SiteSeeingFenwick

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SiteSeeing_at_Fenwick

• Basic Research Tips

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The Library Lecture!

• Library vs. Web
• Types of Information
• How to Find Stuff
• Books
• Journal Articles Scholarly vs. Popular
• Learn More!
• Stump the Librarian! (Topic Talk)

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Aint it the Truth?

• What burns me up is that the answer is right
  here somewhere, staring us in the
  face.

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Web World vs. Library World

• Web Sources
• Not reviewed
• Some information is free (e.g., government)
• Fugitive information (blogs, message
  boards, etc.)
• Not organized
• Not comprehensive
• Not necessarily permanent
• Do-it-Yourself

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Library World vs. Web World

• Library Sources
• Peer Reviewed
• Paid For Free to Students
• Organized
• Comprehensive
• Permanent (print, archived)
• Mason Librarians
  Human Search Engines
• In person
• By phone
• By e-mail
• By appointment
• Virtual Reference

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Whats the Point?

• Web
  QUANTITY over QUALITY

Library QUALITY AND
QUANTITY
Check Us Out!
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Information Needs Choices
If you need current information about university
hackers being caught yesterday
try print newspapers and the Web. Why?
If you need scholarly sources with research about
theft of personal information over the Internet
try periodical databases indexes, books.
Why?
If you need popular sources about scams on the
Internet
try books, magazines, e-zines. Why?

• You might try
• Journals and books Magazines (and perhaps e-zines
  on the Web)

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Your Topic Narrow It

• Fashion
• Hint Ask yourself some questions!
• What do you know about it? What don't you know?
• What aspects of your topic interest you
  historical, sociological, psychological, etc.?
• What time period do you want to cover?
• On what geographic region do you want to focus?
• What kind of information do you need?
• a brief summary or a lengthy explanation?
• periodical articles, books, essays, encyclopedia
  articles?
• statistics?

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Your Topic Broaden It

• Are genetically altered soybeans are safe for
  consumers?
• Hint Look for parallels and opportunities for
  broader associations
• Could you examine other bioengineered foods, in
  addition to soybeans?
• Could you think broadly about safety concerns and
  issues -- what might these be?
• Who are the key players in this area? Consumer
  activists? The FDA? Scientists?
• What other issues are involved in this topic?
  Such as, how should be foods be labeled?
• Hint Brainstorm! (and ask a reference
  librarian!)

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Types of Information Sources

• Dont rely too heavily on one source of
  information
• Choose a variety of sources
• find support for your thesis
• provide different points of view on your topic
• Look at two basic types of information sources

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Books

• Check it out Mason
  Library Catalog
• Look for Statistical Abstract
• Library Locations
• Call Number

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Journals

• Databases
• Proquest
• Expanded Academic
• Full Text?

Scholarly vs. Popular - Which is what?
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Learn More!

• Library Research Classes
• Help with Research
• Find a Librarian

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Stump the Librarian!

• Give a topic
• Get some tips
• One Minute Feeback