Finding journal articles: Part two

Let's do a little exercise: Your professor gives you the following citation in your required readings:

Ledford, K.F. (1995). German lawyers and the state in the Weimar Republic. Law and History Review, (13)2. 317-349.

Where do we go from here? Remember last week's blog post? The screengrab to the right is the same as last week, so take a look to refresh yourself. Here, you already know what journal you want, so you don't need to check ProQuest Research Library, Ebscohost Academic Search Premiere, "Databases by Subject," or "Databases by Title." That means this week, we will be focusing on Gallaudet e-Journals.

In this case, you already know what journal you want -- Law and History Review -- but you're not sure what database it's available in, so you go all the way to the right in the screengrab above to "Gallaudet e-Journals."

"Gallaudet e-Journals" is our listing of all the journals we subscribe to electronically; it's a good way to narrow down your search even further. You just search for the name of the journal, and then you'll see whether we have it, and if we do, how many years' worth of issues we have, and what database it's available through.

So in the case of our example above, you can see the name of the journal is Law and History Review. Just enter "law and history review" into the search box et voila! It hath appeared (picture to the left).

Sometimes it can be hard to understand an e-Journal record. Let's take a look at the e-Journal record for Law and History Review.

Here you'll see a listing of the databases it's available in, how far back they go in each database, and whether or not we may have full-text access. For example, we see that you can access articles from Law and History Review in JSTOR Arts and Sciences 4 between the years of 1983 and 2005 and in LexisNexis Academic any time from 1996 on. The article we're looking for is from 1995, so JSTOR it is.

Click on that, and a little box pops up (to the right):

You can use the citation above to fill in the blanks: Year: 1995, Volume: 13, Issue: 2, Start Page: 317. Click on GO -- hitting "Enter" won't work -- and you're there!

This concludes our little tutorial on database research. Was it as good for you as it was for me?

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Question of the Week
A lot of times when I have to pick up books at the Service Desk, the person at the desk has to ask me some questions before they can get me the book I need. Why don't they just look on the shelf?
Here at the Library, we have three different kinds of shelves that exist for only one purpose: to hold books for people to pick up. You know about one -- CLS -- but the other two can be confusing for librarians without asking some questions.

The "hold" shelf is for items that you want to check out but can't right away for whatever reason. Maybe you came to the Library to check out a book, but found out you forgot your ID at home. Instead of putting the book down and hoping someone else doesn't get to it first, you can ask us to hold it for you, and then once you find your ID, you can come back and pick it up. We generally hold books for 7 days, maximum.

Bear in mind: you have to pick up the item you reserve, with your ID.

The "reserve" shelf, on the other hand, is for faculty who want to have books, movies, or other items available for their courses. Students in those courses can come in and check out those items for up to two hours in the library. There's a reason for this: we usually only have one copy of the item the instructor wants, and sometimes when we don't have it, the instructor brings in his or her own copy. All students need to have access to that item, so we put it on reserve so it's always available for them. This way, nobody needs to worry about one student checking out our only copy of Ghosts of Washington for a month, preventing other students from being able to take advantage of this resource.

In sum, the "hold" shelf is for you to check out personally; the "reserve" shelf is for your instructor -- for you to use in your course.

Finding journal articles: Part one

The last two Questions of the Week touched on the topic of doing academic research by finding journal articles. One of the most common questions I come across in my daily life as a librarian is, "How can I find journal articles?"

This is harder than it looks, and that's why including articles from scholarly journals is an extremely important part of solid academic work -- this is work, so you will need to focus and be willing to spend time reading through what may turn out to be dozens of lousy results in order to find the few gems you can use for your paper. This is even more important now because of the changes in the curriculum in response to the recent challenges set by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE).

So where do you go from here? How do you find journal articles? Let's start with the basic stuff:

First, it's important to understand how things work in the Library when it comes to supporting academic research, which includes understanding a key difference between journals and library databases, as well as exactly what these databases are.

A journal is a collection of articles on an academic subject, written by experts on that subject and published regularly like a magazine -- some come out once a month, others come out once every three or four months. Those subjects can range from something as broad as psychology to something as narrow as "Nanotech Applications in Materials Science." Along with regular magazines like Sports Illustrated or Vogue, we call them "serials" or "periodicals" because they're published on a schedule with no end in sight. You can think of a journal as being very similar to a magazine -- except instead of Britney Spears' latest antics along with colorful ads, you'll learn the latest in positron coaxial crystallography and its application in hydrodynamic fluid interactions (don't waste your time looking for positron coaxial crystallography or hydrodynamic fluid interactions, incidentally -- I made them up as an example).

A library database can include many journals and is usually available online through ALADIN. Some are specialized, focusing on one discipline only, and some are very broad and include hundreds of journals from dozens of disciplines.

In fact, we have two of these very broad databases: ProQuest Research Library and Ebscohost Academic Search Premier. Both databases are the two best places to start your research if you're not sure where to look; a search in either will enable you to start narrowing your topic and figuring out how to refine your search.

You can get there by visiting aladin.wrlc.org; if you're off campus you will be prompted to log in. This is required because our access to those databases are on a subscription basis, which means we pay for each Gallaudet student, staff member, or faculty member to have access. In the screengrab below, you'll also notice that we've arranged our electronic access in a certain order. First, we have ProQuest and Ebscohost for extremely general searches.

Click on the picture to the right to enlarge and look in the little red box -- that's where you go for either ProQuest or Ebscohost. The process of searching isn't too different from Google; you just need to remember four things:

• Proper terminology -- no slang allowed!
• Synonyms. For instance, instead of just looking for "teaching," try also searching for "education" or "instruction." You will have to try a few times to get exactly what you're looking for, which means you have to be willing to spend time with it. ProQuest and Ebscohost will become your newest friends.
• Full-text searching. Most databases will let you check a box requesting that you see only full-text results, which means the entire article is available for you to read online. Sometimes you'll come across abstracts, which are short summaries of articles. Abstracts should not be used as sources, but can be used to weed out some articles that aren't appropriate.
• Peer-reviewed articles. We covered this in a previous Question of the Week.

Now look to the right of the red box in the picture; you'll see "Need more?" with links to "Databases by Subject" and "Databases by Title." These links are the next link (ha ha, see what I did there?) in the chain of search refinement -- they will help you narrow your search further if you only want articles in your field, or if you know exactly which database you want.

Databases by Subject is fairly straightforward. You'll see a little menu of different disciplines, like History, Psychology, and Audiology / Human Biology / Medical Sciences. See -- we went and organized them for you! Most of the disciplines taught at Gallaudet are represented in databases here.

Databases by Title is even simpler. You just search for the name of the database you want. If you're new to this and you have no idea where to begin, go back to ProQuest, Ebscohost, or "Databases by Subject."

This is just for a start. Before you start getting dizzy with knowledge and start popping Dramamine, we'll take a breather here. Next week, we'll get even further into the process of refining your search for journal articles and we'll do an exercise, based on a recent course project. It's about the Weimar Republic -- it'll be fun.

No Question of the Week this week. Happy Spring Break!

Meet Jane Rutherford

Most people (which actually means me) tend to think of Wisconsin as the land of cheese and beer.

It's more than that, says Jane Rutherford, the Instruction & Reference Librarian we'll be meeting today. Apparently there are also cows. Vast, rolling plains of Holsteins and Anguses teeming all the way into the sunset. It works for me -- nothing goes better with a beer than a nice cheeseburger.

Anyway, you've probably seen Jane from time to time on the Service Desk; it's very likely you've asked her for help more than once. Still, there's much more to her than the lady with the ready smile: she was into computers before they were computers, and has seen some of the most important events in Gallaudet's recent history. Keep reading to find out more!

1) Where are you from, anyway?
I was born and raised in Stevens Point, WI.

2) How did you get here?
I got a job at the Stevens Point Public Library while I was a freshman in college and LOVED it -- I'd finally found what I wanted to do in life. After I got my B.A. degree from the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, I attended the State University of New York-Geneseo for my Master's in Library Science. While at Geneseo, I met my future husband. After getting my MLS, I worked at a small college library (Keuka College) in the beautiful Finger Lakes region of New York. My husband got a job with the federal government, so we moved to Virginia. After some temping and clerical work, I got a job as a computer programmer, doing database design work. About a year and a half into that job, a job for "library systems analyst" came up here at Gallaudet, and it needed many of the skills I had from my education and work experience. I had NO experience with the Deaf community.

3) How long have you worked here, and can you give me an idea of some of the more interesting things you've seen in your tenure at Gallaudet?
I got the job here at Gallaudet in 1981 (28 years in April!). As I mentioned above, I was originally the "library systems analyst," but about 15 years ago, the Library did a big reorganization and I became a reference librarian (the exact title has changed several times). So even with 28 years here, my job has changed so much it doesn't feel that long.

In the library, I saw some wonderful changes in how we access information. When I arrived, we produced the catalog on microfiche (what a pain!). We then moved to a locally-produced online catalog, and then to the wonderful ALADIN system. With each change in format, it became easier and easier to find our books, videos, etc. Through the same period, we went from journal (magazine) articles on paper and microfilm, identified through paper indexes, to online indexes (but still paper and microfilm text), to where we are now with all indexes online and over 15,000 journals with full-text articles.

At the University, I witnessed changes in communication. Originally, much communication was "simultaneous communication" -- signing in English order with signs indicating things such as "ing" or "the." We now use much more American Sign Language. I was also here for the "Deaf President Now" movement, and then the more recent presidential protests. Deaf people have really made their mark on this university and the rest of the country.

4) I don't think a lot of people know that the librarians here at Gallaudet tend to specialize in specific subjects. What are your specialties?
Because of my initial position here, I purchase books for "computer studies" (the Management Information Systems part of Business Administration, and the Computer Science portion of Mathematics and Computer Sciences). I also am the specialist for education-related departments (Education, Educational Foundations and Research, Administration and Supervision, Family and Child Studies), even though I have no background in any of those areas.

5) What can you do for students or faculty in these fields?
Well, in addition to purchasing materials (books, videos, etc.) to support the course work and research in these subjects, I can do class presentations in which I will teach the class how to do research or how to use a particular database or similar topics. During these presentations, I always emphasize that the students can make an appointment with me for one-on-one training or research assistance. I have dozens of these each year and find them to be one of the best ways to help the students.

6) Can you list some of the resources that you use the most in working with students and faculty? Why are they good resources to use?
Because I work so much with graduate students in education-related departments, the database I use most is ERIC (http://eric.ed.gov). ERIC has thousands of listings for journal articles, book, book chapters, etc. It is easy to limit searches to research, which is something all the graduate students will eventually need to find. And, finally, ERIC has many deaf-related entries. ERIC is not ideal, though, because it has so little full-text, but it does have a link to find out if we have the article or not (clunky but effective).

The other databases I use most are Proquest Research Library (my favorite) and EbscoHost Academic Search Premiere. These are always a great place to start as they have information on virtually any topic, are quite easy to search, and have many thousands of full-text articles.

7) What do you like the most about working here?
Especially since I became a reference librarian, I enjoy working with the students. I do this in several ways, but mostly at the Service Desk, helping a wide variety of students find information on a wide variety of topics using a wide variety of tools. Do you see the theme? VARIETY! I love that feeling when the light goes on and the students find what they need and understand what they can do with all the resources we provide here in the Library. I also love when former students come back and the connection we made years before has evolved into meeting their spouses and children -- I feel a part of a big family here. Also, in addition to this, I really enjoy being able to sign. I'm far from a perfect signer, but I think I am a good communicator, both one-on-one and in classes. I think the physicality of signing was good for my personality.

8) There's been some talk about a new library building in the works over the next few years. What's the one thing you'd most like to see change from the old building to the new one?
I think I'd have to say I'd like the new building to be easier to navigate. The octagonal/spaceship design of the current building is interesting to look at but unwieldy to "live in." It should not be a challenge to find the materials or areas that the students need. Curves, hidden hallways, dead-ends -- not nice! Secondly, I hope the new building can be designed so it will be timeless -- this building was outdated in design and functionality soon after we moved in in 1980.

9) Last question, I promise: What's your favorite color?
Blue, most of the time.

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Question of the Week
I see the word "Consortium" used a lot in the Library, like when I search for a book or journal and there's a picture of a yellow Post-It note in the record saying "Request through Consortium Loan Services." What does it all mean and how can I take advantage of that?
The Washington Research Library Consortium (WRLC) is a group of eight universities in the DC area that pool their resources in order to benefit all their students. The seven universities other than Gallaudet are Georgetown, George Mason, Marymount, George Washington, American, Catholic, and University of the District of Columbia.

The main benefit you'll get from this collaboration is the access you have to every book and journal article in all eight universities, including some electronic titles. This means you have over four million books at your disposal, plus 25,000 journal subscriptions! This is an astronomical amount of information!

If Gallaudet doesn't have the book you're looking for, but, let's say, Georgetown does, you can check out their copy in one of two ways: you can go there in person and use your Gallaudet ID, or you can request the book you want through Consortium Loan Services (CLS) by using that little Post-It note. All you need to do is fill in a few blanks -- such as your ID number -- click "Submit," and, if a Georgetown student doesn't get to the book before your request goes through, it'll be on its way to you within a couple of days. A courier comes here every morning to pick up and drop off books coming in or going out, so turnover time is pretty quick.

You can also request specific journal articles from other WRLC libraries, but that part will have to wait until next week; I'll be discussing how to search for journal articles as well as how to use our databases then, because both things go very much hand-in-hand.

Movies, events, and articles, oh my

This week certainly got off on an interesting footing, what with the snowstorm and all. Still, Chapel Hall looked lovely amidst the large flakes of snow falling around it -- or plastering it when the wind got a little feisty.

Anyway, what's new this week?

First, we just got a bunch of new DVDs in. Here's what you can look forward to:

Two new Superman movies
A few zombie flicks, including 28 Days Later, its sequel 28 Weeks Later, and Shaun of the Dead -- to go with Evil Dead and Army of Darkness
Some updates to our family-friendly collection, including both older and newer versions of Yours, Mine, and Ours, as well as Cheaper by the Dozen, Kung Fu Panda, and Wall-E
A couple nice adventure movies, like The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian, Gladiator, and Enchanted
A brief update to our Quentin Tarantino collection, including Death Proof and both Kill Bill movies

... as well as many more. These aren't the only new movies; we got quite a few more in a couple of weeks ago, which are now on the shelves, including the Sex and the City movie and some relics from a more civilized age, like Clueless and Sixteen Candles.

Aside from the new DVDs, we also have a new display up by the west entrance (the doors by the Mary Thornberry building) for the Big Read D.C. If you haven't heard of it yet, it's a nationwide program where each city picks one book to read, then they host a month's worth of fun activities based on that book.

We're excited about this because this year, they picked The Heart is a Lonely Hunter, which is an absolute classic in Deaf literature. It's also really depressing -- and a good read. It's about this Deaf guy whose best friend -- the only other Deaf person he knows -- gets taken away, leaving him alone in a little town full of hearing people during the Great Depression. Four townspeople start visiting him so they can pour out all their secrets and feelings without being embarrassed, because he can't hear or understand them; he mostly just sits there while these people talk to thin air for hours on end. This isn't really a fun way for anyone to spend their time, especially for a smart Deaf guy who also happens to be incredibly isolated.

I always thought it was an unusually sympathetic treatment of a Deaf character for its era, and I'm thrilled to see that the entire city of Washington, D.C. is focused on this book this spring.

So, the display. We have approximately sixteen billion copies of Lonely Hunter (which seem to be going quickly), plus a few biographies of Carson McCullers, the eminently fascinating woman who wrote the book. We're also giving out bookmarks, reader's guides to the book, and flyers for a panel discussion we're hosting in April.

The panel discussion is going to be really neat, so save the date: April 7, 4-5 p.m., in the G-area of the JSAC (where Starbucks is). We'll have Deaf people discussing the book and what it means to them and Deaf culture in general. We're also calling for volunteers to participate in the panel, so if you're interested in throwing in your two cents about the book, come find me in MLC 1304 by the Deaf School Yearbooks, at the Service Desk in the Library, or e-mail me at james.mccarthy@gallaudet.edu. We'll be giving free gift certificates to the Bison Shop to anyone who sits on the panel! Useful if you're in need of Gallaudet-branded umbrellas, sweaters, lanyards, vehicles, animals, plants, or beer-bottle openers.

That about wraps it up for this week. Next week will be our first librarian profile!

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Question of the Week
My instructor wants me to find sources for a research paper, but she said they have to be peer-reviewed journal articles. What does "peer-reviewed" mean and why does it matter? How do I find peer-reviewed articles?
A lot of times, academic journals require peer review for new articles. What this means is that when an article is submitted to a journal, it has to go through a process where other experts in the same field read it and decide whether or not it's a good article. That decision depends on questions like: Is it well-researched? Are the methods consistently applied? Are the basic principles of the article accurate according to the reviewer's knowledge of the subject? Is the article as neutral as possible, or does the author seem to personally prefer one conclusion over another?

This is important because it's a quality-control process, which means only good, strong articles that are accurate, well-researched, and consistent are published. Because of that, you can trust those articles because you know the author didn't just make up a bunch of big words that sound nice together. Peer-reviewed articles can also be called "scholarly" articles because they're very high-quality works that are appropriate for use by scholars (like you!) in their academic research.

You can find peer-reviewed articles in most of our e-journal databases. When you search for articles, you will usually see a little box under the search box that says something like "Scholarly journals, including peer-reviewed" in ProQuest Research Library or "Scholarly (Peer-Reviewed) Journals" in Ebscohost: Academic Search Premier; the database will let you put a little check mark in that box so that only high-quality articles appear in your search results. You may need to hunt around for that little box if you're not familiar with the database you're using, but it's always worth the effort!