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Resources for UAF Distance Students

UAF Rasmuson Library

UA E-mail

About the Rasmuson Library

The Elmer E. Rasmuson Library is located on the main University of Alaska Fairbanks campus. The library is comprised of the main library as well as the BioSciences Library. The library contains more than 2.2 million items and subscribes to more than 172 online databases,many FULL-TEXT. Rasmuson is the largest library in the state of Alaska.

The Rasmuson Library has one of the world's finest collections of Alaska and Polar Regions (APR) materials including books, periodicals, photography, manuscripts, films, oral histories, rare books, and maps. The collections are centered on Alaska but include many items about the Circumpolar North and Antarctica. Subject bibliographers, archivists, anthropologists and historians on the APR staff are available for reference and research assistance.

Register for your Library Card

Distance Students, Faculty and Staff may fill out the Library Card Application and we will send your library card. A library card will be mailed to you within 24 hours of receipt of your request, within normal business hours.

Starting Your Research

Need Books?

  • The UAF Library Catalog (Goldmine) can be used to locate not only what is owned by the Rasmuson Library but what is owned by all the sites in the University of Alaska Fairbanks system.
  • If you don't find what you need, try WorldCat and we will borrow the book from another library. WorldCat contains the holdings of more that 21,000 libraries worldwide.

Do you need background information?

  • Search databases, such as Academic Search Premier, or an encyclopedia such as Encyclopedia Britannica.

Need Articles? Select a Database.

  • All Rasmuson online databases can be accessed via the Resources by Subject page from the UAF Rasmuson Library website. From this page you can select the appropriate database from an Alphabetical List, from a Subject List, or directly by Title.
  • Start with databases that offer online full-text articles, such as Academic Search Premier, MasterFILE Premier, Electronic collections Online (ECO), WilsonSelect Plus, or Periodical Abstracts (PerAbs).
  • Is your topic part of an academic discipline, such as education, science, mathematics, social sciences?

    Example: "Teaching children to read" is in the discipline of education; "Water pollution in the Great Lakes" is a science topic.

    => Choose a Specialized Database such as ERIC or Environmental Sciences and Pollution Management.
    => Search Academic Search Premier. This is a collection of full-text subject databases in education, social sciences, science and humanities.

  • Is your topic interdisciplinary? Does it bridge more than one discipline?

    Example: "Employee supervision in schools" bridges the disciplines of education and management.

    => Search a Multi-Disciplinary Database such as Academic Search Premier or Expanded Academic ASAP.
    => You may also search two or more Specialized Databases, such as ERIC and Business Source Premier.

  • Do you still need more information after searching the full-text databases?

    Search a large research database such as:

    • ERIC
    • MLA Bibliography
    • PsycINFO
    • Sociological Abstracts.
  • Some databases provide only citations and abstracts for journal articles, not full-text, so you will need to obtain the articles from a library. However, ERIC, PsycInfo and Sociological Abstracts link to full-text items from other databases by the same vendor.

UAF Journals List

The UAF Journals List identifies periodicals by their titles, not by their topics, so you must know which periodical, newspaper, or journal you need before you can successfully search the UAF Journals List. Use the UAF Journals List to find full-text journal articles in journals the Library subscribes to online. Or, browse an issue of your favorite journal online. Access the UAF Journals List via the Rasmuson Library website. Learn how to use The UAF Journals List.

Interlibrary Loan

  • ILL documents (articles, etc...) are posted online whenever possible. Documents are viewed on the Internet not sent as e-mail attachments. You will be notified via email when a document is available online via Illiad for you to view. To access your electronic documents log into your ILLiad account and click on the button "View/Download Electronically Received Articles."
  • You will also receive an email notification informing you that items (such as books, videos, etc.) have been mailed to you via USPS.
  • The computer you are using must have Adobe Acrobat Reader Installed. We suggest having the latest version of Acrobat Reader installed to assure compatibility. The current version is available for free at the Adobe web site.

Access Library Resources from Off-Campus

Rasmuson & BioSciences Libraries provides access to many of our resources from off-campus. In order to access these resources from off-campus, you will need to log in using your UA email username and password.

When logging into library resources from off-campus, you should see a page similar to the screenshot below.

If you have difficulties accessing the library's online resources read Troubleshooting Off-Campus Access.

UA E-mail Account

UAF has moved to Google Apps, which includes Email, Calendar and Docs. This means you can login once to access all Google Apps features using your UA username and password. This is the same username and password that you use to log into Blackboard or the MyUA Portal.

"UAF uses e-mail to communicate with students on many important matters. E-mail is often the only way some information is distributed, so it is important that you regularly check your university e-mail address or forward mail from your UAF address to an address you check frequently.

All UAF students, staff and faculty are eligible for an email account at Google Apps@ UA, free-of-charge. The university automatically assigns each student an official UAF e-mail account when the student enrolls. You are responsible for knowing -- and, when appropriate, acting on -- the contents of all university communications sent to your official UAF e-mail account."

  • Find Your UA Username and Activate Your Email Account Thru ELMO
  • Your UA username and password allows you to access library resources from off-campus.
  • Contact the UAF's OIT (Computing) Help Desk at 907-474-6564, toll-free at 1-800-478-4667 (within Alaska) or via email at helpdesk@alaska.edu for assistance, if required.

UA Google Apps

Use your UA username and password to sign into your UAF Google Email account directly via Google Apps@UA at http://www.alaska.edu/google/.

Contact the UAF's OIT (Computing) Help Desk at 907-474-6564, toll-free at 1-800-478-4667 (within Alaska) or via email at helpdesk@alaska.edu for assistance, if required.

Forward Google Mail to Another Account

If you want to receive university communications at a different e-mail address, you need to forward e-mail from your assigned UAF account to an e-mail address of your choice.

  • From your Google Mail account, click on "Settings", then "Forwarding and POP/IMAP."
  • Select "Forward a Copy of Incoming Mail to" and enter your preferred email address.
  • Be sure to "Save Changes."

Quick Links

Copyright

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Posted: September 28th, 2009

UAF E-Mail

About UAF Email

"UAF uses e-mail to communicate with students on many important matters. E-mail is often the only way some information is distributed, so it is important that you regularly check your university e-mail address or forward mail from your UAF address to an address you check frequently. The university automatically assigns each student an official UAF e-mail account when the student enrolls (except students whose primary registration is through Bristol Bay, Chukchi, Interior-Aleutians, Kuskokwim or Northwest campuses). You are responsible for knowing -- and, when appropriate, acting on -- the contents of all university communications sent to your official UAF e-mail account.

If you want to receive university communications at a different e-mail address, you need to forward e-mail from your assigned UAF account to an e-mail address of your choice. You can easily do this online at http://www.alaska.edu/oit/email/mail_forwarding.xml. "

Source: "UAF communication via e-mail." University of Alaska Fairbanks. 24 Aug 2009 <http://www.uaf.edu/schedule/services/#comm>.

Off-Campus Access to Library Resources and UAF Email

Rasmuson & BioSciences Libraries provides access to many of our resources from off-campus. In order to access these resources you will need to have an active  UAF Email account.

  • "Returning UAF Students: During the month of August 2009 all active UAF student email accounts will be migrated to Google Apps @ UA. If you are currently unable to login to your SquirrelMail account (webmail.uaf.edu), it's likely your account has been moved to Google Apps @ UA.  To login to your new Google Apps @ UA account, visit google.alaska.edu. Use your UA Username and password (the same credentials used to access Blackboard) to login. Don't know your UA Username and/or password? Visit ELMO."

    Source:  "OIT email support." University of Alaska Fairbanks. 24 Aug 2009 <http://www.alaska.edu/oit/email/>.

    Use your Google Apps @ UA account username/password to login into the library's off-campus resources.

  • New UAF Students: New UAF students will be issued a Google Apps @ UA account. Use your Google Apps @ UA account username/password to login into the library's off-campus resources.

When logging into off-campus resources, you should see a page similar to the screeshot below.

Getting Help with UAF Email

If you need help setting up your UAF email account, contact the UAF Help Desk, http://www.alaska.edu/oit/sc/about/contact.xml.

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Posted: August 24th, 2009

Primary and Secondary Sources

Primary sources are original works. These sources represent original thinking, report on discoveries, or share new information. Usually these represent the first formal appearance of original research. Primary sources include statistical data, manuscripts, surveys, speeches, biographies/autobiographies, diaries, oral histories, interviews, works or art and literature, research reports, government documents, computer programs, original documents (birth certificates, trial transcripts...), etc.

Secondary sources are usually studies by other researchers. They describe, analyze, and/or evaluate information found in primary sources. By repackaging information, secondary sources make information more accessible. A few examples of secondary sources are books, journal and magazine articles, encyclopedias, dictionaries, handbooks, periodical indexes, etc.

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Posted: August 24th, 2009

Library Lingo: A Glossary of Library Terms

Abstract: A brief summary of a book or article

Access points: Access points are the doorways to searching for an item. In a database, the access points are the searchable fields such as subject, title and author. Databases that include a thesaurus are searchable by subject.

Adobe Acrobat: A program for viewing PDF (Portable Document Format, also referred to as page image) files. Adobe Acrobat is available free of charge via the Internet.

Annotation: A short description or evaluation of a document.

Archives: A repository of documents and other materials of public or historical value.

Barcode: A 10 digit number and code located on the cover of a book, periodical or other item. Barcodes identify specific items and are used to charge, discharge, and renew items in the online computer system.

Bibliographic record: a bibliographic record refers to all the information necessary to identify one item. This information includes title, author, call number, publisher, and date of publication. (See citation.)

Bibliography: A list of sources of information (articles, books, and other materials) on a specific topic. Bibliographies can be found at an end of a book or article to indicate the items used to create the item or to refer researchers to recommended further reading. Bibliographies can also be independent works that are annotated.

Boolean operators (terms): The words "and", "or", "not" used in keyword searching to broaden, narrow, or limit a search.

Bound periodical: Several issues of a periodical (magazine or journal) are often bound together as a single book for storage. Bound periodicals usually contain a full volume, or one year's worth of issues, of the title.

Call number: A identification code assigned to a library collection item (book, video or audio recording, manuscript, periodical, musical score, etc.) that distinguishes one item from another and indicates its location in the library. Call numbers are arranged by subject, except in Government Documents Collections which may be arranged according to SuDocs classification. SuDocs is based on issuing on government agency. In Rasmuson Library and most academic libraries, the call numbers follow the Library of Congress Classification System.

Catalog: A library catalog is an organized written collection of all the materials (books, videos, journal subscriptions, films, audio recordings, etc.) held by that library. Traditionally each item in a catalog was represented on a written index card that gave information on the item and pointed researchers to the location of the item in the collection. Now most catalogs are stored in computer databases and are accessed through OPACs. A union catalog is a catalog that represents multiple libraries.

Citation: A citation is a standardized description of an item (book, article, video or audio recording, etc.) containing sufficient information necessary to locate the item. Citations in modern indexes are usually accompanied by abstracts summarizing the information in the articles or other documents represented. More and more, in online indexes a citation leads directly to the full text of the article represented, either in the same database or via a link to another site. But it is still often necessary to find in the library the original printed article for the full text.

Basic required elements of citations include author, title, and publication information.

  • A citation for a book:
    Author, title, place of publication, name of publisher, date.

    Example: McPhee, John. Coming into the Country. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1977.

  • A citation for a magazine article:
    Author (if any), article title, journal title, volume and issue number (if any), date, page number(s).

    Example: Hawke, E. L. "Rainfall in a Cloudburst." Nature Feb. 2, 1952: 204.

Citation style: A standardized system for citing materials used when writing books or papers. Citation styles are often created by professional organizations such the Modern Language Association (MLA) or publishers such as the University of Chicago Press (Chicago Manual of Style). For more information on citation styles, click the link.

Cite: The act of indicating the source of information. Authors cite their sources for two important reasons: 1. To give credit to the originator of an idea or research they wish to discuss, and 2. to allow readers to locate the source of the information and read it in context.

Controlled vocabulary: Set of established terms used in indexes, catalogs, and databases used to provide access to records. Library of Congress subject headings are one example of controlled vocabulary.

Database: an organized collection of information. Commonly, the term "databases" refers to electronic or computer databases. Databases consist of records, which in turn consist of fields. A popular example is an address book. Each record consists of a record for one person. Each record contains fields for name, street, city, state and zip code. In libraries, databases are used for catalogs and indexes. Each record represents a single item or document, and specific fields hold author name, title, and publishing information.

Descriptor: A controlled vocabulary term, or standardized term, assigned to an item in an index or database that is used for a search, also called a subject heading in a library catalog.

Hold: to place a hold on an item means to reserve it. An item that is checked out may have a hold placed on it by another patron who wishes to use it. When the item is returned, the library will contact the patron who is waiting so they may come in and check it out.

Holdings: the materials owned by a library.

Index: An alphabetical list subjects, authors or titles used in a book or set of volumes with corresponding page numbers. Can also be a separate work that indicates information located in other sources.

Information is anything that "in forms" the mind of a human or the sensory system of another organism. For humans and other higher animals, information is that which puts form into, or generates form in, the mind. In a simple hierarchy, symbols constitute data, data are the raw materials of information, information in context is knowledge, and knowledge is the basis of wisdom.

Interlibrary Loan (ILL): Interlibrary loan is a service provided by libraries to give patrons access to materials beyond the scope of their own holdings. Visit Interlibrary Loan to place a request online, access your web document, and learn of other services.

Internet: A global communications network of networks that includes e-mail, list serves, and the World Wide Web. The Internet consists of layers: national networks (backbone), regional networks, and local networks.

Journal: A professional or academic periodical usually issued monthly or quarterly which contains scholarly articles, reports, research, and/or papers.

Keywords: Keyword are significant words in the title, summary or text. People creating indexes may assign keywords as subject headings, or simply as narrowly defined technical terms and new words not yet incorporated into thesauri. In preparation of a search, researchers will choose keywords that match or describe their topic. Sometimes keywords are synonyms of the topic, sometimes they represent major elements of the topic and are used in combination with boolean terms.

Keyword searching: A search made up of keywords and/or boolean terms. When used in context of searching, the researcher chooses keywords rather than use the controlled vocabulary of the system. Often referred to as a natural language search or free-text searching.

Microform, microfilm: a means of archiving printed documents, especially periodicals. A printed document is photographed and the image is reduced and printed on a transparent film, which can then be read by a machine that passes light through the image and enlarges it on a screen. This allows materials that might otherwise become brittle or easily damaged to be maintained and stored easily and inexpensively for long periods of time.

Natural language search: A means of searching an electronic database using terms generated by the searcher, rather than controlled vocabulary. See keyword searching.

Periodical: A publication that appears on a continuous and predictable schedule. Examples include newspapers (daily or weekly), magazines, and journals.

Peer reviewed: A level of scholarship. Peer reviewed articles have been evaluated by several researchers or subject specialist in the academic community prior to accepting it for publication.

Plagiarism: the use of another person's words, ideas, or research without crediting the source. Passing off another person's work as one's own.

Primary sources are original works. These sources represent original thinking, report on discoveries or events, or share new information. Usually these represent the first formal appearance of original research. Primary sources include statistical data, manuscripts, surveys, speeches, biographies/autobiographies, diaries, oral histories, interviews, works or art and literature, research reports, government documents, computer programs, original documents( birth certificates, trial transcripts...) etc.

Refereed: A level of scholarship. Refereed articles have been evaluated by at least one area specialist prior acceptance for publication.

Reserve: A selection of specific books, articles or other material set aside by professors for use by students in particular classes. The Reserve Desk at Rasmuson Library is located next to the Circulation Desk. Some materials can be accessed using the electronic reserve system (ERes), others may be access by going to the Rasmuson or BioSciences library and checking out an item placed on reserve. Check with your instructor to see which method of Reserve they are using.

Search engines: Search engines are programs that search for significant words in pages stored in its database. Search engines use other programs (called spiders, robots or webcrawlers) to search the Internet and retrieve pages and store them in its database. Some search engines are programmed to search a single web site or database. Meta-searchers are capable of searching multiple search engines at one time. Search engines are proprietary. This means that not all search engines are the same.

Search statement: A search statement is the manner in which search terms are arranged when entered into a search engine. A search statement can consist of any combination of keywords , descriptors , boolean terms , proximity, nesting, wildcard, and truncation symbols.

Secondary sources are usually studies by other researchers. They describe, analyze, and/or evaluate information found in primary sources. By repackaging information, secondary sources make information more accessible. A few examples of secondary sources are books, journal and magazine articles, encyclopedias, dictionaries, handbooks, periodical indexes, etc.

Stacks: "Stacks" is a colloquial term used to refer to the areas of the library where materials are shelved.

Subject headings: a standardized word or phrase describing a topic or concept. Also called descriptors or controlled vocabulary.

Thesaurus: A list of all subject heading or descriptors used in a database, catalog, or index. A thesaurus will indicate the correct controlled vocabulary to use for a given term.

Looking for other terms? Visit...

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Posted: August 24th, 2009

Library Cards

Register for your Library Card

Before you can check our materials from Rasmuson or BioSciences Libraries, you'll need to complete a library registration form.

  • Forms for UAF Students are available in either .pdf or .doc format.
  • Bring the completed form AND your Polar Express ID to the Rasmuson or BioSciences Circulation Desk. Please wait while your form is being processed-- don't just drop off the form.
  • After the form is processed, your Polar Express ID will serve as your UAF Library Card.

Library Card Registration for Distance Students

  • Distance students may fill out the online Library Card Application form. A library card will be mailed to you within 24 hours of receipt of your request, within normal business hours.

Getting Help

  • For more information about library cards, see Library Cards or call the circulation desk, 907-474-7481.
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Posted: August 24th, 2009

Blackboard

Blackboard is UAF's course management system. Many UAF courses use Blackboard to deliver course materials online 24/7 and allow students to interact with instructors and other students.

Access Blackboard - http://classes.uaf.edu

To login to Blackboard, use your UAF Authserv username and password. This is the same  username/password you use to login into MyUA and UAF Google Mail.

If you need help logging in to or using Blackboard, contact the UAF help desk by phone, (907) 450-8300 or email helpdesk@alaska.edu.

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Posted: August 24th, 2009

Subscription Databases vs. Web Sites

If your instructor has requested that you not use Internet or Web sources, you may want to clarify what they mean. A majority of the library's resources are subscription-based databases/indexes that are accessed via the Internet.

Subscription Databases

Subscription databases consist of published journals, magazines, reports, documents, newspapers, books, image collections, and more. Most of these databases are available via the Internet, some are available within the library on DVD or CD-ROM.

Libraries subscribe and provide access to these resources for their patrons. Subscription databases are not freely available to the public. The UAF Rasmuson Library contracts with vendors, such as OCLC FirstSearch, Cambridge Scientific Abstracts, Proquest and others, to provide pre-selected journals and magazines that meet specific criteria established for universities. When you search one of these databases, you are not searching the Web; you're searching pre-selected material that is the equivalent of what you migh find on a library shelf in print format. Rasmuson and BioSciences Libraries Article Indexes & Collections web page provides access to subscription databases to which the Rasmuson Library subscribes. These databases provide easy access to many scholarly, technical, and professional journals, spanning all disciplines.

  • When you search for articles in a subscription database, articles that appear in full-text may also appear in printed format. For example, if you search the Proquest database New York Times Book Review you'll be able to retreive articles online; The library may also have some of these articles in print.

    Rasmuson library is in the process of discarding some print journals, magazines, and newspapers if we have a online subscription to the same resource.

  • Resources in subscription databases are easily identifiable by their citation information.
    • For journals: author, title of article, title of journal, volume and issue number, date, and page numbers.
    • For books: author, title, place of publication, name of publisher, and date.

Internet or Web Sources

Internet or Web sources include web sites of businesses, organizations, government agencies, universities and individuals.

Most Internet or Web sites are publicly accessible for free. Access to copyrighted information, however, may still be limited or available via subscription only. Many sites also provide access to quality information. Unfortunately, quality sites reside right alongside total rubbish. Web sites are inexpensive to create and may have been created by anyone with any level of expertise.

  • In most cases, there is no editorial or peer-review process for Web pages. This means reliability of web pages is not dependable.
  • Internet or Web sources have Internet addresses or Uniform Resource Locator codes (URLs). This makes them easily identifiable. For example: The URL http://arcticcircle.uconn.edu/ANWR/ address identifies The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge: A Special Report. However, URLs change frequently and URL information is not as reliable as the citation information provided in subscription databases..
  • Internet or Web sources are accessible via Internet search engines. Search engines use programs such as spiders, robots (bots), webcrawlers, etc. to search for terms in web pages and store them in a database. It is important to note that all search engines do not search in the same manner, or search the same material, and may rank hits differently. Ranking may depend on how many times or where your term(s) appear in the page or whether a fee has been paid to rank the page prominently. Therefore, careful evaluation of Web resources is essential.

Be sure to read Evaluating Information Resources for information on evaluating information resources.

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Posted: August 21st, 2009

Scholarly Communication System

The scholarly communication system, includes four main components, or steps:

  1. Peer Review, which is the review and evaluation of an author's work by his or her peers and which is standard procedure in the sciences,
  2. The work of editors on technical aspects of the writing,
  3. The work of publishers in printing books and articles and distributing them to buyers and subscribers, and
  4. Most importantly, the work of librarians in selecting books and periodicals for library users.
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Posted: August 20th, 2009

Evaluating Information Resources

Learn About: Criteria used to evaluate print and Internet information resources, differences between online and Internet resources, characteristics of scholarly vs. popular periodicals, and the scholarly publication cycle.

Evaluating information sources is a important part of the research process. Not all information is reliable or true, nor will all information be suitable for your paper or project. Print and Internet sources vary widely in their authority, accuracy, objectivity, currency, and coverage. Users must be able to critically evaluate the appropriateness of all types of information sources prior to relying on the information.

The Internet, particularly its biggest component, the World Wide Web, has surpassed most libraries in the quantity of information it makes available. However, the Web has not surpassed libraries in the overall quality of information it makes available. Traditionally, a main component of library collections have been print (paper) materials. Today, however, many online resources are being added to supplement collections, replace printed (paper) items, or improve access. Although online sources are accessible via the Internet or Web, most originated in paper form and follow the same publication criteria. Therefore the quality of print and online information sources are similar and will be considered the same in this discussion. A look at a few characteristics of print and Internet sources will identify major quality distinctions between print and Internet information sources.

Print Sources vs. World Wide Web

Print Sources

  • Quality standards of printed materials are controlled through a system of checks and balances imposed by peer review, editors, publishers, and librarians, all of whom manage and control access to printed information. This assures that published materials have been through some form of critical review and evaluation, preventing informal, poorly designed, difficult-to-use and otherwise problematic materials from ever getting into the hands of users.
  • In academic and other research libraries, most books and periodicals are a product of the scholarly communication system. This system ensures that authors present information in an orderly and logical manner appropriate to the topic.
  • Printed information in books and periodicals follows established linear formats for logical and effective organization.
  • Materials in printed form are stable. Once in print, information remains fixed for all time. New editions and revisions often are published, but these are separate and distinct physical entities that can be placed side by side with the originals.

World Wide Web

  • On the web, anyone can, with no supervision or review at all, put up a web page.
  • On the Web, there is nosystematic monitoring of much of what appears, except, of course, for articles published in the online forms of otherwise reputable scholarly journals and books. Biases, hidden agendas, distorted perspectives, commercial promotions, inaccuracies, and so on are not monitored.
  • There is no standard format for Web sites and documents. Web pages exhibit fewer clues regarding their origins and authoritativeness than print sources. Important information, such as dates, author(s), references and alike are not always easy to locate. While a reader can easily note this information in a book or periodical article, the Web user must often search through several pages, if the information is provided at all.
  • Internet sources are also not stable. Web documents can be changed easily. And once changed, the original is gone forever unless a specific effort is made to preserve it. In fact, many Web documents are intentionally designed to change as necessary, and with automatic changes as with manual changes, the original disappears.
  • Web resources use hypertext links and need not be organized in any linear fashion. One can easily be led astray and distracted from the topic at hand. But, of course, one can also be led to additional information of value.
  • The changing nature of the Web and Web documents create major problems with the stability of information and with links between different units of information. Dead or broken and links on the Web are common and others just disappear or are not updated.

See Online vs. Internet Resources to learn how to quickly differentiate between Online and Internet sources.

For print sources, quality control is sought through critical evaluation during the publication process. However, on the Web, anyone with access to the Internet can publish. Web pages are easy to create with little or no training. And there is no overriding organization or governing body ensuring the validity of Web page content. There is a good deal of high-quality information on the Web, but there is also much that is of questionable quality. Do not assume that information on the Web is more current or accurate. Each web page will have to be examined critically.

It is the user's responsibility to evaluate information sources, in print and on the Web, that they find during the research process before using it in a paper or other presentation.

Five Criteria for Evaluating Resources: AAOCC

For this brief introduction to evaluating resources in LS101, we will use a list of five critical criteria. You might want to remember AAOCC (Authority, Accuracy, Objectivity, Currency, and Coverage), if for no other reason than you might be asked to list these criteria and describe them briefly. The same basic questions should be asked of all information sources: books, journal articles, web pages, blogs, videos, sound recordings and e-books.

  1. Authority
    • Who is the author or creator (who is responsible for the intellectual content) and what are his or her credentials? Is there any indication of the author's education, other publications, professional affiliations or experience in the topic written about?
    • Is there a note or paragraph in the back of the book or on the jacket (cover, jewel case, or supplementary brochure) describing the author's credentials?
    • Is the author's e-mail address, postal address or phone number provided?
    • Has the author been cited in other bibliographies?
    • Sometimes information about an author is available in sources other than the document at hand. Instructors assigning research topics might focus on a particular author. Many authors can be looked up in such resources as:
      • Who's Who in America
      • Current Biography
      • The International Who's Who
      • Who's Who in Science and Engineering
      • American Men & Women of Science
      • Who's Who in the World
      • Dictionary of Scientific Biography
      • Look for additional information in directories of Professional Associations or Biography Index (FirstSearch)

    Noted resources are accessible via the Article Indexes & Collections.

    For Web Sites:

    • Be sure to distinguish between the author of the information and, if separate, the Webmaster who put it up.
    • In the case of Web material provided by committees, organizations, businesses, or government agencies (rather than individuals), similar questions concerning the authority of these bodies need to be asked. Be sure to consider whether information provided by corporate bodies is likely to be objective, factual and carefully researched or whether it is biased toward the particular objectives of those bodies or the causes, movements or agendas they support.
    • Analysis of the URL provides some indication of identity of the web site sponsor.
    • Look for an "about us" or "FAQ" (frequently asked questions) page.

  2. Accuracy/Quality
    • Is the information provided specific?
    • For research on any topic dealing with things and events in the real world, accuracy is, obviously, of highest importance. Data and information must be based on observations, measurements, analyses, interpretations and conclusions agreeable to intelligent and relatively unbiased human beings. In the arts, humanities and religion where imagination is the primary creative force, accuracy is still important in recording names, dates and places that creative works, ideas, and opinions originated from.
    • In all cases, with all information materials, accuracy appropriate to the topic at hand should be verifiable, whether in the nature of the presentation, with available supporting documentation, or both. Are conclusions based on research or actual figures that can be checked in other sources?
    • Are methods of research explained in such a way that it could reproduced?
    • Are sources of information listed in foot/end notes, bibliographies, or lists of references? How reliable are the cited sources?
    • Are critical reviews available (for books, films, literature, music, art)? Check resources such as:
      • Book Review Index
      • FirstSearch (Book Review Digest, Humanities Index, Social Sciences Index, MLA Bibliography, Reader's Guide to Periodical Literature, etc.)
      • Academic Search Premiere
      • Gales Literature Resource Center

      Noted resources are accessible via the Article Indexes & Collections page.

    • Does the article appear in a scholarly journal, peer-reviewed or refereed? The type of source can often be identified by its format. Review the tips for identifying Scholarly vs. Popular Periodicals.

    For Web Sites:

    • High-quality writing, including good format, grammar, spelling and punctuation, can enhance the appearance of accuracy and bolster a reader's confidence in the accuracy and reliability of a Web document.

  3. Objectivity
    • Authors often have their own agendas, whether to sell products, influence legislation or capture converts. There probably is no absolute objectivity upon which everyone could agree. When using any information resource, you must decide whether the information is sufficiently objective for the topic and purpose at hand or whether it is biased. Of course a highly biased presentation can be considered in objective scholarly research as long as that bias is described and weighed against alternative views or interpretations.
    • Is there any advertising (including solicitations for donations) associated with the source?
    • Does the author provide more than one point of view?
    • Does the writing use inflammatory or biased language.

  4. Currency
    • Currency is especially important in the sciences where new developments occur frequently.
    • In the arts and humanities, currency needs to be judged as appropriate. In some cases, a study written years ago may be essential to understanding.
    • Consider whether or not the timeliness of the information will affect its usefulness.
    • In all cases, there should be some indication of the date of the material. If research results are given, consider not only the date of the publication but also when the research was actually conducted.

    For Web Sites:

    • Obviously it is important for information found on the Web to be up-to-date. However, its appearance on the Web is not a guarantee it is.
    • There should be some indication of the date of the material, as in the "last updated" statement at the end of many Web documents. Be aware that the "Last updated" date of the web page may differ from date of the intellectual content of the page. This may mean checking three dates, the date the page was last updated or posted to the web, the date of publication, and the date of the research or statistics used.

  5. Coverage
    • Decide whether the information source adequately covers the topic. It is too easy to go with one or two documents that seem otherwise to be of value but which really cover the topic only partly or marginally. Unless one has already a good sense for the breadth of a topic, one should invest a little more effort toward assuring the material at hand adequately covers it.
    • Consider how coverage from one source compares with coverage by other sources.
    • Look for a statement describing the purpose or coverage of the source and consider if the information is in-depth enough for your needs.
    • Does the information source leave questions unanswered (ask the "five W's and H" to check: who, what, when, where, why and how)?

Optional Reading

Evaluating Information Found on the Internet (optional) from Johns Hopkins University

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Posted: August 20th, 2009

General Search Tips for Online Databases and the Internet

Search features and flexibility vary greatly between individual search engines and online databases. It will be necessary to READ your search engine's or database's "HELP" or "How to Search" pages to appropriately define your search. Review which options are available for the tool or product that you plan to use. If you use a particular product frequently, you may want to make a few notes to keep on hand. Search engines have a default way of combining search terms. Determining a search engine's defaults may require reading the documentation and/or experimentation. You can modify the default logic by combining terms and using special operators to clearly define your search statement.

Reading the "HELP" screens will show you how to refine your search and offer tips that increase search accuracy and save time. Listed below are features commonly available in search engines and online databases.

General Strategies For Searching:

  • Plan your search before you begin. Write down key words, phrases, and ideas related to your topic.
  • Use synonyms where appropriate. Example:
    • cat - feline
    • rabbit - hare
    • dog - canine
    • discover - find
    • moose - alces alces (scientific name)
  • Use multiple spellings as necessary. Example:
    • Khaddafi Quadafy Kaddafi Qadaffi
    • Athabascan Athabaskan Athapascan Athapaskan
  • Use Boolean searching to combine or limit concepts.
  • Consider using phrases, many databases use quotation marks "" to define phrases. Example.

    "global warming "

  • Use nesting ( ) to logically group terms, similar to a math equation.

    (denali or mckinley) and (bear or bears)

  • Use proximity terms to define phrases. Common proximity operators:

    near, after, before, adjacent

  • Use punctuation or special symbols that having particular meanings, such as, wildcards or truncation. Using truncation or a wildcard saves time, as you can do one search rather than several.

    Truncation is adding a symbol to the end of a root word to retrieve word variations. In most catalogs and databases the truncation symbol is an asterisk (*).

    For example:
    alaska* - would retrieve records containing Alaska, Alaskan, Alaskans, Alaska's, Alaskaland, Alaskafest, and any other word that begins with those letters.

    Wildcards are special characters that replace a letter within a word. Truncation symbols vary between products, so read the "Help" screens. Using wildcards can be useful in retrieving documents containing variant spellings of the same word. Common wildcard symbols are *, $, #, and ?.

    For example:
    If the wildcard symbol is $, typing klond$ke - would retrieve records containing Klondike or Klondyke.

  • Revise your search as needed during the process based on the number of hits and the relevancy of the results.

Be aware of differences you may encounter:

  • Some search tools and products are case sensitive.
  • Additional features may be available, such as, limiting by publication year, format, or language.
  • Differences between Quick (also called Basic) and Advanced searches.
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Posted: August 20th, 2009
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