WRIT 312:Scientists – Biography and WorksLAKSAMEE PUTNAM

LPUTNAM@TOWSON.EDU

RESEARCH & INSTRUCTION LIBRARIAN

Slides: http://bit.ly/writ312fall2014

First…

Laksamee Putnam

lputnam@towson.edu

Cook Library Reference:

410.704.2462.

IM/email

Phone: 410.704.3746.

Twitter: @CookLibraryofTU

Slides: http://bit.ly/writ312fall2014

Take away…

Introduction to Library Resources

Biography Basics

Finding Books and Articles

Citation Help

Library Homepage

Main website

Library Catalog

USMAI Catalog

Cook OneSearch

Course Gateway

Research -> Course Gateways -> Select a Course (WRIT 312)

Biography Basics

Start in “Biography in Context” to read up on your scientist

Note their name and possible variations

Charles Darwin

C Darwin, Charles Robert Darwin, CR Darwin

Biography Basics

What were your scientist’s affiliations?

Partners? University?

What key words are associated with your scientist?

Inventions? Formulas? Field of study?

Are there any specific publications mentioned which you could look up?

Books or Journals written about or by your scientist

Finding Books

A list of books to help you get started

Search in multiple places

Use specific books titles if you know them

Use name variations

Use keywords

Request books from other USMAI libraries

Interlibrary loan for everything else

Search Tips

Boolean “search connectors”

Stephen Hawking AND Physics

seismoscope OR seismometer

Finding Articles

Start with Scopus

Use Author Search to help locate articles written by your scientist

Use your keywords to see if there have been articles written about your author

If you have a specific citation to look up, check the Journal List

Finding Articles

No luck in Scopus? Try the other databases listed in the WRIT 312 Course Gateway

Science Direct, Cook OneSearch

If the full text isn’t available look for a Find It button.

Searching the Web

Try different search engines

Google Scholar

Wolfram Alpha

Refseek

Limit to .gov or .edu

For example, you can usually search “topic” + .gov

“transmission electron microscope” site:.gov

APA Citing Resources

Cook Library – Citing Sources

http://cooklibrary.towson.edu/styleGuides.cfm

OWL

http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01/

Worksheet!

Answer the various questions as you:

Find out more about your scientist in Biography in Context

Locate books and articles

Ask if you have questions!

Questions?

Feel free to contact me: Laksamee Putnam

lputnam@towson.edu

410.704.3746.

Twitter: @CookLibraryofTU

Or any reference librarian: Visit Cook Library Reference Desk

410.704.2462.

IM – tucookchat