database Faith-based environmentalism
Yahoo!/AltaVista 268,000
Google 106,000
MSN 11,854
Dogpile 76
Mamma 33
10
So What Do We Conclude?

• Searching on the Internet yields many sites but
  the searcher has to be very aware of
  unreliability, bias, and impermanence
• Internet searching for CRTW 201 papers should
  only be used as a supplement to library searching

• Searching in the library may yield more reliable
  information but the searcher may need more time
  to retrieve the informationuse it first for CRTW
  201 papers!
• Determine which specialty databases are best for
  your topic seek peer-reviewed infoask teachers
  and pros!
• Understand how to supplement library information
  with Internet information

11
Now try a topic of your choosing

• Experiment with different databases
• Practice saving results to your Z drive (if you
  need help mapping to that drive, click here)
• Experiment with expanded search devices on
  Google, Altavista, and the library databases
• Never rely on the quick and dirty way again!