ISLT 1111: Information Use and Student Success

Class meeting 3:Landscape

Unregulated Web vs. Library Resources

Unregulated Web: Free Easy to access Inaccurate Biased (Blogs) Hoax sites Misleading

Library Resources: $5 million/yr Backed in print Varied formats Author is clear Some online Liked by profs

MERLIN

MERLIN is MU’s online catalog – it is how you find materials at any library on campus Loan period is 1 month for undergraduates, 3 months for

graduates Materials include books, bound journals, reference works,

DVDs, Government Documents, Special Collections, etc. MERLIN cluster includes all libraries at the following

campuses: UMC UMKC UMR UMSL

Can request items directly from other MERLIN libraries within the MERLIN catalog by clicking the “Request” button Delivery time is usually between 2-4 days

How MERLIN Fits Into MOBIUS

From: http://mobius.missouri.edu/screens/libinfo.html

Accessed: January 2008

Types of InformationScholarly, general, specialized, etc.Publications vary according to their audiencesPublications by MU faculty:

David J. Schulz (Biological Sciences): Schulz, D.J., Goaillard, J.M., Marder, E. “Variable Channel Expression in

Identified Single and Electrically Coupled Neurons in Different Animals.” Nature Neuroscience 9 (March 2006): 356-62.

Roxanne W. McDaniel (School of Nursing): Conn, V.S., Porter, R.T., McDaniel, R.W., Rantz, M.J., Mass, M.L. “Building

Research Productivity in an Academic Setting.” Nursing Outlook 53 (September-October 2005): 224-31.

Charles N. Davis (Journalism): Davis, Charles N. “Expanding Privacy Rationales under the Federal Freedom

of Information Act.” Social Science Computer Review 23 (Winter 2005): 453-62.

John Miles Foley (Classics): Foley, John Miles. “How to Read an Oral Poem.” Urbana: University of Illinois

Press, 2002.

Journals and Databases

Journal: “academic magazines”, research by professors, communication within the field

Database: online index of journals and their articles/contents

Types of Periodicals:

General General/Topical General/SpecialTime ESPN the Magazine Scientific

AmericanNewsweek Glamour Psychology

TodayWired Jazz Improv Magazine Pol.

Science Quarterly

Academic/General Academic/Topical Academic/Special

American Scholar Science Physical Review

Daedalus American Literature Financial Statistics

Packages? Defined as types of information that can be

found in different sources in different collections A book is a package, an article is a package,

even a blog can be considered a package We are concerned with HOW information is

packaged For instance, a book might concern various

topics, but only one relevant to you Or, you are unsure if a general reference work

would be better than an in-depth book Knowing the WAY information is organized is

important to conducting research efficiently!

View the Information Timeline link Displays what is published and when it is

published Information flows through different packages

as time progresses Less time = more informal packages, less

discourse, more theory More time = more formal packages, more

scholarly information

Information Timeline

Different Packages in the Timeline

Much time lag between writing and publishing:◦ Reference book: any audience, overview of many

topics◦ Textbook: scholarly audience, overview of a topic,

factual◦ Collection of Essay: any audience, in depth study by

many authors◦ Book: varied, fiction or non-fiction, scholarly or

general Little time lag between writing and publishing:

◦ Newspaper: general audience, published daily/weekly

◦ Magazine: general audience, published monthly/weekly

◦ Trade Magazine: special audience, focus on trends◦ Journals: scholarly audience, very timely and in

depth

Homework

Choose a niche topic: (EX: law in Missouri, not just law)

Search in Google, MERLIN, and Academic Search Premier (ASP) Refer to the ASP handout & Homework handout to navigate the

database

Look at the top 5 results for each

Type 1-2 page, double-spaced explanation of how results differ and why

Worth 10% of your grade, due next class period