1 / 15

Information Searching: Essential Steps

Information Searching: Essential Steps Chemical Engineering 100 Sept. 26, 2005 Anne Fullerton , Chemical Engineering Librarian affuller@library.uwaterloo.ca 5 Essential Steps to Finding Information Deciding what you are looking for Deciding where to look for information

jacob
Download Presentation

Information Searching: Essential Steps

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript


  1. Information Searching: Essential Steps Chemical Engineering 100 Sept. 26, 2005 Anne Fullerton, Chemical Engineering Librarian affuller@library.uwaterloo.ca

  2. 5 Essential Steps to Finding Information • Deciding what you are looking for • Deciding where to look for information • Knowing how to look for the information you need • Evaluating the information you find • Acknowledging and listing your sources Monash University. 2003. http://www.lib.monash.edu.au/vl/skillind.htm Library Online Tutorials. Essential Steps. [accessed Sept. 25, 2005].

  3. Engineers and Information • “Engineers have the most diverse/varied information literature in science and technology!” UT Austin Engineering Library. 2002. Engineering: where science meets the economy.http://www.summaweb.com/teaching/index.htm Accessed Sept. 12, 2003 • Engineers are problem solvers. Finding information is problem solving.

  4. This diagram has been adapted from Evolution of Scientific Information. [From Allan Kent and Harold Lancour, eds., Encyclopedia of Library and Information Science (New York, 1979), s.v. "Scientific Literature," by K. Subramanyam, 394].

  5. 1.Deciding what you are looking for • what are the key concepts in your topic? List them. • do you understand all the terms involved? If not, consult an encyclopedia or dictionary • what would be the best search terms to use? List them, but be willing to add and subtract from your list. Consult these Sources(see Reference, right hand menu) • Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology • Oxford Reference Online

  6. drug* pharmaceutical* ibuprofen analgesic* steroid* drinking water wastewater waste water groundwater drugs drinking water removal AND AND Terms I found by searching an encyclopedia, book, websites, dictionary. Example:How can we remove the growing number of drugs which are appearing in our drinking water? 3 concepts nanofiltration oxidation UV

  7. Search Statement combine the terms for each concept with OR and combine the concepts with AND. (drug* OR pharmaceutical* OR ibuprofen) AND (wastewater OR waste water) AND nanofiltration Notes: • Consider alternate spellings of words (British and U.S.) • Truncate for different word endings • Don’t have to use all the terms you found in 1 statement.

  8. 2. Where to look:Books Characteristics • Longer than articles • Information is at least 2- 3 year’s old • Topics less specific (broader) than in articles • Summarizes research and provides context • Tables and figures TRELLIS - UW’s Library Catalogue Complete TASK 1 now

  9. 2. Where to look:Trade & Professional Magazines; News Characteristics • Focus on current information • Written by journalists, staff writers • General audience – informal style, easy read • Controversies discussed • Refer to experts, current research projects etc. • May include a bibliography e.g. CEP Magazine; Chemical and Engineering News

  10. 2. Where to look:Scholarly or Research Journals Characteristics • Current information • Public report of research results • Written by Faculty, Researchers, Grad students etc. • Includes authors’ name and credentials • Scholarly audience – assumes reader knows the issues or topic – difficult reading for novices. • Peer-reviewed (experts evaluate before publication) • Includes a bibliography of sources used in the work e.g. AIChE Journal; Journal of Polymer Research

  11. Click and link to journal article online or TRELLIS search. 2. Where to look:Research Indexes for ChE 100 • Applied Science and Technology Full Text • General Science Abstracts • ABI/Inform see Subject Guide - Chemical Engineering Complete TASK 2 now.

  12. 2. Where to lookWebsites – via Google or large sites • OK for facts, company & product info, news, government info, society & organizations (conferences, training etc.) • Comprehensive lists of websites are selected by librarians e.g. EEVL Evaluation criteria for websites http://www.eng.uwaterloo.ca/~che100/eval_criteria.htm Google – • Try same search terms as you did for journals • Google Images, Google Link (advanced). Google Define Complete TASK 3 now.

  13. Paper TrailAcknowledging and Listing Sources • Proves your work has a substantial, factual basis • Shows the research you’ve done to reach your conclusions • Allows your reader to identify & find the references including images, tables, figures. • Acknowledges the authors whose work you used What Citation or Reference Style to Use? • Ask your prof; check course reading list • APA style for this assignment

  14. Plagiarism Do a Google define search on plagiarism -presenting someone else’s words and/or ideas as if they are your own Protecting Yourself from it • Summarize what you read in your own words • Don’t use the sentence structure or words of the author • Use quotation marks if you use the exact phrases http://www.eng.uwaterloo.ca/~che100/plagiarism.html Remember Plagiarism is easy to spot with Google and special software. Plagiarism can cost you your academic career.

  15. Questions? Contact me: @ Davis Info Desk: Tues. 5pm – 8pm; Thurs. 1-2pm; 3-5pm Email: affuller@library.uwaterloo.ca Anne Fullerton Chemical Engineering & Biology Librarian Complete TASK 4 before Friday Sept. 30

More Related