1. Library Research Public Safety Management Anthony Valenti
Campus Director Learning Resources

2. Agenda Identify Research Needs Doing the Research
Selecting a topic
Determining research needs
Doing the Research
Library catalog
Library databases
Skills for searching
Using Research Results
Evaluating research results
Citation

3. Identifying Research Needs
Select a topic
assigned by your instructor.
a subject that interests you.
a real information need that you have.
something discussed in class about which you want to know more.
Start with broad subjects and then focus on a more specific aspect of the broader topic. Sometimes it helps to formulate a question.
National Security – Patriot Act – Does the Patriot Act infringe on civil rights?

4. Identifying Research Needs
Determine your research needs
What is the final result?
Research paper, speech, informal report?
Who is your audience?
Simple, general, advanced?
What is the scope
A paragraph, a page, five pages?
All these questions will help you determine your sources

5. Identifying Research Needs
Popular or Scholarly Sources?
Criteria
Popular
Scholarly
Audience
General, no special knowledge of subject required
Scholars, experts, or others with knowledge about subject
Author
Professional writer or layperson
Academic scholar or recognized professional
Content
General interest items: current events, hot topics, etc.
Research reports or comprehensive reviews of specific areas of study
Style
Uses everyday language that anyone can understand
Uses technical language or jargon specific to experts in the subject area
Publisher
Trade publisher for mass market sales
Scholarly or academic publisher for limited interest market
Purpose
To inform the general public about a subject of mass appeal
To share the results of new research or to inform other experts of a new discovery or theory.

6. Identifying Research Needs
Primary or Secondary Sources?
Secondary sources are removed one or more steps from the original item, time or creator. There is a layer of interpretation made by a second party
summaries or analyses of other people's research.
biographies and articles about people.
reproductions of original artwork, i.e. a postcard from a museum.
reviews of literary or artistic works.
analyses or histories of past events.

7. Edison College Electronic Catalog
Includes Books, Journals, and A/V Titles
Searchable by Author, Title, Subject, or Keyword
Make sure the default is Edison College
You do not need to log in to search; However, you do need to log in to view fines and fees, place holds, access e-books, etc.

8. Edison College Access to Electronic Resources
Go to the Library website:
Locate the silver search box on the top of the page. Click on Articles in Databases tab.
You will see a log in screen. Select Edison as your college if not the default
Enter your Connect Card Number, (8 digit Edison ID Number) and your PIN (Default is last 4 digits SS#)
Select a database. The default setting is to display databases by Subject. You may also click on the Alphabetical button to see databases listed by name.
Begin Your Search

9. Edison College Electronic Resources
Online databases
Indexes to articles, book chapters, thesis or other documents: EBSCO, ProQuest, etc.
Academic Search Premiere
Criminal Justice Abstracts
Reference Resources: Online versions of Reference Works: Grove Art Online, Valueline, etc.
Encyclopedia of Public Administration
Restricted to Edison College community
Sorted alphabetically or by subject
Your topic will determine what database to use

10. Skills for Online Searching
Subject or Keyword Search
Identify Key Concepts
“Patriot Act” and “Civil rights”
Controlled Vocabulary
Different databases may use different terms. EX: “Senior Citizens” or “Elderly Persons”
Look to see if database has a thesaurus
Boolean Logic
AND, OR, sometimes NOT
Limits
Full Text, Scholarly (Peer Reviewed), Date, etc.

11. Search Results If Full Text If Citation or Abstract
Print, Download, or article
If Citation or Abstract
Click on Find Text? link. Perhaps it is available full text in another database.
Request Interlibrary Loan for article.

12. Using the Internet for Research
The Internet can provide information; however, proceed with caution!
Anyone can post anything at anytime on the Internet. The Web is populated with an abundance of unreliable and inaccurate information.
People who publish on the Web have an agenda. Be particularly suspicious of .com sites, which are trying to sell you something.
Most scholarly sources are not on the Internet. Only a small percentage of all journals and an even smaller number of books are available on the Internet.
Navigating the vast amount of information available on the Internet can be overwhelming. Only a small percentage of search results generally are relevant.

13. Evaluating Research Results
Authority
Who wrote or compiled the information? What are their credentials? Are they experts or scholars?
Currency
What is the date of publication? What time period is covered by the information?
Accuracy
What is the overall reliability of the information? Are the facts and statistics verifiable?
Scope
What is the completeness of coverage? Is it comprehensive or selective? What is the focus and is it relevant?

14. Evaluating Research Results
Objectivity
What is the point of view taken in the material? Is there an obvious bias? Does the author provide factual information or are they expressing an opinion?
Documentation
Does the material cite the sources for information presented? Are complete citations provided? Is the information unknown?

15. Citing Research Results
A citation is the basic information about a source that identifies it and allows others to locate it. The citations used in a research paper or other work is usually compiled into a bibliography or list of references at the end of the paper or work. Citations are also commonly called references or cited works.
Why do we have to cite Materials?
To give proper credit for works, ideas, etc. to the people who created them
To allow others to locate these materials if they are researching the topic.
Citation guides are available on the library’s web page.

16. Citing Research Results
Plagiarism
Plagiarism is presenting another person’s work—words, ideas, images, etc.—as your own, and not citing the source. Plagiarism is theft. When you plagiarize, you are stealing someone else’s intellectual property, or original work. Colleges and universities have strict rules against plagiarism. Breaking these rules can result in a failing course grade, suspension, or even expulsion. To review Edison College’s rules on plagiarism, review the Edison College Catalog, available online at

17. Research Assistance On the Library Web Page From the Librarian
Research Guides
Public Safety Management Tutorial
Public Safety Management Pathfinder
From the Librarian
Anthony P. Valenti
Campus Director, Learning Resources