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English 1213
Prepared by:
Sarah Brick Archer
Assistant Professor of Library Services
Office: L308B
Phone: ext. #3267
Library CLIP Tutorials
English Comp 1213:
General
Overview for English 1213 -- Reviews basics skills such as
the physical library, searching for books, and locating periodicals.
Research
Strategy -- Provides steps and concepts involving the
research process.
Evaluation
of Sources -- Provides criteria for evaluating the quality of
any resource.
Plagiarism
-- Description of plagiarism and suggestions about how to avoid it.
Citations
-- How to cite most common resources using MLA and APA
How is the NSU library organized?
Maps
Physical
Overview to the Library CLIP Tutorial
Library of
Congress
Hours
Why do research?
Research can lead to information; information can lead to knowledge,
and knowledge is powerful. All of the informational resources available
originated from someone being curious about something, exploring it,
and
sharing the findings.
What is authority and why is it important?
Experts in a field are individuals who might have degrees in a field,
work in the discipline, and have published in the subject area.
Their opinions can be very useful in finding credible sources.
For instance, anyone can write Wikipedia articles, but only experts can
contribute to Encyclopaedia Britannica. Keep the following concepts in
mind when choosing and using resources for research:
1. Identify authors who are outstanding in their fields, determine the
credentials of the author. Does the author have a degree in the field,
is the author a professor?
2. Date of publication--is it recent? On Web pages, do the links work?
3. Does the publisher have a good reputation? Is it published by a
professional association or university press? Is the journal refereed?
On Web pages, check the domain (.edu is educational, .gov is
government, .com is commercial, .net is network, .org is
organizational)
4. How was the resource received by the critics?
5. Completeness of the material. Does the source have an index,
bibliography?
6. Is the language slanted or biased?
7. Does it include well known facts or research studies? Is the
information complete, accurate, objective?
8. What is the purpose of the resource? Is it for the general
public, children, scholars? Is the goal to market persuade, educate?
Assess the quality of the Web sites listed below:
Feline
Reactions to Bearded Men
How is information organized and from where do articles
originate?
The cycle of information is an interesting one. Research starts
with an idea. Someone becomes curious about something and wants
to
explore it. Literature reviews are conducted, empirical evidence
is
gathered. The researcher may wish to cross disciplinary lines and
take a literary theory and apply it to another field. The
researcher
writes an article. If the article adds to the body of knowledge
or
presents a new concept, a journal in that discipline might be
interested
in publishing it. Article submissions go through a reviewing process in
which multiple reviewers will read and comment on the article.
This
is an example of a refereed journal article. If it passes the review
process,
the article is published in the journal. Indexers read journal
articles
and assign subject headings to the articles and place the citation in
indexes
(such as MLA Bibliography). Researchers comb indexes to
find
articles, and the whole cycle starts over. This is a cycle that
occurs
right here at NSU. Our faculty and students are publishing.
You
can become a part of the process, too. Exciting, isn't it?
The Flow
of
Information (from the University System of Georgia) depicts how
information about an
event can be represented in different types of resources. Understanding
how
information is disseminated helps to know where to look and the
attributes of each format.
How do I choose a topic?
Listen to the news, read newspapers, surf the Web, and consider your
personal interests to identify potential topics. Read
encyclopedia (general encyclopedias are in the Reference area, call
number "AE") articles to get background information about a
topic. Consider which types of resources (newspapers, books,
etc.) would include information on your topic. See the chart
below for types of resources.
How do I use the databases?
As a topic is identified, choose key terms that describe the
topic. Consider synonyms, as well. Use the Journal
Databases by Subject Web page to identify useful databases. After
selecting a database, use the Help screens for suggestions in using it
effectively. Try the thesaurus to determine subject headings used
in the database. Use boolean
logic to formulate a search strategy. Go for exactly
what you are trying to locate, and broaden the search if nothing is
found. If a subject heading is identified, use it. When a
good resource is found, check to see how it is indexed (what subject
headings are used).
Information can be shared in a variety of formats and
examples
are as follows:
When researching literary topics, see the Literary
Criticism page. For career information, try English 1213
Career Assignment.
How do I cite sources using M.L.A. style?
The CLIP
Tutorial on Citations provides a good overview to citing resources.
The M.L.A. Handbook for Writers of Research Papers is located
on the first floor at the call number, Ready Ref. LB 2369.G53.
Also, try the MLA Web site. For
additional help
in citing sources, try KnightCite
Bibliography Machine.
How do I acquire materials not available at NSU?
Interlibrary
loan
is available free of charge in which books and copies of articles can
be borrowed from other libraries. Allow approximately two weeks
for interlibrary loan requests to be received.
Can I access library resources from off campus?
Feel free to use this Web
page for your research. Many of the resources listed above are
also available through the John
Vaughan Library Home Page.
With an NT password and userid, these resources may be used from
any location at any time.
How do I get help?
The reference librarians are here to help you. Feel free to
contact us. |
Evaluation
Of
URL CLIP
Tutorial