The Murray State University library website offers an array of databases and catalogues/indexes to help students find the resources they need, whether the resource is available through Murray State, or another library via an InterLibrary Loan. In order for a student to obtain the most relevant information pertaining to their research, they must first understand how to use and search the databases and catalogues properly. One way to bypass blindly searching through catalogues and databases is to use library guides.
Library guides are used to help students find useful resources most relevant to a certain major, subject area, or department. Some of the subject areas include: Advertising, Biology, Communication, English, Law, Marketing, Psychology, and Religion. Not every individual major is listed, but virtually every department has at least one library guide to refer to. After locating the appropriate library guide that is most relevant to your research, click on the link.
A specific librarian is assigned to different library guides, but one librarian may be in charge of all the library guides pertaining to a certain department/subject area. For example, I am a public relations major and my department is Journalism and Mass Communication. Journalism and Mass Communication has a library guide, but majors within this department, such as; public relations, advertising, communication, and organizational communication, all have individual/separate library guides. Melissa Engleman is the librarian designated to all of the library guides related to the Journalism and Mass Communication department.
Each library guide is customized for each subject area to help students find relevant information relating to their research. Basically, library guides are an overview, and literally "a guide," of helpful services available to students who are performing research. Depending on the librarian, the resources available on particular subject may vary. For instance, the library guide for Public Relations offers information about important websites related to public relations, citation guides, and business law. Whereas the library guide for Biology provides information on biological information on the web, current biological research, and how to find biological information in the appropriate database.
I strongly recommend that if a Murray State student has not taken a library course that teaches them how to properly search for resources through the different databases and catalogues, that they use the library guides. Library guides are like having your own librarian at your service to assist in finding resources related to the specific topic you are researching.
Friday, November 11, 2011
Thursday, October 27, 2011
InterLibrary Loaning A Resource
The Murray State University libraries have a massive collection of books, articles, journals, and visual materials. Many resources, excluding reference books and materials from Pogue Library, are available to be checked-out. However, if you cannot find the material you need, you can request an Interlibrary Loan. An Interlibrary Loan is a service accessible throughout almost every library that allows libraries to borrow material (books, CD's, DVD's, etc.) from one another.
In order to apply for an Interlibrary Loan, you must first create an ILLIAD account. To do this, you must first go to the Murray State Library website, click the "Quicklinks" tab, and then click the IILIAD link. Once are on, click the "First Time User" link and fill in the required information. After submitting your information, type in the word "cash" into the box provided to complete the registration. There is no charge to create an Interlibrary Loan account or to request/receive an Interlibrary Loan resource, most of the time. However, you will be charged if you receive an Interlibrary Loan and do not return it within the proper time period.
To request an Interlibrary Loan, log onto the MSU library website, click Quicklinks, and the click the WorldCat database link. Once you are on the WorldCat database page, type in the search terms in the boxes provided. For example, if you are looking for a book about the Dave Matthews Band, enter "Dave Matthews Band" (notice the quotation marks) into the first search box as a keyword. If you want Dave Matthews Band in the title of the book, change "keyword" to "title." Since the Dave Matthews Band also relates to CD's and DVD's, check the "Books" box in the "Limit Type To" section located at the bottom of the search box. After submitting your search, a list of books will appear. If there is a green Murray State University text along with book/material information, this means that the material is available within the MSU libraries. If it is not available through Murray State, click on the "Find it @ MSU" link or the Interlibrary Loan link and log into your ILLIAD account.
After clicking one of the two previous links, the ILLIAD request form is automatically filled out for you including the title, author, and ISBN number. However, to help the other library locate your material faster, enter the type of resource you need into the "Notes" box of the request form. Since you are looking for a book about the Dave Matthews Band, enter "Book" into the "Notes" section. This will help avoid any confusion because the Dave Matthews Band also relates to CD's and DVD's.
Once you have submitted your request form, the MSU library will search for the material starting with the library that owns the material in the closest proximity to MSU. However, libraries that own the material may not have it available due to someone else checking the material out, or sometimes materials can be lost or stolen. Along with the previous issues and the process of "snail mail", Interlibrary Loan materials can take up to ten days to receive.
Whenever the Waterfield Library receives your Interlibrary Loan, you will be notified via the e-mail address you provided in the ILLIAD registration. To pick up your Interlibrary Loan material, visit the Interlibrary Loan office located on the main level of Waterfield Library, in room 216. If there is a resource you would like to be able to obtain through the MSU libraries and do not need quickly for a paper or project, you can suggest an item for purchase by going to the MSU libraries website and clicking on the link in the bottom left hand corner.
In order to apply for an Interlibrary Loan, you must first create an ILLIAD account. To do this, you must first go to the Murray State Library website, click the "Quicklinks" tab, and then click the IILIAD link. Once are on, click the "First Time User" link and fill in the required information. After submitting your information, type in the word "cash" into the box provided to complete the registration. There is no charge to create an Interlibrary Loan account or to request/receive an Interlibrary Loan resource, most of the time. However, you will be charged if you receive an Interlibrary Loan and do not return it within the proper time period.
To request an Interlibrary Loan, log onto the MSU library website, click Quicklinks, and the click the WorldCat database link. Once you are on the WorldCat database page, type in the search terms in the boxes provided. For example, if you are looking for a book about the Dave Matthews Band, enter "Dave Matthews Band" (notice the quotation marks) into the first search box as a keyword. If you want Dave Matthews Band in the title of the book, change "keyword" to "title." Since the Dave Matthews Band also relates to CD's and DVD's, check the "Books" box in the "Limit Type To" section located at the bottom of the search box. After submitting your search, a list of books will appear. If there is a green Murray State University text along with book/material information, this means that the material is available within the MSU libraries. If it is not available through Murray State, click on the "Find it @ MSU" link or the Interlibrary Loan link and log into your ILLIAD account.
After clicking one of the two previous links, the ILLIAD request form is automatically filled out for you including the title, author, and ISBN number. However, to help the other library locate your material faster, enter the type of resource you need into the "Notes" box of the request form. Since you are looking for a book about the Dave Matthews Band, enter "Book" into the "Notes" section. This will help avoid any confusion because the Dave Matthews Band also relates to CD's and DVD's.
Once you have submitted your request form, the MSU library will search for the material starting with the library that owns the material in the closest proximity to MSU. However, libraries that own the material may not have it available due to someone else checking the material out, or sometimes materials can be lost or stolen. Along with the previous issues and the process of "snail mail", Interlibrary Loan materials can take up to ten days to receive.
Whenever the Waterfield Library receives your Interlibrary Loan, you will be notified via the e-mail address you provided in the ILLIAD registration. To pick up your Interlibrary Loan material, visit the Interlibrary Loan office located on the main level of Waterfield Library, in room 216. If there is a resource you would like to be able to obtain through the MSU libraries and do not need quickly for a paper or project, you can suggest an item for purchase by going to the MSU libraries website and clicking on the link in the bottom left hand corner.
Friday, October 21, 2011
Finding a Circulating Book
As an advertising minor, I was asked to write a paper on non-traditional advertising. Traditional advertising includes print ads through magazines, newspapers, flyers, etc., television commercials, and radio commercials. Advertising via the Internet, cell phones, and other digital devices has become an effective way of reaching target audiences in this age of technology. Locating a book related to digital advertising was my first objective.
Citations and in-depth information were essential to the research paper; therefore, a circulating book was more preferable than a reference book. Also, circulating books are allowed to be "checked-out" and can leave the library, unlike reference books. To begin my search for a circulating book, I first went to the RACERtrac database website and clicked on the "Advanced" search tab. For each search I performed, I selected the "Location" to circulating collection and the "Type" to book.
For my first search, I began by inserting "Advertising" to be found within the title into the first search box. In the second search box, I entered "non traditional" to be found as a keyword anywhere. There were not any books discovered with this particular search. But by altering my search terms, I could create a greater possibility of finding a book related to my topic. I kept the first search box the same with "Advertising" and changed "non traditional" to "digital." This search found four circulating books relevant to the search terms. The book I decided that would best correspond to my topic was Digital Advertising. This book was also published in 2010, and therefore, would have current information on my topic.
As an additional source, I wanted to look for a book more specific to Internet advertising. In the first search box I entered "Advertising" to be found within the title and in the second box, I entered "Internet?" to be found as a keyword anywhere. Seven results were found and I chose the book Advertising and the World Wide Web because it was very relevant and it was the only book out of the seven to be published in the 90's. This is important because although Internet advertising seems to be relatively new, it actually first began in the 90's.
Since reference books are not allowed to leave the library, they are more likely to be available. However, circulating books can leave the library. After locating the book most relevant to your topic via RACERtrac, check to see if it is available. A green check will be located below the call number if the book is available and a red "X" will show if the book is not available and already checked-out by another person.
Citations and in-depth information were essential to the research paper; therefore, a circulating book was more preferable than a reference book. Also, circulating books are allowed to be "checked-out" and can leave the library, unlike reference books. To begin my search for a circulating book, I first went to the RACERtrac database website and clicked on the "Advanced" search tab. For each search I performed, I selected the "Location" to circulating collection and the "Type" to book.
For my first search, I began by inserting "Advertising" to be found within the title into the first search box. In the second search box, I entered "non traditional" to be found as a keyword anywhere. There were not any books discovered with this particular search. But by altering my search terms, I could create a greater possibility of finding a book related to my topic. I kept the first search box the same with "Advertising" and changed "non traditional" to "digital." This search found four circulating books relevant to the search terms. The book I decided that would best correspond to my topic was Digital Advertising. This book was also published in 2010, and therefore, would have current information on my topic.
As an additional source, I wanted to look for a book more specific to Internet advertising. In the first search box I entered "Advertising" to be found within the title and in the second box, I entered "Internet?" to be found as a keyword anywhere. Seven results were found and I chose the book Advertising and the World Wide Web because it was very relevant and it was the only book out of the seven to be published in the 90's. This is important because although Internet advertising seems to be relatively new, it actually first began in the 90's.
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Finding a Reference Book
Do you need to find a starting point for more information or a quick reference to a certain topic? Reference books are the answer. Reference books found in libraries are generally not circulated materials, but are freely available if a person knows where to find it. A few examples are encyclopedias, almanacs, and dictionaries, but almost anyone can find the encyclopedia section, right? In order to find more specific reference books, a person must know how to search for the most accurate information pertaining to the topic they are researching.
As a class assignment, I had to find a reference book associated with a random topic given by other classmates. The topics I received were: abortion, war on drugs, and American Pickers. To begin my search for a reference book on each individual topic, I chose to use the RACERtrac database because it is a catalog of all the materials located in the Murray State University libraries. To help narrow my search even more and get results that were more relevant to my topic, I used the "Advanced" search option.
Locating a reference book on abortion was very simple because abortion is a very general topic. I entered the search term "abortion" to be a keyword anywhere in the material, changed the "Location" to Reference, and the "Type" to book. Pro-choice/Pro-life: An Annotated, Selected Bibliography was the first option and it was available in the Reference Collection at the Waterfield Library. I felt that this particular reference book could give me views of both sides of the topic and would be a good starting point for further research.
The next topic, war on drugs, was not as straightforward as I thought it would be. Simply entering "war on drugs" resulted in no hits. Therefore, I separated the two main words and used a truncation symbol to help find more applicable materials. In separate search boxes, I entered "drugs?" then "war?" to be keywords found anywhere in the material. I chose the operator "AND" so that both search terms would be included within the document. Through previous knowledge about the war on drugs, I was able to choose the reference book, Columbia: A Country Study, as a quick reference to my particular topic.
Finding a reference book associated with my last "topic" was a little more complex than the previous topics. American Pickers is a television show about two men traveling across the United States to purchase old antiques at a low price and then repair the items to sell at higher price. As I suspected, there were not any reference books located in the MSU libraries related to American Pickers or "picking" (as some people call the activity). Therefore, I decided to search what the TV show was truly about: antiques!
In the first search box, I entered "antiques" to be found within the title of the reference book. Using the operator "OR", I entered "collect?" in the second search box to be found anywhere in the material. By using a truncation with collect, I was hoping to broaden my search results to include collections and collectables. There were several books to select, but many included London and England within the information of the book. Keeping in mind the original topic, AMERICAN Pickers, I selected Antiques Directory that was published in New York with American consultants.
Finding a reference book can be simple if the topic is very general, however; the simplicity of searching for a broad topic could lead to an overload of useless and unnecessary information. Knowing what search terms to use, utilizing truncation symbols, and being able to limit searches are all vital techniques in finding the most suitable reference book for your topic.
I have also included a brief video tutorial on how to use RACERtrac. The video not only gives a visual for the information provided above, but also illustrates the other features of the online catalog.
As a class assignment, I had to find a reference book associated with a random topic given by other classmates. The topics I received were: abortion, war on drugs, and American Pickers. To begin my search for a reference book on each individual topic, I chose to use the RACERtrac database because it is a catalog of all the materials located in the Murray State University libraries. To help narrow my search even more and get results that were more relevant to my topic, I used the "Advanced" search option.
Locating a reference book on abortion was very simple because abortion is a very general topic. I entered the search term "abortion" to be a keyword anywhere in the material, changed the "Location" to Reference, and the "Type" to book. Pro-choice/Pro-life: An Annotated, Selected Bibliography was the first option and it was available in the Reference Collection at the Waterfield Library. I felt that this particular reference book could give me views of both sides of the topic and would be a good starting point for further research.
The next topic, war on drugs, was not as straightforward as I thought it would be. Simply entering "war on drugs" resulted in no hits. Therefore, I separated the two main words and used a truncation symbol to help find more applicable materials. In separate search boxes, I entered "drugs?" then "war?" to be keywords found anywhere in the material. I chose the operator "AND" so that both search terms would be included within the document. Through previous knowledge about the war on drugs, I was able to choose the reference book, Columbia: A Country Study, as a quick reference to my particular topic.
Finding a reference book associated with my last "topic" was a little more complex than the previous topics. American Pickers is a television show about two men traveling across the United States to purchase old antiques at a low price and then repair the items to sell at higher price. As I suspected, there were not any reference books located in the MSU libraries related to American Pickers or "picking" (as some people call the activity). Therefore, I decided to search what the TV show was truly about: antiques!
In the first search box, I entered "antiques" to be found within the title of the reference book. Using the operator "OR", I entered "collect?" in the second search box to be found anywhere in the material. By using a truncation with collect, I was hoping to broaden my search results to include collections and collectables. There were several books to select, but many included London and England within the information of the book. Keeping in mind the original topic, AMERICAN Pickers, I selected Antiques Directory that was published in New York with American consultants.
Finding a reference book can be simple if the topic is very general, however; the simplicity of searching for a broad topic could lead to an overload of useless and unnecessary information. Knowing what search terms to use, utilizing truncation symbols, and being able to limit searches are all vital techniques in finding the most suitable reference book for your topic.
I have also included a brief video tutorial on how to use RACERtrac. The video not only gives a visual for the information provided above, but also illustrates the other features of the online catalog.
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Connecting People with Pinterest.
MySpace, Facebook, and Twitter have become some of the most popular websites on the Internet. All three are social networking sites that allow users to interact with one another via instant messaging, posting comments on personal profiles, tweets, and tagging photographs. But now there is a new Internet sensation, Pinterest. The Pinterest website states, "Our goal is to connect everyone in the world through the 'things' they find interesting. We think that a favorite book, toy, or recipe can reveal a common link between two people. With millions of new pins added every week, Pinterest is connecting people all over the world based on shared tastes and interests."
In order to use Pinterest, a person must request an invitation via e-mail, or be invited by a friend. I first heard about Pinterest from a friend on Facebook and decided to check out the website. I invited myself to join by sending a request through my e-mail account. After a day or two, my invitation was accepted and I was ready to begin exploring Pinterest. A person can view everything on Pinterest, or the website can be broken down into different categories such as; apparel and accessories, food and drink, people, photography, and wedding and events. Pinterest is used as a centralized location for users to share ideas/things that they find anywhere on the Internet.
Upon joining, Pinterest automatically added me to a list of my Facebook friends that I would begin to follow (like on Twitter). After "liking" several different food recipes and "repining" , I was asked if I would like to follow the people that liked the same recipes as I had viewed. Pinterest does use filter bubbles. After you have pinned or liked certain things from other users, the website remembers what you have viewed and shows you similar ideas and information from corresponding users. For example, I have re-pined many recipes from the user "Payton Arant." Whenever I go to the Pinterest website, things that Payton has pinned and liked will show up first. However, if I click the "Everything" button at the top of the page, the website will then show me literally everything that has been posted without filtering information from previous explorations.
Pinterest allows users to create boards. Boards are the equivalent to physical bulletin boards a person would have in their home to organize thoughts, ideas, or plans. For example, I created boards with titles such as; "Live to Cook" where I re-pin recipes, "Our Home" for ideas that I would like to do for my house, and "Fashion-licious" for hairstyles and outfits I would like to try sometime.
For more information on Pinterest, visit the information/help page and try exploring Pinterest yourself. Below, click on the link provided to visit a few social networking sites, including Pinterest.
MySpace Facebook
Twitter Pinterest
In order to use Pinterest, a person must request an invitation via e-mail, or be invited by a friend. I first heard about Pinterest from a friend on Facebook and decided to check out the website. I invited myself to join by sending a request through my e-mail account. After a day or two, my invitation was accepted and I was ready to begin exploring Pinterest. A person can view everything on Pinterest, or the website can be broken down into different categories such as; apparel and accessories, food and drink, people, photography, and wedding and events. Pinterest is used as a centralized location for users to share ideas/things that they find anywhere on the Internet.
Upon joining, Pinterest automatically added me to a list of my Facebook friends that I would begin to follow (like on Twitter). After "liking" several different food recipes and "repining" , I was asked if I would like to follow the people that liked the same recipes as I had viewed. Pinterest does use filter bubbles. After you have pinned or liked certain things from other users, the website remembers what you have viewed and shows you similar ideas and information from corresponding users. For example, I have re-pined many recipes from the user "Payton Arant." Whenever I go to the Pinterest website, things that Payton has pinned and liked will show up first. However, if I click the "Everything" button at the top of the page, the website will then show me literally everything that has been posted without filtering information from previous explorations.
Pinterest allows users to create boards. Boards are the equivalent to physical bulletin boards a person would have in their home to organize thoughts, ideas, or plans. For example, I created boards with titles such as; "Live to Cook" where I re-pin recipes, "Our Home" for ideas that I would like to do for my house, and "Fashion-licious" for hairstyles and outfits I would like to try sometime.
For more information on Pinterest, visit the information/help page and try exploring Pinterest yourself. Below, click on the link provided to visit a few social networking sites, including Pinterest.
MySpace Facebook
Twitter Pinterest
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Filter Bubbles
The Internet has a plethora of information that can be available at the touch of a button or click of a mouse. Students turn to the Internet for information on topics for research papers, many people use the Internet for new ideas in the areas of cooking, fashion, and entertainment, and almost everyone has a social media account; such as Facebook. I have always viewed the Internet and search engines such as Google, as non-biased, objective methods of finding information. However, the Internet is tailored to each person through the use of filter bubbles.
Filter bubbles are undetectable if a person is unaware of their purpose. Websites such as Google, Facebook, and Yahoo! keep track of what you search, what websites you visit, and even what your personal preferences are throughout your accounts. For example, on my Facebook profile, I have listed that I am a Public Relations major. After logging onto my account, an advertisement was specifically placed onto my profile for "enhancing your PR career by obtaining a Master's degree from USC."
Google is one of the most popular search engines on the Internet, but Google uses information from previous searches to personalize current searches. Google chooses the "best search results" by looking at the IP address and what the user has searched in the past. I believe that this limits the information we can receive and contributes to the bias and misunderstanding of information. If every search a person does is catered to them, then how can they ever learn anything different?
A new search engine site called DuckDuckGo states that it offers searches without filter bubbles ensuring a less biased and subjective view of information. Hopefully more websites will allow the option to reduce the use of filter bubbles. Some personalization on the Internet is well received, but I feel that in order to take full advantage of the services of the Internet, websites should show people everything, not just what they want to see.
Filter bubbles are undetectable if a person is unaware of their purpose. Websites such as Google, Facebook, and Yahoo! keep track of what you search, what websites you visit, and even what your personal preferences are throughout your accounts. For example, on my Facebook profile, I have listed that I am a Public Relations major. After logging onto my account, an advertisement was specifically placed onto my profile for "enhancing your PR career by obtaining a Master's degree from USC."
Google is one of the most popular search engines on the Internet, but Google uses information from previous searches to personalize current searches. Google chooses the "best search results" by looking at the IP address and what the user has searched in the past. I believe that this limits the information we can receive and contributes to the bias and misunderstanding of information. If every search a person does is catered to them, then how can they ever learn anything different?
A new search engine site called DuckDuckGo states that it offers searches without filter bubbles ensuring a less biased and subjective view of information. Hopefully more websites will allow the option to reduce the use of filter bubbles. Some personalization on the Internet is well received, but I feel that in order to take full advantage of the services of the Internet, websites should show people everything, not just what they want to see.
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
Furnetic.com...."fur-real?"
Knowing how to verify websites is very important in today’s society. In order to do so, look for credibility throughout the website in forms of contact information, advertisements or sponsorships, and who created or published the website. Anybody can design and post a website on the Internet. Being aware of phishing or scam websites is very important because they can steal your identity and/or money. After researching a few websites, I stumbled upon a website dealing with customized genetic modifications, www.furnetics.com.
Furnetics.com offered a handful of services including; Genetic Maintain™, Genetic Select™, Phenotype Renovations™, and Genotype Renovations™. All of these services seemed generic, not genetic, so I began to investigate the website to determine its credibility. All of the links worked, but all were within the website except for the Twitter account (which had only two posts and had not been updated since 2010). The website's contact section had a sketchy address with only a street number, city, and country. The only way to contact the company was to input your e-mail address and let them contact you. There was also a Goggle Map, but it was just a map of a road in Mongolia with no point of where the business was located.
Researching where/who the website came from is also an effective tool in verifying websites as accurate. The publisher/designer of Furnetics.com is listed SM Unlimited Ltd., which made no sense to me because ltd. stand for limited. After searching Google with quotation marks, there was no information or evidence that SM Unlimited Ltd. existed. Another clue that the website was a hoax, was that Furnetics.com referred to a group called the Hephaestus Group as its "research and development arm." However, the information I found out about the Hephaestus Group was that it was a staff that researched the California health care system, not biological genetics.
The major indication that it was a fraudulent website was the Q & A section. The website explained that it would not send or post photos of previous clients to prove its services. Also, the biggest red flag was that the services were "prepaid in US dollar cash-equivalent instruments" prior to receiving the service. The services ranged from $100,000 to $7 million. There were also no names of credible sources, only a list that stated "genetic therapists, biochemical engineers, doctors, and dreamers."
Being aware of scam/phishing websites can protect yourself and your money. Be sure and research a few key components when doing online transactions via credit/debit card and websites that ask for personal information. Become your own detective and help to reduce the number of identity/money thefts.
Furnetics.com offered a handful of services including; Genetic Maintain™, Genetic Select™, Phenotype Renovations™, and Genotype Renovations™. All of these services seemed generic, not genetic, so I began to investigate the website to determine its credibility. All of the links worked, but all were within the website except for the Twitter account (which had only two posts and had not been updated since 2010). The website's contact section had a sketchy address with only a street number, city, and country. The only way to contact the company was to input your e-mail address and let them contact you. There was also a Goggle Map, but it was just a map of a road in Mongolia with no point of where the business was located.
Researching where/who the website came from is also an effective tool in verifying websites as accurate. The publisher/designer of Furnetics.com is listed SM Unlimited Ltd., which made no sense to me because ltd. stand for limited. After searching Google with quotation marks, there was no information or evidence that SM Unlimited Ltd. existed. Another clue that the website was a hoax, was that Furnetics.com referred to a group called the Hephaestus Group as its "research and development arm." However, the information I found out about the Hephaestus Group was that it was a staff that researched the California health care system, not biological genetics.
The major indication that it was a fraudulent website was the Q & A section. The website explained that it would not send or post photos of previous clients to prove its services. Also, the biggest red flag was that the services were "prepaid in US dollar cash-equivalent instruments" prior to receiving the service. The services ranged from $100,000 to $7 million. There were also no names of credible sources, only a list that stated "genetic therapists, biochemical engineers, doctors, and dreamers."
Being aware of scam/phishing websites can protect yourself and your money. Be sure and research a few key components when doing online transactions via credit/debit card and websites that ask for personal information. Become your own detective and help to reduce the number of identity/money thefts.
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