COM 2012
Week 4
Scope, Search Strategies, and the Library Catalog
Lecture Summary
Make sure one sample catalog search result
is checked out (Designing the User
Interface QA76.9 .I58 S47 2004).
Load slides for the practical multidatabase
system (candy) searches.
Launch LINK.
Place manila envelopes and packets of
handouts at each place, in advance.
For
section 1:
“Dr.
Lang pointed out that research advances are made on the shoulders of
….giants. “Slow Fires”, “Into the Future”,
“The Digital Ice Age”, and other articles and media underscore the
importance of protecting the intellectual and creative output of those
‘giants’”.
Discussion
of "Slow Fires", "Into the Future”, “The Digital Ice
Age”, and other materials. ]
Distribution of graded papers (Tell about
instructor’s written comments on returned assignments.)
Collection of any outstanding assignment #3s
(Most will have been submitted during the research focus topic meetings.) REVIEW
purpose of research focus topic – assignments (building on each week’s
information), portfolio, and presentation.
Lecture:
Tell about handouts. Keep Scope and Search Strategies handout
ready to use.
Reminder about the
"Today we are going to learn about how
to select an information resource to match your information need (scope) AND
how to do research within that resource effectively (five basic search
strategies). The laboratory we will use is the Evans Library catalog, the first
of many search systems we will explore this semester.
The first paragraph of the Scope and Search
Strategies handout tells about “scope”. Throughout this semester, we’ll be
determining the scope of each system we use.” Have a student read the first paragraph.
“We will complete question #1, Scope
of the Evans Library Online Catalog, from your assignment #4, during class
today.”
How is the online catalog accessed: LINK – Research Resources or Express Links – Catalog --- click
to go there.
On your assignment Part A, #1, Scope of the
Evans Library Online Catalog, find – and fill in - the area that is
labeled “Types of material indexed”. Consult the LINK Overview.
“What will you find when searching in
the online catalog?”
Ask one student for one response, then ask
for others.
(1) books,
(2) government documents, (3) periodical titles, and (4) multimedia
items.
Back to Catalog demonstration --- “The
default is the Quick Search.” Type in computer.
“The drop-down menu offers six choices of fields: search everything, author, title, subject, series, and periodical
title. What do I mean by a field (this is a database; information usually
entered in defined fields).
Now let’s
begin learning and understanding the five basic search strategies
“according to Evans Library” by using the catalog to do searches
that demonstrate the five strategies.”
Select a student
to keyboard – take your handouts with you.
Ms. Turner will record our strategies on the board.
Search Strategy #1 - HELP
HELP – read from "Scope and Search Strategies” handout
(paragraph 2).
Show:
Library Catalog help on screen
prefatory pages of LCSH
Select
student to be HELP throughout the semester.
Search Strategy #2 – BOOLEAN LOGIC
Boolean - tell me what you know about Boolean logic, a mathematical term you
likely encountered in algebra.
(Almost 150 years ago, George Boole, an
English mathematician, developed Boolean algebra. This brand of mathematics has
been applied to set theory, probability, and computer circuit design. Its most
important application for libraries has been in its use in search strategies.
We use "logical" operators to combine concepts in order to retrieve
information focused on a topic of interest. "Two or more concepts can be
paired to satisfy research needs, and related terms can be grouped to express a
single concept.)
“Read about
Boolean from "Scope and Search Strategies" handout (third paragraph).
Look at the
handout on Boolean. What are the Boolean operators used in most library
searching? Boolean just combines terms,
so when you use Boolean in most databases, it will not show:
Proximity - such as same, with, near,
adj
Relations – such a >, <, or + values
Like most Internet searching – relevancy ranking – other algorithms
do that
Let’s use the online catalog to try
some examples: computer or computers or
computing (19840)
Select
student to be BOOLEAN throughout the semester.
One thing to note here is the statement that
items are not sorted when more than 500 items are retrieved.
Now click on “go back”.
Too many items; let’s add another term
to the search:
computer or computers or computing and
human or humans (18893)
Did that help? Explain results are
from machine doing search left to right.
Let’s see if our next search strategy
clarifies what we want.
Have someone read "nesting"
section from "Scope…” handout
Nesting is a way to narrow down your search to just those items more focused on
your interests and to clarify the order in which the search is executed.
(computer
or computers or computing) and (human or humans) (438)
How would these results be different?
Nesting clarified the order!
Select
student to be NESTING throughout the semester.
**Change keyboarders?**
Have someone read truncation section on "Scope…” handout.
This is sometimes also called wildcarding or
substitution (or, when it is assumed or automatic, autostemming). Some examples
are:
* (lots of periodical databases)
? (a classic – from Dialog searching days)
! (less common, usually special, such as a single character)
# (fairly uncommon, used in STN International databases
Symbol for online
catalog? ($ for our Library catalog)
Let’s do an
example and then talk more about truncation:
Comput$ and human$ (459)
What does truncation do? What Boolean
operator did truncation replace in our search?
(It tells the computer to look for any character(s) in a certain spot.
It functionally "OR"s terms together.)
Cautions:
Sometimes it brings too much (false drops
or too many results).
Example: OOPS – artificial in? -
CAUTION
Truncation saves keyboarding, therefore
time, errors (!), thinking, and sometimes money.
Before we go
further, I want to show you another way to limit while searching: by location;
limit to location: reference. (2)
Optional (Can target various fields; one you may not know
about is series (see terminology handout).
If we target the series field we retrieve items with some form of the
root word comput and human, singular or plural.
Can ask about it next week in homework discussion).
Let’s add
another term because what I am really after is interaction between humans and
the computer: comput$ and human$ and (interaction$ or behavio?r) (166)
Pick records to
show variety and location (refer to call # handout): govdocs (#12), books,
reserves, periodical holdings (#16), placing a hold (#7)
Select
student to be TRUNCATION throughout the semester.
Controlled vocabulary
Have someone read "Controlled
vocabularies."
In our catalog, controlled vocabulary is
called “subject”. As you
learned during last week’s conferences with Ms. Turner and me, the
Library of Congress Subject Headings lists the controlled vocabulary or subject
headings for our catalog and that of most colleges and universities in the
Look at record #7 in catalog and point out
subject: human-computer interaction
Go over LCSH handouts, which should include the sample pages that show candies
and candy
Optional:
(Let’s try a search on a different subject. I am really interested in today’s
emphasis on advertising and selling on the World Wide Web; let’s see if
we have any books on that topic. Type in
World Wide Web Marketing and target
subject.
Someone look up World Wide
Web Marketing in LCSH. What is the valid
LCSH subject heading? Type in “Internet Marketing” and choose
subject.)
Select
student to be CONTROLLED VOCABULARY throughout the semester.
***keyboarder can go back to seat***
Open candy PowerPoint slides.
Let’s practice. Show slide for APPLICATION: From the database
provided (candies), execute the following searches:
cand*
cand* and red
cand* and (red or yellow)
cand* and (red or yellow) and circ*
(cand* and (red or yellow) and circ*) not white
We have now covered and practiced the five
basic search strategies. What are they? Let’s go over them and our human
representative of each one.
We’ll use them many times this
semester
Now we need to
finish up a few more details about the Evans Library online catalog. (Fill in
form.)
(Optional but try to includel:
I want to show you one more thing you may not think to do left to your own
devices. Click New Search
Author search: Catanese
Now go back and do the same
search targeting “search everything”: Catanese and show ALL from view (note:
acquisitions source).)
Finish scope of
Evans Library online catalog: subject, time frame, information provided
Show
Databases/Indexes on Express Links to get to FirstSearch: WorldCat to complete
Part A on your own
Introduction to
Interlibrary Loan Librarian, Ms.
Explanation of assignment #4, portfolio,
envelope, cover sheets
TAKE: Canister,
sign-in sheet & pen, folder & stapler
Lecture
LCSH volumes – full set
manila envelopes (stuffed with guidelines and six copies of cover sheet)
packet
background information on guest lecturers
water
PowerPoint for search practice
PACKET of handouts:
"Scope and Search
Strategies" handout ("Scope
and Search Strategies")
“Library Information Terminology” handout
(See also ODLIS: Online Dictionary of Library and Information Science in the
LINK – Research Resources – Reference Sources –
Dictionaries/Thesauri – Online Dictionary of Library and Information
Science (http://lu.com/odlis/)
LCSH handout that includes
sample pages with candies and candy
“Catalog Search
Tips” handout
LINK overview (tri-fold)
brochure
“Boolean
operators” handout
Library of Congress Call
Numbers handout
Assignment #4
ILL brochure
updated 9.7.2008 nec