The purpose of this lab is to gain skills in accessing and evaluating information data bases that can be used for academic research.
First, go to the Oviatt Library website for the COMS 151/L course. Then, take the website tour and read the Resources Overview and Periodical Indexes/Databases. Make sure you click on the links so you receive all the information the site has to offer. Then scroll down and watch the ESBSCOHost Advanced Search tutorial and Searching LexisNexis Academic tutorial (click on the video camera). Continue scrolling through the website. Read and watch the tutorials.
When you have familiarized yourself with the databases that are available, search the topic of one of your upcoming speeches, or one of the sample topics listed below. Then answer the questions that follow:
1. Search a library database to locate a magazine or journal article. Record the keywords and search strategy you used:
For the article you found, write down the following citation information, if available:
Author(s):
Article title:
Journal/Magazine title:
Volume #: Issue #: Date: Pages:
Is this a scholarly journal or a popular magazine article? How can you tell?
2. Search a library database to locate an article in a newspaper.
Name of the database you searched:
Keywords and search strategy you used:
For the newspaper article you found, write down the following citation information, if available:
Author(s):
Article title:
Newspaper title:
Date: Edition: Pages:
3. Use the Oviatt Library Catalog to find a book on the same topic:
For the book you found, write down the following citation information, if available
Author(s) or Editor(s):
Title:
Place of publication: Publisher: Date:
Location in the Library: Call number:
Is the book checked out? Is it available online (electronically)?
Keywords and search strategy you used
4. Go to American Factfinder and use it to find statistics about where you live. Write down the name of the place you live in and an interesting statistic about it:
5. Go to one of the following Web sites:
- http://www.genochoice.com
- http://www.loc.gov/rr/scitech/mysteries/cricket.html
- http://www.mcwhortle.com/
- www.dhmo.org/facts.html
- http://babycage.net/
- www.quotationreference.com/
and answer the following questions:
- Name of the Web site:
- Who or what organization is responsible for the content of this Web site?
- What makes this person/organization an authority on this topic?
- When was the web site last updated?
- Does this website seem like a credible source? Would you cite it in your list of references if you were giving a speech on a related topic? Why or why not?
