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Reference Questions (Winter Quarter 2009)

Page history last edited by Heath Davis 14 years, 4 months ago

January 5-9, 2009

  • Student had a list of sociology terms and the instructor asked that each term be defined and given an example of the term. Each term must have three supporting references and Wikipedia, as well as other secondary sources, are not to be used. See below.
    • READ Scale ranking: 4

 

January 12-16, 2009 

  • Student had a list of sociology terms and the instructor asked that each term be defined and given an example of the term. Each term must have three supporting references and Wikipedia, as well as other secondary sources, are not to be used. I suggested the student look up print resources in our library catalog and look at the glossaries in these print resources to get a definition for each of the terms. I showed the student how to look up the definitions of words using Google (define: xenophobia), which yielded Wikipedia entries in the search results. I went over the difference between secondary and primary source information with the student (which is what the instructor was asking the students to be mindful of) using the Wikipedia entry on xenophobia. I showed her the supporting primary sources in the References area in order to help her distinguish between secondary and primary source information. We then looked at ProQuest and put in xenophobia as a search term to see what contextual information we could find on the term xenophobia.
    • READ Scale ranking: 4
  • How do I find supporting periodical articles on the topic of the link between attention deficit disorder/hyperactivity and sports in children? We looked at Facts.com for getting an overview of ADHD/Hyperactivity disorder and I suggested she keep a running list of keywords and topics for use in conjunction with online databases. We looked at ProQuest and did some queries on ADHD, Hyperactivity + exercise, physical fitness, sports. We used both subject-driven searches as well as keyword-driven searches to refine our search strategy.
    • READ Scale ranking: 4
  • Are there any books on French grammar? We looked at the dictionaries and related books in the Reference section and the student was seeking a book more on French grammar rather than words and their definitions. We looked up French and Grammar in the Library catalog and found a couple of books, an basic workbook in particular, which was of interest to the student. The student is going to be teaching French and wanted a primer or some print resources to consult and guide her instruction.
    • READ Scale ranking: 3

 

January 19-23, 2009

  • Student was writing a persuasive paper on the topic of prejudice and discrimination, which included discrimination against various minority groups. The student needed more help with grammar, writing, and style and the Writing Center in the Academic Skills Center was closed. We looked over the paper on the computer (from his jump drive) and I offered suggestions on revisions, word choice, and style. The student returned again closer to closing time and we looked over his concluding paragraph (after we discussed what should be in a conclusion).
    • READ Scale ranking: 5

 

January 26-30, 2009

  • Student requested assistance finding peer-reviewed sources to be used in conjunction with an academic assignment on a link between violence in media and children for a class. We looked at ProQuest and identified some peer-reviewed journals to consider for the assignment. The reference interview covered how to manipulate the search interface to find only peer-reviewed journals as well as how to select this as an option in the results. 
    • READ Scale ranking: 3
  • How do you double-space, create columns, and use the thesaurus feature in Word 2007? We looked at these features and it was discovered that the column features should be used at the completion of the paper.
    • READ Scale ranking: 1
  • How would I find information on a particular job secter, such as current information on trends, statistics, job growth, etc.? We looked at LexixNexis for current news articles and trade publications on the marketing secter (this is the job secter the student was interested in). We also looked at the Bureau of Labor Statistics site (http://www.bls.gov) as well as the Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2008-2009. I followed up with the student and also suggested looking at Workforce Explorer, which covers similar information for Washington State.
    • READ Scale ranking: 4
  • Do you have and can you point me to any books you have on logic? We looked in the Library catalog and did a keyword search on logic, as well as philosophy. We found some books on both the Dewey Decimal side of the stacks and the LC side of the stacks. The student was taking a course in Philosophy and was more interested in the books we found in the LC side of the stacks.
    • READ Scale ranking: 3
  • How do I use proper in-text APA citations in my paper? How do I find quality resources on spinal cord injury? We looked through her Writers Handbook to determine the proper citation format for both in-text citations, as well as citation formats for items in the bibliography. The student was also curious about how to include an in-text citation for an electronic document with no clear author. We looked for examples and modified accordingly. We looked at Health Reference Center in Facts on File and found a list of quality sources to supplement her research. We also looked at results from a broad search across all Facts on Files resources, which captured entries in Issues and Controversies, World News Digest, Health Reference Center, and Today's Science.
    • READ Scale ranking: 5
  • How can I find clips of distributed movies, as well as reviews and information? We looked at both Vimeo and YouTube to find clips of trailers for the movie "Crash" (2004). We also looked at Internet Movie Database to find critic reviews of the movie and other information, such as cast and crew, etc.
    • READ Scale ranking: 4

 

February 2-6, 2009

  • How do I access the online databases and NoodleBib? We went over how to get into ProQuest and how to access NoodleBib. The student will have to create an account in NoodleBib. Remote access to ProQuest will require a SID number.
    • READ Scale ranking: 2
  • How do I find articles for dental resources through the Learning Commons site? Student indicated that she had gone to PubMed to try and find articles, but that most of the results had been too brief for the needs of the assignment. She was really looking for substantial (more than a paragraph) articles for dental topics. I pointed her to some of the journals we already have linked up under Dental Resources on the the Learning Commons site and we also looked at how to find peer-reviewed, ful-text articles in ProQuest and Science Direct. I explained how to distinguish between full-text and citation results in Science Direct and that SD would yield only peer-reviewed results.
    • READ Scale ranking: 3
  • Where is the Merck Manual? We looked Merck Manual in the Library Catalog and found the item located in the Reference section.
    • READ Scale ranking: 2
  • I have a question about NoodleBib and what type of resource I should use from the drop down list. We looked at the online resource the student was using (Facts on File: Issues and Controversies) and compared it to the drop down list in NoodleBib. Electronic/Online (Exclusively) >> Web Site was the best fit for the item the student found in the Facts on File database.
    • READ Scale ranking: 2

 

February 9-13, 2009

  • How do I find information and examples of bias in news media? We looked at the Facts on File databases and ProQuest, as well as YouTube, Fox News organizational website, and Democracy Now! to identify some criteria for examples and bias in news media.
    • READ Scale ranking: 5
  • Need assistance correcting my grammar assignment. We looked over her responses to fill-in-the-blank grammar items and repeated questionable items back. We corrected the assignment.
    • READ Scale ranking: 2
  • How do I find newspaper articles on the process of the government giving money back to lower-income or poor families? We looked at the student's assignment and determined she could look for information on her topic in either LexixNexis Academic or ProQuest, both resources that are able to filter for newspaper articles. The topic of Earned Income Tax Credit was explored and we also looked at the Internal Revenue Service government website.
    • READ Scale ranking: 4
  • How do I find a journal, International Journal of Foreign Language Teaching? A faculty member was trying to find out how to get into the academic journals on foreign language teaching, loosely citing "International Journal of Foreign Language Teaching." We went to the Learning Commons home page (the faculty member wasn't aware of our lwtclearningcommons home site so we backtracked and oriented ourselves to the Learning Commons home page from the LWTC home page) and looked at ProQuest and EBSCOhost. Looking at the Publications tab in both of these databases turned up no results, so we performed a Google search and found some additional resources. The faculty member was not aware of the Learning Commons home page (it doesn't appear as the default on the computers in the TLC) and showed interest in learning more about the Learning Commons home page, particularly the databases we offer.
    • READ Scale ranking: 4
  • Can I check out this magazine? I explained to the student that magazines do not circulate to students, but that we do have a copy machine downstairs on the second floor where she could photocopy desired portions of the magazine at the copy center underneath the stairs on the 2nd floor.
    • READ Scale ranking: 1
  • Can you tell me where the Merck Manual and the DSM IV are located? We found both of these books in the Reference Collection and the student was aware of the online availability of the Merck Manual. The student asked about the difference between the Reference and Reserve copy versions of the DSM IV. I explained that the Reserve items circulated for a designated period of time versus the Reference items are for in-Library use only but can be consulted for any time during which the Library is open to the public.
    • READ Scale ranking: 3

 

February 16-20, 2009

  • Can you tell me how to find "Top 20" grammar book? Where can I find Longman's English grammar book? We looked up the "Top 20" book in the Library Catalog and found the book in the Dewey Decimal section of the stacks. The Longman's English grammar book was featured on the Reference Desk countertop and additional reference books on synonyms, antonyms, etc. were located for the student.
    • READ Scale ranking: 3
  • How would I find books and information on alcoholism and hereditary traits between parents and children? We looked up some titles in the Library Catalog and identified some circulating and Reference books for further study. The student was particularly interested in finding information on the role heredity plays in alcoholism. With this information, we looked at Facts on File, as well as ProQuest to find some information using some advanced search features to isolate a combination search of "heredity" and "alcoholism."
    • READ Scale ranking: 4
  • Can you show me how to use NoodleBib to create a works cited based on resources I have already consulted and used in my paper? We looked at the assignment and found the online web items the student had used in her assignment (previously they had been place holders in her paper). We went through the process of using NoodleBib step-by-step and completed citations for an article found in two different websites. I showed the student how to find the example of including the in-text citation and she was able to copy and paste it into her document. I also showed the student the online NoodleBib tutorials available under Database Information with Tutorials.
    • READ Scale ranking: 3

 

February 23-27, 2009

  • Do you have any books on Guy de Maupassant, Alba Ambert, and/or Vincent Van Gogh? The student was doing a report on mental illness and creativity and was interested in any materials we might have on Van Gogh. We looked up books on these three in the Library Catalog and were only able to find books on Guy de Maupassant. The student was willing to look for other titles through the public library.
    • READ Scale ranking: 3
  • Where are your books on Architecture? We looked up the call number range for Architecture in both the Dewey Decimal and LC classification systems. We also looked at the Architecture books we have in the Reference section before going to the sections in the stacks where the circulating Architecture books are shelved.
    • READ Scale ranking: 3
  • I am looking for books on Intermediate Algebra. We looked up "Intermediate Algebra" in the Library Catalog, which returned nine items. We looked at the results together and I queried the student about the type of book she was seeking. I indicated that one of the books was on reserve and the student was interested in that particular book on intermediate algebra. I explained that she could check out this book at the Circulation & Information Desk downstairs since it was a Reserve item.
    • READ Scale ranking: 2
  • Where would I find books on religions (Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity, etc.)? We looked up religion in the Library catalog and found a shelf of religion books in the Reference section. I indicated that these books are for in-Library use only, but that the student is free to check out books on religion in our circulating book collection.
    • READ Scale ranking: 3
  • I would like to find information on how to set up a pay system for a residence in California that would have a social services relationship. In addition to the resources the student already had acquired from her instructor, I provided her with information on Housing and Urban Development (HUD) as an added area to look for information and resources.
    • READ Scale ranking: 3

 

March 2-6, 2009

  • How do I get into ProQuest database from on campus and from home? I explained to the student that all she would need is her SID number to access ProQuest from home. She was interested in getting into ProQuest from on campus and I explained that all she would have to do is get into the lwtclearningcommons.com home page, access ProQuest, and she would be able to get right into the database.
    • READ Scale ranking: 1
  • How can I find a particular book that is not in the Library catalog? We looked up the book in the Library catalog to make sure it was not an item that we carry. The student mentioned that she needed this particular book so we went into WorldCat, looked up the book, and found that four branches of King County Library System (KCLS) (including the nearby Bellevue Branch) carried the book, as well as UW-Bothell. I explained to the student that if she needed the book very soon she could check out the book from one of the KCLS branches (she has a KCLS card) or she could visit the UW-Bothell Library and look at (but not check out) the book there.
    • READ Scale ranking: 2
  • How do I get into NoodleBib? I asked the student if she already had an account with NoodleBib and she did not. I showed her on the computer screen where she could go to create an account in NoodleBib (Create a Personal ID, etc.).
    • READ Scale ranking: 2
  • I need help with how to get into NoodleBib and create a citation for my assignment. We set up an account in NoodleBib and the student asked about types of sources to cite using NoodleBib. The student asked about Wikipedia and why it couldn't be used as a source for an assignment and we went over the difference between primary and secondary sources. We also went over how to properly evaluate a website and how to vet the author of a particular source.
    • READ Scale ranking: 2
  • Can you help me figure out how to add another box to my chart in Word 2007? We looked at the object the student had rendered (an organizational chart of some sort) and she wanted to add another box to the right of the bottom tier of boxes in the diagram. I left-clicked on the rightmost box in the diagram and was given the option of adding another box to the right.
    • READ Scale ranking: 2
  • I need help printing out some papers for a class and I don't have a thumb drive. The student had some work on her laptop that she needed to print out for a class and she didn't have a thumb drive to convey the papers to one of the workstations in the Library. I suggested she send the documents to herself as an attachment through her email client. She logged into Gmail and sent the documents to herself and then went in to retrieve them. The computer was slow, but the student found her thumb drive and loaded the documents on there instead. We moved to another computer and went through the steps of printing to the 2nd floor printer.
    • READ Scale ranking: 2
  • I need help on how to create citations using NoodleBib. We went over the student's articles she had found (many of them were handwritten citations!) and I showed the student how to skip the Basic Search in ProQuest and go right to the article she needed (since she had all of the citation information written down in front of her) using the Publications tab. We found her article and used the abstract information to create her citation in NoodleBib. We created a citation for both a book and a journal article in NoodleBib. The student was concerned her citations would not be saved once she left the computer and I explained that NoodleBib was web-based and she would be able to access her work from any computer with an Internet connection and that she could get back into NoodleBib via the Learning Commons home page.
    • READ Scale ranking: 4
  • How do I find information on Global Warming that weighs both sides of the issue? We began by looking up some articles in ProQuest before I discovered that the student wanted some overview information about global warming and some pro and con sides to the issue. We opened up the Facts on File Online Databases and I showed her the Issues and Controversies section of this database and looked up global warming. I showed her an example entry in this database and pointed her to other keywords associated with the topic of global warming, as well as additional references to pursue that would be relevant to her topic. The student asked if she could find other articles in Facts on File and I encouraged the student to diversify her references by looking at other online and print sources to supplement her works cited. As an example I pointed her to some books in our Reference section on global warming that might offer more information for her to consider.
    • READ Scale ranking: 3

 

March 9-13, 2009

  • I'm looking for books on alternative energy sources. We looked up "alternative energy sources" in the Library Catalog and I showed the student where he could find the books in the circulating stacks area. He checked out both the alternative sources book and the renewable energy book.
    • READ Scale ranking: 3
  • I would like to find the brainstorming tool that was used in one of the Library presentations in my class. I verified with the student the Bubbl.us tool and wrote down the URL for him to access, explaining that it is completely free and he could even use it without signing up for one of the free accounts.
    • READ Scale ranking: 1

 

March 16-20, 2009

  • Do you know how to format the header area in a Word 2007 document? We looked at the document and navigated to the insert tab where we accessed the header and footer revision feature. The student wanted her title to appear next to the page number in the header aligned on the right-hand side. I showed her how to do this.
    • READ Scale ranking: 1
  • I have a website source that is several levels deep in an organizational website. How do I cite this in NoodleBib? We opened up the student's citation in NoodleBib and accessed the resource from her web link. We looked at the resource and determined there was some information she could leave out and the URL could be shortened by putting in the default contents page since this would be the primary gateway to access.
    • READ Scale ranking: 3
  • I don't know anything about NoodleBib. Can you show me how to use it? The student had already set up a NoodleBib account so we went into her account and then looked up an article on gay marriage in ProQuest. We went step-by-step how to enter the information in NoodleBib, as well as the extra notecards feature.
    • READ Scale ranking: 4
  • I'm doing a paper on birthmarks and genetics for a class and I'm having trouble finding information. We looked into the research databases and started with ProQuest. We completed a search of genetics and birthmarks before switching to Science Direct. A lot of science-heavy articles came up in both resources. We also tried birthmarks and heredity and the student found an article they liked among the results, which included terms of melanoma and nevi. The student indicated that these were alternate terms for birthmarks. I encouraged her to keep a running list of these keywords to assist her in future searches.
    • READ Scale ranking: 5

 

March 23-27, 2009

  • I need to find information on Walmart for an argument paper, specifically information on labor statistics, working conditions, etc. We looked at ProQuest, which the student had used before. I pointed the student to ABI/Inform section of ProQuest and also highlighted LexisNexis Academic. The student was concerned about using newspaper articles in conjunction with her paper and I encouraged the student to create a body of references that would include journal articles, newspaper items, statistical abstracts, etc. We also discussed revising her references to be in MLA format, which is the preferred format for her writing course.
    • READ Scale ranking: 5
  • Where can I find books on nursing? I asked the student if she was looking for circulating or Reference books on nursing and she indicated that she was interested in books that circulate. (Aside: she also cracked her neck while standing at the Reference Desk and I heard three distinct pops -- it was awesome and sounded like it was a good self-alignment) Since the Library OPAC was down we traveled over to the LC book section and looked at the classification schedule on the wall. Identifying the medicine upper-level R subject heading lead us to the RT section. We found the RT section and the student found circulating books on Nursing.
    • READ Scale ranking: 2
  • Where are the dictionaries? We walked over to the dictionaries in the Reference section. There were many reference dictionaries, but I highlighted some that might be useful.
    • READ Scale ranking: 1
  • How do I go about putting an in-text citations using MLA style? Is it the organization name and page number? We went over the MLA citation style from memory without getting into hard data through a book or NoodleBib. I instructed the student that in-text citations should contain the author (or body responsible for the publication) and the date. The student was curious if she started her sentence with, "According to so-and-so organization/author..." and included facts obtained from a specific resource should she reflect the author again in the in-text citation. I told her that at that point she could simply reflect the date in parentheses to satisfy the MLA style in-text citation since she already referenced the author earlier in the sentence. I encouraged her to look at the "parenthetical references" feature in NoodleBib if she needs help with properly constructing her in-text citation or needs cases for different uses of how to appropriately use in-text citations.
    • READ Scale ranking: 2
  • How would I cite two different sources from one author? We opened up one of my MLA citations in my NoodleBib account and I showed the student the "parenthetical references" link attached to the bibliography items. We navigated to the rule for dealing with two separate sources from one author and how to handle the in-text citations.
    • READ Scale ranking: 1

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