MCOM 1113- Lawrence

Hi everyone,

I hope you found the classes helpful. Here are some of the things we covered in class.

Finding Books

Books are still a great source of information, especially if you’re topic is broad.  Books tend to be more credible and trustworthy, and you can cite them in your speech with confidence.  Books take awhile to write, so they aren’t the most current source of information available, and also, besides ebooks, you’ll actually have to come to the library to look at them and check them out.

In order to search for the books we own, you want to click on Find Books on the library’s website to access the UCO Library Catalog. From there, you can perform a simple keyword search using the search box; much like you would in Google or any other search product.

Remember: the catalog searches for more than just books. Movies, music, maps, government documents, microfiche, and microfilm are included in the catalog. You can select the type of material by the “limit to” drop down menu.

Finding Databases

Articles from newspapers, magazines, and academic journals are another great source for information.  They are often more current than books, but they also tend to be based around a more specific topic than a book.

Use the Find Articles (Databases) link on the left hand side of the library’s homepage. From there, limit the databases by using the drop down box at the top. Depending on your topic, you can select a subject.

Here are a few databases for you to start:

Academic Search Complete : Multi-disciplinary, general database covering most academic topics.

Remember to narrow your search by source type or subject headings, and also limit your source by scholarly journals if your professor requires only scholarly articles. If you do not see a link for full-text access to an article, try and click the “Find It” button. In case the item is not available, you can also use Interlibrary Loan, which is free! For more information about interlibrary loan, watch the interlibrary loan tutorial, which is the 3rd from the list.

Here is a short video of the search we did in Academic Search Complete in class.

Topic Search: Current events, controversial issues, social, political & economic issues.

LexisNexis News:Full text newspapers, wire services, broadcast transcripts (news sources include non-English language). News information is updated daily and wire services several times daily.

Biography Reference Bank: Contains more than 95,000 short biographies and obituaries and 26,000 photographs from more than 100 volumes of biographical reference books.

Some Search Techniques

• Use quotation marks to search for phrase. E.g., “tornado warning”
• Use truncation. E.g., warn* means warn, warning, warned, warns. (Note: truncation symbols vary. In our book catalog, the symbol is ? and in Academic Search Complete, the symbol is * )

Advanced Search in Google

• Use quotation marks to search for phrase
• Use * to do approximate search. E.g., “Greek * crisis” searches for Greek debt crisis, Greek financial crisis, and Greek economic crisis.
• Limit search to a specific website. E.g., crisis plan site:uco.edu will only search with uco.edu.

Here is more about Google advanced search.

Internet Research

When you use materials from the Internet, you need to evaluate the source. Here’s a link to a simple, effective guide to web site evaluation by Kathy Schrock: The Five W’s of Web Site Evaluation

Here’s a more detailed guide from the Libraries at the University of Idaho: Web Site Evaluation Criteria

If you have any questions or need any kind of assistance using the library’s resources, please visit the Ask Us page or come to the Reference Desk on the 1st floor and all of us here at the library will be happy to assist you.

Happy searching!

Wenli

McNair Scholars Program–Contreras

Hi everyone,

I hope you found the classes helpful. Here are some of the things we covered in class.

Finding Books

In order to search for the books we own, you want to click on Find Books on the library’s website to access the UCO Library Catalog. From there, you can perform a simple keyword search using the search box; much like you would in Google or any other search product.

Remember: the catalog searches for more than just books. Movies, music, maps, government documents, microfiche, and microfilm are included in the catalog. You can select the type of material by the “limit to” drop down menu.

Finding Databases

Use the Find Articles (Databases) link on the left hand side of the library’s homepage. From there, limit the databases by using the drop down box at the top. Depending on your topic, you can select a subject.

Here is a database for you to start:

Academic Search Complete: Multi-disciplinary, general database covering most academic topics.

Remember to narrow your search by source type or subject headings, and also limit your source by scholarly journals if your professor requires only scholarly articles. If you do not see a link for full-text access to an article, try and click the “Find It” button. In case the item is not available, you can also use Interlibrary Loan, which is free!

Here is a short video of the search we did in Academic Search Complete in class.  For more information about interlibrary loan, watch the interlibrary loan tutorial, which is the 3rd from the list.

Note: You can also search several databases together. Here is a short video on how to search multiple databases together.

Some Search Techniques

• Use quotation marks to search for phrase. E.g., “music education”
• Use truncation. E.g., method* means method, methods, and methodology  (Note: truncation symbols vary. In our book catalog, the symbol is ? and in Communication & Mass Media, the symbol is * )

Search for surveys, tests, questionnaires

Because most surveys appear in the appendix part, I suggest you search questionnaire* appendi* in your database. From there, limit your search to full text articles and you will be able to see the survey questions. If you want to find a survey in a particular filed, try to add some words in your search, for example, questionnaire* appendi* communication. This search will locate some surveys in communication. It is suggested that  you go to the subject database to find a survey in that topic. You may go to the database Communication & Mass Media to find communication surveys.

For how to compose your own survey, we have some books on this topic. Go to the advanced search in our catalog, and search survey design as a phrase OR questionnaire design as a phrase, and you will find a list of books on how to design your survey.

If you have any questions or need any kind of assistance using the library’s resources, please visit the Ask Us page or come to the Reference Desk on the 1st floor and all of us here at the library will be happy to assist you.

Happy searching!

Wenli

MCOM 4910–Kelsey

Hi everyone,

I hope you found the classes helpful. Here are some of the things we covered in class.

Finding Books

In order to search for the books we own, you want to click on Find Books on the library’s website to access the UCO Library Catalog. From there, you can perform a simple keyword search using the search box; much like you would in Google or any other search product.

Remember: the catalog searches for more than just books. Movies, music, maps, government documents, microfiche, and microfilm are included in the catalog. You can select the type of material by the “limit to” drop down menu.

Finding Databases

Use the Find Articles (Databases) link on the left hand side of the library’s homepage. From there, limit the databases by using the drop down box at the top. Depending on your topic, you can select a subject. For your crisis planning topic, I suggest you try the subject Communications, and News Sources.

Here are a few databases for you to start:

Communication & Mass Media : Communication, journalism, media, and related fields. Full text articles from 200 journals and indexing for hundreds more, as well as journalism reviews, an encyclopedia and handbook information in communications studies.

Remember to narrow your search by source type or subject headings, and also limit your source by scholarly journals if your professor requires only scholarly articles. If you do not see a link for full-text access to an article, try and click the “Find It” button. In case the item is not available, you can also use Interlibrary Loan, which is free! For more information about interlibrary loan, watch the interlibrary loan tutorial, which is the 3rd from the list.

Business Source Complete: Covers business, including marketing, management, ISOM, accounting, finance and economics. Indexing and abstracts for scholarly business journals back to 1886 are included.

Note: Because those two databases are both from the vendor Ebsco, you can search them together. Here is a short video on how to search multiple databases together.

LexisNexis News:Full text newspapers, wire services, broadcast transcripts (news sources include non-English language). News information is updated daily and wire services several times daily.

Some Search Techniques

• Use quotation marks to search for phrase. E.g., “crisis management”
• Use truncation. E.g., communicat* means communication, communications, and communicating (Note: truncation symbols vary. In our book catalog, the symbol is ? and in Communication & Mass Media, the symbol is * )
• Nested search.  E.g., (“crisis management” or “crisis communication”) Toyota will search something about Toyota’s crisis management or Toyota’s crisis communication.

Advanced Search in Google

• Use quotation marks to search for phrase
• Use * to do approximate search. E.g., “crisis * plan” searches for crisis management plan, crisis communication plan, or crisis response plan.
• Limit search to a specific website. E.g., crisis plan site:uco.edu will only search with uco.edu.

Here is more about Google advanced search.

If you have any questions or need any kind of assistance using the library’s resources, please visit the Ask Us page or come to the Reference Desk on the 1st floor and all of us here at the library will be happy to assist you.

Happy searching!

Wenli

ELI– Sposito

Hi everyone,

I hope you found the classes helpful. Here are some of the things we covered in class.

Finding Books

In order to search for the books we own, you want to click on Find Books on the library’s website to access the UCO Library Catalog. From there, you can perform a simple keyword search using the search box; much like you would in Google or any other search product.

Remember: the catalog searches for more than just books. Movies, music, maps, government documents, microfiche, and microfilm are included in the catalog. You can select the type of material by the “limit to” drop down menu.

Finding Databases

Use the Find Articles (Databases) link on the left hand side of the library’s homepage. From there, limit the databases by using the drop down box at the top. Depending on your topic, you can select a subject.

Here are a few databases for you to start:

Academic Search Complete: Multi-disciplinary, general database covering most academic topics.

Remember to narrow your search by source type or subject headings, and also limit your source by scholarly journals if your professor requires only scholarly articles. If you do not see a link for full-text access to an article, try and click the “Find It” button. In case the item is not available, you can also use Interlibrary Loan, which is free!

Here is a short video of the search we did in Academic Search Complete in class.  For more information about interlibrary loan, watch the interlibrary loan tutorial, which is the 3rd from the list.

CQ Researcher: offers in-depth, non-biased coverage of political and social issues, with regular reports on topics in health, international affairs, education, the environment, technology and the U.S. economy.

Some Search Techniques

• Use quotation marks to search for phrase. E.g., “video game”
• Use truncation. E.g., gam* means game, games, gaming (Note: truncation symbols vary. In our book catalog, the symbol is ? and in Academic Search Complete, the symbol is * )

If you have any questions or need any kind of assistance using the library’s resources, please visit the Ask Us page or come to the Reference Desk on the 1st floor and all of us here at the library will be happy to assist you.

Happy searching!

Wenli

ENG 1113– Garrison / Squires

Hi everyone,

I hope you found the classes helpful. Here are some of the things we covered in class.

Finding Books

In order to search for the books we own, you want to click on Find Books on the library’s website to access the UCO Library Catalog. From there, you can perform a simple keyword search using the search box; much like you would in Google or any other search product.

Remember: the catalog searches for more than just books. Movies, music, maps, government documents, microfiche, and microfilm are included in the catalog. You can select the type of material by the “limit to” drop down menu.

WorldCat. Searches 54,000 library catalogs worldwide. Use for interlibrary pertinent materials from other libraries.

Finding Databases

Use the Find Articles (Databases) link on the left hand side of the library’s homepage. From there, limit the databases by using the drop down box at the top. Depending on your topic, you can select a subject.

Here are a few databases for you to consider when looking for biographical information:

Biography Reference Bank: Biography Reference Bank contains more than 95,000 short biographies and obituaries and 26,000 photographs from more than 100 volumes of biographical reference books, including Current Biography, the World Author Series, Nobel Prize Winners, World Artists, World Film Directors, American Reformers, and others.

Academic Search Complete: Multi-disciplinary, general database covering most academic topics.

Remember to find the subject for the person you are writing about. Also, if you do not see a link for full-text access to an article, try and click the “Find It” button. In case the item is not available, you can also use Interlibrary Loan, which is free!

New York Times (Historical): Full-image archive that brings you the entire historical run of The New York Times, the definitive voice of American journalism since 1851.

Gale Literature Resource Center: People search in this database for writers, musicians, etc.

Some Search Techniques

• Use quotation marks to search for phrase. E.g., “bill gates”
• Use truncation. E.g., biograph* means biography, biographical  (Note: truncation symbols vary. In our book catalog, the symbol is ? and in Academic Search Complete, the simbol is * )

If you have any questions or need any kind of assistance using the library’s resources, please visit the Ask Us page or come to the Reference Desk on the 1st floor and all of us here at the library will be happy to assist you.

Happy searching!

Wenli

ENG1213- Springer

Hi everyone,

I hope you found the classes helpful. Here are some of the things we covered in class.

Finding Books

In order to search for the books we own, you want to click on Find Books on the library’s website to access the UCO Library Catalog. From there, you can perform a simple keyword search using the search box; much like you would in Google or any other search product.

Remember: the catalog searches for more than just books. Movies, music, maps, government documents, microfiche, and microfilm are included in the catalog. You can select the type of material by the “limit to” drop down menu.

Also, you can use a truncation symbol ? to represent different variations of a word. For example, cultur? means culture, cultural.

Finding Databases

Use the Find Articles (Databases) link on the left hand side of the library’s homepage. From there, limit the databases by using the drop down box at the top. Depending on your topic, you can select a subject.

Here are a few databases for you to consider when writing your nonverbal communication paper:

Academic Search Complete: Multi-disciplinary, general database covering most academic topics.

Remember to narrow your search by source type or subject headings, and also limit your source by scholarly journals if your professor requires only scholarly articles. If you do not see a link for full-text access to an article, try and click the “Find It” button. In case the item is not available, you can also use Interlibrary Loan, which is free!

Communication & Mass Media: Communication, journalism, media, and related fields. Full text articles from 200 journals and indexing for hundreds more, as well as journalism reviews, an encyclopedia and handbook information in communications studies.

PsycInfo: Psychology, mental health, addictions and treatment, therapies, experiments, case studies, pharmacology, physiology, psychiatric nursing, linguistics, social work.

SocIndex:SocIndex covers all subjects in the social sciences, including sociology, anthropology, cultural issues, public policy and administration, social planning, community development, and behavioral studies.

These databases are all from Ebsco. You can search them together. Watch the video for how to search multiple databases. You need Adobe Acrobat 9 to view it. If you don’t have it, download it from Adobe website.

Opposing Viewpoints: a source for information on social issues. Sections include viewpoint articles, topic overviews, statistics, primary documents, links to websites, and full-text magazine and newspaper articles.

CQ Researcher: offers in-depth, non-biased coverage of political and social issues, with regular reports on topics in health, international affairs, education, the environment, technology and the U.S. economy.

Some Search Techniques

• Use quotation marks to search for phrase. E.g., “nonverbal communication”
• Use truncation. E.g., smil* means smile/smiles/smiling (Note: truncation symbols vary. In our book catalog, the symbol is ? and in Academic Search Complete, the simbol is * )

If you have any questions or need any kind of assistance using the library’s resources, please visit the Ask Us page or come to the Reference Desk on the 1st floor and all of us here at the library will be happy to assist you.

Happy searching!

Wenli

ENG 1113– Chavis

Hi everyone,

I hope you found the classes helpful. Here are some of the things we covered in class.

Finding Books

In order to search for the books we own, you want to click on Find Books on the library’s website to access the UCO Library Catalog. From there, you can perform a simple keyword search using the search box; much like you would in Google or any other search product.

Remember: the catalog searches for more than just books. Movies, music, maps, government documents, microfiche, and microfilm are included in the catalog. You can select the type of material by the “limit to” drop down menu.

Finding Databases

Use the Find Articles (Databases) link on the left hand side of the library’s homepage. From there, limit the databases by using the drop down box at the top. Depending on your topic, you can select a subject.

Here are a few databases for you to consider:

Academic Search Complete: multi-disciplinary, general database covering most academic topics.

Remember to narrow your search by source type or subject headings, and also limit your source by scholarly journals if your professor requires only scholarly articles. If you do not see a link for full-text access to an article, try and click the “Find It” button. In case the item is not available, you can also use Interlibrary Loan, which is free!

Watch the demo for the search we did in class in Academic Search Complete. You need Adobe Acrobat 9 to view it. If you don’t have it, download it from Adobe website.

Opposing Viewpoints: a source for information on social issues. Sections include viewpoint articles, topic overviews, statistics, primary documents, links to websites, and full-text magazine and newspaper articles.

CQ Researcher: offers in-depth, non-biased coverage of political and social issues, with regular reports on topics in health, international affairs, education, the environment, technology and the U.S. economy.

Some Search Techniques

• Use quotation marks to search for phrase. E.g., “college student”
• Use truncation. E.g.,student* means student /students(Note: truncation symbols vary. In our book catalog, the symbol is ? and in Academic Search Complete, the simbol is * )
• Use AND/OR to narrow/expand your search. E.g., drinking or alcoholism

If you have any questions or need any kind of assistance using the library’s resources, please visit the Ask Us page or come to the Reference Desk on the 1st floor and all of us here at the library will be happy to assist you.

Happy searching!

Wenli

ENG 1213–Telemeco

Hi everyone,

I hope you found the classes helpful. Here are some of the things we covered in class.

Finding Books

In order to search for the books we own, you want to click on Find Books on the library’s website to access the UCO Library Catalog. From there, you can perform a simple keyword search using the search box; much like you would in Google or any other search product.

Remember: the catalog searches for more than just books. Movies, music, maps, government documents, microfiche, and microfilm are included in the catalog. You can select the type of material by the “limit to” drop down menu.

If you want to find books other libraries own, click More Catalogs on the library homepage and click Worldcat. From there, you can search UCO holdings or click libraries worldwide that own item to see which libraries have the item. Check out from that library if you have access to that library or request an interlibrary loan for free.

Finding Databases

Use the Find Articles (Databases) link on the left hand side of the library’s homepage. From there, limit the databases by using the drop down box at the top. Depending on your topic, you can select a subject.

Here are a few databases for you to consider:

Academic Search Complete: multi-disciplinary, general database covering most academic topics.

Remember to narrow your search by source type or subject headings, and also limit your source by scholarly journals if your professor requires only scholarly articles. If you do not see a link for full-text access to an article, try and click the “Find It” button. In case the item is not available, you can also use Interlibrary Loan, which is free!

Because your professor requires you to limit your results to those that were conventionally published and those that contain the original pagination, you can do the following:

• In basic search, limit to print periodicals and newspapers, this will search the library’s holdings.
• In advanced search, limit to PDF full text, this will guarantee that you find results with PDF.

Watch the demo for the search we did in class in Academic Search Complete. You need Adobe Acrobat 9 to view it. If you don’t have it, download it from Adobe website.

Project Muse: General (multidisciplinary) database covering many topics with special emphasis on arts and humanities.

Opposing Viewpoints: a source for information on social issues. Sections include viewpoint articles, topic overviews, statistics, primary documents, links to websites, and full-text magazine and newspaper articles.

CQ Researcher: offers in-depth, non-biased coverage of political and social issues, with regular reports on topics in health, international affairs, education, the environment, technology and the U.S. economy.

Some Search Techniques

• Use quotation marks to search for phrase. E.g., “college student”
• Use truncation. E.g.,student* means student /students(Note: truncation symbols vary. In our book catalog, the symbol is ? and in Academic Search Complete, the simbol is * )
• Use AND/OR to narrow/expand your search. E.g., drinking or alcoholism

If you have any questions or need any kind of assistance using the library’s resources, please visit the Ask Us page or come to the Reference Desk on the 1st floor and all of us here at the library will be happy to assist you.

Happy searching!

Wenli

ENG1213–Rossberg

Hi everyone,

I hope you found the classes helpful. Here are some of the things we covered in class.

Part 1

Finding Books

In order to search for the books we own, you want to click on Find Books on the library’s website to access the UCO Library Catalog. From there, you can perform a simple keyword search using the search box; much like you would in Google or any other search product.

Remember: the catalog searches for more than just books. Movies, music, maps, government documents, microfiche, and microfilm are included in the catalog. You can select the type of material by the “limit to” drop down menu.

Finding Databases

Use the Find Articles (Databases) link on the left hand side of the library’s homepage. From there, limit the databases by using the drop down box at the top. Depending on your topic, you can select a subject.

Here are a few databases for you to consider:

Academic Search Complete: multi-disciplinary, general database covering most academic topics.

Remember to narrow your search by source type or subject headings, and also limit your source by scholarly journals if your professor requires only scholarly articles. If you do not see a link for full-text access to an article, try and click the “Find It” button. In case the item is not available, you can also use Interlibrary Loan, which is free!

Topic Search: covers current events, controversial issues, social, political & economic issues.

Opposing Viewpoints: a source for information on social issues. Sections include viewpoint articles, topic overviews, statistics, primary documents, links to websites, and full-text magazine and newspaper articles.

CQ Researcher: offers in-depth, non-biased coverage of political and social issues, with regular reports on topics in health, international affairs, education, the environment, technology and the U.S. economy.

Part 2

More Search Techniques

• Use quotation marks to search for phrase. E.g., “death penalty”
• Use truncation. E.g., ethic* means ethic, ethics, ethical (Note: truncation symbols vary. Check help page for truncation symbol. )
• Use AND/OR to narrow/expand your search. E.g., “death penalty” and ethics
• Nested search. E.g., (“death penalty” or “capital punishment”) ethics
• Use a variety of keywords. Try visuwords.

Evaluating Sources

Because everyone can publish on the web, and search engines don’t know which is good, you need to use your critical eyes. One page 5 of this Basics handout, we have listed a few questions you can use to evaluate a site.

A few words about Google…

• Things listed as top ranks are not necessarily good. You can pay to be listed higher!
• Use Google advanced search to limit your search to a certain domain, or certain type of document.
• Google scholar is a good source for you to start, but it doesn’t always take you to full text articles. Don’t pay to get access. Search the library database to see if we have it. If we don’t, you can also get it free through Interlibrary Loan. That’s why library rocks!

If you have any questions or need any kind of assistance using the library’s resources, please visit the Ask Us page or come to the Reference Desk on the 1st floor and all of us here at the library will be happy to assist you.

Happy searching!

Wenli

ENG1213- Bradford

Hi everyone,

I hope you found the class today helpful.  Here are some of the things we covered today.

Finding Books

In order to search for the books we own, you want to click on Find Books on the library’s website to access the UCO Library Catalog.  From there, you can perform a simple keyword search using the search box; much like you would in Google or any other search product.

Remember: the catalog searches for more than just books.  Movies, music, maps, goverment documents, microfiche, and microfilm are included in the catalog. You can select the type of material by the “limit to” drop down menu.

Finding Reference Materials

UCO Library Catalog: limit to Reference in the basic search to find fact-based resources.

Use the Find Facts (Reference works) link on the left hand side of the library’s homepage. From there, choose a subject guide depending on the subject of your topic.

Finding Databases

Use the Find Articles (Databases) link on the left hand side of the library’s homepage. From there, limit the databases by using the drop down box at the top. Depending on your topic, you can select a subject.

Here are a few databases for you to consider:

Academic Search Complete: multi-disciplinary, general database covering most academic topics.

Remember to narrow your search by source type or subject headings, and also limit your source by scholarly journals if your professor requires only scholarly articles. If you do not see a link for full-text access to an article, try and click the “Find It” button. In case the item is not available, you can also use Interlibrary Loan, which is free!

Opposing Viewpoints: a source for information on social issues. Sections include viewpoint articles, topic overviews, statistics, primary documents, links to websites, and full-text magazine and newspaper articles.

CQ Researcher: offers in-depth, non-biased coverage of political and social issues, with regular reports on topics in health, international affairs, education, the environment, technology and the U.S. economy.

Search Techniques

• Use quotation marks to search for phrase. E.g., “global warming”
• Use truncation. E.g., preven* means prevent, prevention, preventing (Note: truncation symbols vary. Check help page for truncation symbol.  )
• Use AND/OR to narrow/expand your search. E.g., “global warming” and prevention
• Use a variety of keywords. Try visuwords.  

If you have any questions or need any kind of assistance using the library’s resources, please visit the Ask Us page or come to the Reference Desk on the 1st floor and all of us here at the library will be happy to assist you.

Happy searching!

Wenli