FYS: Are You Living Your Parents' Dream?
Marge Werner, Director, Nursery School
Ethel Fraga & Shana Gass, Reference/Instruction Librarians
Remember to note the full citation for each resource you plan to use for your assignments -- title, author or organization, URL if a web site, date of publication, etc. Please use your Hacker guide to help you follow an appropriate format for providing citations.
Using ELIZA, Wallace Library's Online Catalog
ELIZA is the Wallace Library's online catalog.Access ELIZA from the Library Home Page (select the Web version). Use ELIZA to locate materials owned or accessible from the library, including books, reference materials, government publications, journals, newspapers, videocassettes, music, links to online resources and indexes, etc. The most frequently used search options are author, title, keyword and subject. Within ELIZA, you will find basic instructions and examples for each type of search you select. Pay close attention to instructions for using special search expressions such as AND and OR.
Key Word and Subject Search
Try the keyword and subject search options in ELIZA to find useful library material for your study. A keyword search is generally the best place to start, if you are not sure of the specific item you are trying to find. If you find an item of interest, look at the detailed record to find the subject headings assigned to the item. Click on the subject heading that most specifically describes the information you need.
Try the following:
Perform a keyword search using the phrase education and germany.
Click the "Extended Display" button to view item locations and publication dates.
Use the "Limit this Search" button to find an item published in English.
Look at the detailed record for the item you select. Note the call number. You will need this to find the material in the library.
Try the subject links provided within the record. These will allow you to perform a concise hypertext search for similar items.
Practice other searches to find material for your assignment. Then use the location and call number to find the material in the library.
Subject Heading searches are more specific than keyword searches.
Some that might be helpful are:
Childhood
Childrearing
Children
Parenting
Again, from detailed records, consult subject headings for further leads.
Using ELIZA to Locate Journals and Periodicals
Use the following instructions for locating journals and periodicals through ELIZA:
http://library.wheatoncollege.edu/screens/srchhint_03.html
To find all periodicals available (in paper, microfilm or electronic format) from Wheaton, covering the topic of Education, try entering the following SUBJECT SEARCH in Eliza:
- education periodicals
How many does Wheaton have?
In the full list of education periodicals, locate the record for the journal Childhood Education. Look at the detailed record and try the electronic link provided.
Using Indexes to Find Journal, Magazine and Newspaper Articles
While ELIZA can be used to find a periodical title, you will need to use an electronic index to locate specific articles within journals and newspapers. Some indexes will also provide the full-text of articles you locate. Wheaton subscribes to these indexes and databases, and they are accessible to you as a Wheaton student. The interface and search features will vary in each database, so take time to read the instructions for performing a search. Materials in these databases are generally not accessible if you are searching the web using a search engine. It is important to learn how to use these research databases and indexes for this course and for other courses you will take at Wheaton.
InfoTrac
InfoTrac is one of several online indexes available at Wheaton. It is a good general source for locating material in all disciplines, including education, psychology and sociology. Use it to search for articles and abstracts from newspapers, magazines and scholarly journals, related to your team research project. Full-text is available for some material. If full-text is not available, use Check ELIZA links to search for the journal title. The Library may have the item in the print journal collections or on microform. If the article cannot be accessed online or in the collections, Interlibrary Loan may be able to obtain it. Once you are comfortable using InfoTrac, you can venture into other indexes to find material.
From the library homepage, select Electronic Resources.
From the Online Research Databases menu, select InfoTrac.
From the available InfoTrac databases, find Expanded Academic ASAP and click the link to "start searching."
Try a search combining the terms parenting and research in the search window.
Try different combinations of terms to find information for your topic.
Try using the search screen options to limit your search to full-text articles, refereed publications (scholarly articles) or more recent articles.
[Demo of Interlibrary Loan Order link from Library Homepage]
From OVID
Wilson Social Science Abstracts
1. At the top of the page note icon/links.
2. Enter "childhood" and hit search. How many hits? ______
3. Enter "Japan" and hit search. How many hits? ______
4. Enter a Boolean search for "childhood and Japan" and hit search. How many hits? _____
5. Display results.
6. Click Complete Record for an item. Notice the abstract (summary) and subject headings that can lead you to similar articles.
6. Mark records that look intriguing.
7. Scroll down to "Citation Manager".
8. Select "Complete Reference" to insure that you have all needed info (for Interlibrary Loan or just for your own convenience).
9. Demo of Library Holdings link.
Research Skills Assignment
[due Friday, October 10 to Shana Gass]
We will discuss this assignment in class on Wednesday, October 15.
The assignment has 4 parts:
I: Finding & Evaluating Books
II: Getting Background with Reference Material
III: Finding & Evaluating Articles
IV: Evaluating Web Sites
Feel free to ask for assistance with this assignment at the Reference Desk!
Notes on Part III: Evaluating Web Sites
While the Web will provide you with much valuable information, you should carefully assess each Web source you use for accuracy, reliability, authority, and currency. As you know, anybody can publish a web page. Pages may be inaccurate, misleading, strongly biased, or simply trying to sell you a product. The following tutorial from the University of Vermont provides an excellent overview of site evaluation criteria, along with links to further information.
Evaluating Web Information -- University of Vermont
http://www.lib.vt.edu/research/libinst/idle/evaluating.html
Examine each of the following web sites and then answer this set of questions for each site [Worksheet #3].
1. Currency ... When was the site last maintained?
2. Authority ... Who authors the site? What are the person's or institution's credentials/reputation?
3. Coverage ... Discuss briefly the range of subjects covered and the depth of coverage. Are there links to other helpful sites?
4. Ease of navigation ... Is the site effectively designed and easy to move around in?
5. Relevance to this course ... Is there material on this site that might be useful in the research required for this course?
- Welcome to the
ERIC Clearinghouse on Elementary and Early Childhood Education (ERIC/EECE) and the National Parent Information Network (NPIN)
http://ericps.crc.uiuc.edu - Career Planning & Resources
http://www.scrippscol.edu/~dept/career/index.html - What Can Student Drawings Tell Us about High-Stakes Testing in Massachusetts?
http://wwwcsteep.bc.edu/drawoned/mcas/mcaspaper.html - National Mentoring Partnership
http://www.mentoring.org
When You Need Further Help
Remember, this is just a starting point for developing your research skills while at Wheaton! Reference Librarians are here to help you and WELCOME your questions! You can even schedule a private appointment for research assistance. Check the Library web site for reference desk hours and further information.
For help with Library Research for this course: please contact Ethel Fraga at
This page is maintained by Wheaton College. Last updated on 5/15/09.
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