Accessing Information Masoud Tajfard Zuheir Montazeri Derahmindar Singh

Accessing Information Masoud Tajfard Zuheir Montazeri Derahmindar Singh 5 Dec 2005 Sharif University Of Technology

Introduction l The growing of scientific information l Information explosion l Science , Engineering , & Society l The main goals 5 Dec 2005 Sharif University Of Technology

Basic Search Strategies 1. Preparing for the search 1. Following the trail 5 Dec 2005 Sharif University Of Technology

Preparing For The Search l Introduction # Books & Journals # Electronic access tools l When , What , & Where l Systematically questions 5 Dec 2005 Sharif University Of Technology

Systematically Questions l What is my purpose? l What kind of information do i need? l What exactly do i need? l What is my time frame? l What information resources do i have access to? l Am i willing to pay for the information by? 5 Dec 2005 Sharif University Of Technology

Practically any information is available if you have enough time and money ! 5 Dec 2005 Sharif University Of Technology

Following The Trail l Being aware l Figuring out the hierarchy l General and specified searching l Experts l Becoming proficient 5 Dec 2005 Sharif University Of Technology

Highlights From Outsell/DLF Research Objectives # Learn how faculty and students l use information to support their research, teaching, and learning functions # Discern how they perceive and use libraries as part of their overall information environment. 5 Dec 2005 Sharif University Of Technology

Methodology Sample l l Users – Faculty Members – Graduate Students – Undergraduate Students 5 Dec 2005 Sharif University Of Technology Disciplines – Arts and Humanities – Biological Sciences – Business – Engineering – Law – Physical Sciences/Math – Social Sciences

Academic Work Environment Where Located When Accessing Information 5 Dec 2005 Sharif University Of Technology

Key Findings Reference, scientific/technical, and news are the top three information content categories used most often. l Patterns of use vary significantly both by discipline and by users’ application of information. l – Ex: scientists show very different patterns of using online indexes, technical reports, and photographs for research as compared to teaching. l l Use of print books and journals predominates, for now. To find information, everyone goes online first. – Next, faculty turn to print before asking for personal assistance. – Students prefer to ask for help before going to print resources. l Students’ and faculty research and coursework needs are met by online information more than half the time. 5 Dec 2005 Sharif University Of Technology

Top Information Problems l Having enough time l Knowing what’s available l Having access to all information from one place 5 Dec 2005 Sharif University Of Technology

Perceptions of Current Information Environment How Users Find Right Information on Internet l Most common ways are to use a search engine (48%), or through the library’s website (33%). l Undergraduate students use search engines more than graduate students do (54% vs. 40%). l At least one-half of students with undeclared majors (58%), business (57%), physical sciences/math (55%), engineering (52%), and arts and humanities (50%) use search engines. l Graduate students use the library website to get pointed to the right information sources more than either faculty or undergraduate students (41% vs. 32% and 28%). l The biological sciences have more respondents who access information through the library website than those in any other discipline. 5 Dec 2005 Sharif University Of Technology

Source Of Information l l l l l General books Reference books Finding reference books Journals Indexes and abstract Technical reports Patents Product literature Standard and specifications U. S government specifications 5 Dec 2005 Sharif University Of Technology

General Books l High books quantities l A quick look table of contents l The most recently book importance l Online catalogues versus traditional card l Examples 5 Dec 2005 Sharif University Of Technology

Reference Books l The limitation of access availability l Examples # Mc. Grow. Hill’s # The Willy’s # Scientific handbooks 5 Dec 2005 Sharif University Of Technology

Finding Reference Books l Internet , the best way Internet l Search engines l Guides to reference books # Example - sheehy’s - http: //www. did. ir (Farsi guide) 5 Dec 2005 Sharif University Of Technology

Journals l Quantity of subscriptions l The most recently researches accessing l International directories l Internet , again !!! Internet 5 Dec 2005 Sharif University Of Technology

Indexes And Abstracts l Listing all the titles covered l Electronic and hard copied abstracts l Electronic advantages l Essentiality of indexes l Examples # Applied Science and Tech. Indexes 5 Dec 2005 Sharif University Of Technology

Technical Reports High quantity of reports Neediness for indexes and abstracts NTIS (National Technical Info. Service) NASA recon Example #Yahoo www. yahoo. com/Science/Computer_Science/Technical_Reports/ #NASA Technical Report Server http: //ntrs. nasa. gov/ #The Virtual Technical Reports Center EPrints, Preprints, & Technical Reports on the Web: http: //www. lib. umd. edu/ENGIN/Tech. Reports/Virtual. Tech. Reports. html l l 5 Dec 2005 Sharif University Of Technology

Patents Introduction The Main kinds of #Utility patents #Design patents l Many reasons to patents search l Search problems l Patents material l Example sites # Information about trademark, patent, copyright, licensing, and related matters www. inventionpatent. net/patent/about. cfm # U. S Patent search http: //www. uspto. gov l l 5 Dec 2005 Sharif University Of Technology

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Product Literature Catalogue for products l Useful for designers l Briefly details of specifications l Product catalogue vs. manufactures catalogues l Examples # EEM (electronic engineering master catalogue) # Thom. Cat l 5 Dec 2005 Sharif University Of Technology

Standard And Specifications Essential for the groups # be designed # be constructed # be manufactured # be conducted and handled # be tested l Samples: ISO , GSA , ANSI , IEEE , … l Provide internet indexing for search l 5 Dec 2005 Sharif University Of Technology

U. S Government Specifications l FEDSPECS l MILSspecs l DODISS l U. S. GOVERNMENT INFORMATION STANDARDS & SPECIFICATIONS on Uni. Of YALE website http: //www. library. yale. edu/govdocs/st and. html 5 Dec 2005 Sharif University Of Technology

Internet Information Resources l l l Usenet news group Emailing lists Electronic newsletters and journals Internet search tools WWW (World Wide Web) 5 Dec 2005 Sharif University Of Technology

Usenet News Groups l l l A newsgroup is a repository, usually within the Usenet system, for messages posted from many users at different locations. Just like a discussion group. News Reader software is used for reading. Only problem is that we can’t always trust others opinion. Can’t predict the qualification of a user. 5 Dec 2005 Sharif University Of Technology

Usage of the News Group Good to get some information and opinions. 2. Get some name and contact address. 3. Send mail to this groups and ask for information , opinions and contacts on our topics. 1. 5 Dec 2005 Sharif University Of Technology

Find The Existence of News Group l Use of newsfeed A subscription from one news server to another for one or more newsgroups. l Check out the use net News Groups yourself like visit news. group, new. announce. newusers, news. goups. 5 Dec 2005 Sharif University Of Technology

Emailing Lists l Email that allows widespread distribution of information to many Internet users. l Software has to be installed in order to manage this operation. l Example GNU Mailman, Listserv and Majordomo. . . . 5 Dec 2005 Sharif University Of Technology

Electronic Newsletters And Journals l Same as News Group and E-mailing list. l Only difference they exist in electronic form. l Access to these journals and newsletters varies. 5 Dec 2005 Sharif University Of Technology

How To Find This Journals l Example: Send email to listserv@acadvm 1. uottawa. ca leave the subject line blank and in body type GET EJOURNL 1 DIRECTORY in first line and GET EJOURNL 2 DIRECTORY in second line. 5 Dec 2005 Sharif University Of Technology

Forum l A topically-focused discussion group or area. l A community area where ideas and proposals are discussed. l Time consuming l Gain more information about their weakness. 5 Dec 2005 Sharif University Of Technology

Internet Search Tools l Archie l Gopher l WAIS 5 Dec 2005 Sharif University Of Technology

Archie is a program to locate files (including documents and programs) that are stored in anonymous FTP servers over the Internet. Example: find any commercial book. l Enables to search file on internet containing a word or phrase. l Returns a list of file names and locations. l 5 Dec 2005 Sharif University Of Technology

Gopher l Gopher comes from the mascot of Univ. of Minnesota. l Software that searches and retrieves documents on remote computers for display on yours. l Information is presented via Menus and in directory structure mode. 5 Dec 2005 Sharif University Of Technology

WAIS Stands for wide area information service. l A software program originally developed by Thinking Machines Co. permits the very rapid search of extensive indexes to find text in large documents. l Search for data through online gopher databases. l 5 Dec 2005 Sharif University Of Technology

WWW (World Wide Web) l Virtual library l Internet catalogue l Specific internet connections l Gopher jewels l World Wide Web search tools 5 Dec 2005 Sharif University Of Technology

Virtual Library A virtual library containing information, resources, and reference for professionals, academics and students in traditional and internet marketing. l Example: http: //www. csu. edu. au/education/library. htm l l 5 Dec 2005 Sharif University Of Technology

Internet Catalogue l The Internet catalogue is a catalogue of selected, quality Web sites for students, researchers and practitioners, covering business, management and economics. l Example: http: //catalogue. bized. ac. uk/ 5 Dec 2005 Sharif University Of Technology

Specific Internet Connections l Can see links of resource plus the links to employment resource, libraries, journals, patents, technical reports……. . 5 Dec 2005 Sharif University Of Technology

Gopher Jewels l Categorizing different topics and fields (ordered manner). 5 Dec 2005 Sharif University Of Technology

World Wide Web Search Tools l Some other popular search tools used by common people are Google, Astavista, Ask-Jeeves, Yahoo, Lycos, Web. Crawler ……. . 5 Dec 2005 Sharif University Of Technology

A Library Website Introduction 5 Dec 2005 Sharif University Of Technology

On the top of the page, there are three visible accesses, Library Catalog, Ask a Librarian and Search the Library Site. Library Catalog is your gateway to sources of information located in the library collection. It not only contains printed materials, but also includes microfilm, microfiche and linked available e-sources. To learn more, see a tutorial. Ask a Librarian is a place for you to submit your reference or research questions. Search the Library Site is an alternative way to locate the information from the site by entering a keyword. 5 Dec 2005 Sharif University Of Technology

Let’s explore the contents in the middle of the site. Notice the library News & Events posted on the left of screen. It updates you about the latest resources and activities in the library such as a new database feature or a prescheduled training whenever it becomes available. A link to the Past News & Events is also indicated at the bottom of this section. On the right, there are five areas which are categorized by element features underneath. 5 Dec 2005 Sharif University Of Technology

Area I. Collection This area consists of the following sections: Databases takes you to an alphabetical list of subscription products from commercial vendors. Which one should you choose to access? Read description and access methods followed by each name before entering. 5 Dec 2005 Sharif University Of Technology

Area I. Collection (continued) Journal & Article Locator is an electronic journal management system that allows you to locate full text online journals across multiple commercial vendors and paper copies in the library at one stop E - Books provides access to more than 4, 000 online books in various subject areas. To find out more, see a tutorial. Online Publications and Forms let you link directly to current online reports and documents from the providers. 5 Dec 2005 Sharif University Of Technology

Mobile Information Accessing Information access whilst on the move i. e Accessing information “anytime, anywhere”. 5 Dec 2005 Sharif University Of Technology

Devices for Information Access l Traditional IA (static environment) Desktop PC: large screen display, mouse and keyboard. l Mobile IA – Mobile phones, PDAs, mobile communicators, Pocket PCs: small screen display, and support limited styles of interaction (stylus, T 9 predictive text). 5 Dec 2005 Sharif University Of Technology

Device display capabilities l Comparing amount of visible text Mobile phone PDA Desktop PC 5 Dec 2005 Sharif University Of Technology

Bibliography - Outsell, Inc http: //www. outsellinc. com - Ardis, Susan B. A Guide to the Literature of electrical and electronics engineering. Littleton, CO: libraries Unlimited, Inc. 1987 - December, John, and Neil Randall. The world Wide We Unleashed. Indianapolis, IN: Sams, 1994 - Fischer, Martin A. Engineering specifications Writing Guide. Englewood cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 1983 - Beer, David. A guide to writing as an engineer, John Wiley & Sons, INC. 1997 5 Dec 2005 Sharif University Of Technology

Any Questions? ? ? 5 Dec 2005 Sharif University Of Technology