Library Adventure Exercise
Syracuse University Library
2007
http://library.syr.edu/instruction/class/Research100.html
Work in groups of two or more to find information about one of the topics on the attached list (or another topic of interest). Use any computer in the Library – either in the Electronic Training Center (room 046) or computers in the public areas (from the lower level to the fifth floor). For each step below, one team member will do the searching (the “searcher”), while the other team member records the information found (the “recorder”). Then, team members will switch roles, so that each person has a chance to search and record for each step.
First thing you need to know is how to find Help. Look for the Little Question mark in an oval. 
Beginning your research you will need to pick a topic.
Possible Topics
Rock and Roll Music
World Healthcare
Poverty in America
Children’s TV
Fast food nutrition
Pirates in history
Famous Americans
Pick a topic or select one of your own:____________
1. Brainstoring Search Terms
For all questions, start at the Library Home Page: http://library.syr.edu/
Ask yourself who, what, where, When?
Brainstorming Search Terms
No matter where you search, you will need to identify the main concepts or keywords. These are generally nouns.
HOW DO ADVERTISERS MARKET THEIR PRODUCTS TO WOMEN?
For example, other related search terms for products and women might be:
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Note that synonyms and variants of keywords, such as plurals, are included here. Keep in mind alternate spellings of words.
You may also need to narrow or broaden your topic.
1. FIND BOOKS
Use SUMMIT Catalog…for books, journals, and other materials located in SU library.
From home page, click on “Find Books.”
What‛s SUMMIT?
SUMMIT is the online catalog of the SU Library. It
includes information on all of the items in the various libraries on campus. SUMMIT can point you to books, journals, maps, CDs, and more. You can search for
information in a number of ways including by keyword and subject. Try it!
Go to Library webpage. http://library.syr.edu/
A. Keyword Anywhere
To search by a specific word or phrase. Results are presented as lists of titles.
Searcher 1: Do a keyword search according to the instructions, while your partner writes down the information below.
1. Select “Keyword Anywhere” in the “Search by” box.
2. Type search term(s) and click search button. Record search term below:
3. Click on a title.
4. Record the following information:
Title:__
Author:____
Location:___
Call Number (set of letters and numbers used to organize materials):_
Is it available? ___
Searcher 2: Do a keyword search according to the instructions, while your partner writes down
the information below.
1. Select “Keyword Anywhere” or “Keyword Combined” in the “Search by” box.
2. Type search term(s) and click search button. Record search term below:
3. Click on a title.
4. Record the following information:
Title:________
Author:_____ _
Location: _______
Call Number (set of letters and numbers used to organize materials): ___ _
5. Is it available? ______ _
B. Subject Search
To search on a broad subject. SUMMIT organizes items using a defined set of subject terms. Results are presented in categories.
Suggested subjects:
- Rock and Roll music
- Poverty in America
- Children’s TV
- Fast Food Nutrition
- Photographs of New York City
Searcher 1: Do a subject search according to the instructions, while your partner writes down the information below.
1. Select “Subject Heading” in the “Search by” box.
2. Type search term(s) in the “Search for” box and click search button. Record search term here:______
3. Click on the heading that best matches your topic.
4. Click on a title.
5. Record the following information:
Title:_______
Author:_______
Location: _______
Call Number:___
Is it available? _____
Searcher 2:
Do a keyword search according to the instructions, while your partner writes down the information below.
1. Select “Subject Heading” in the “Search by” box.
2. Type search term(s) in the “Search for” box and click search button. Record search term here:______
3. Click on the heading that best matches your topic.
4. Click on a title.
5. Record the following information:
Title:_______
Author:_______
Location:_____
Call Number:____
Is it available? ______
2. FIND ARTICLES 
Use Databases…for citations to and sometimes fulltext
of articles and other materials.
- From home page, click on “Find Articles.”
- Click on a subject to find databases with resources related to a particular area.
- To find specific databases, click on the first letter under “Databases by Title,” or type the name in the search box entitled “search database list.”
Online databases at SU Library link you to articles in newspapers, scholarly journals, popular magazines and trade publications. (Specialized databases include collections of company reports, images, music, government publications,
and more.) Sometimes a database will offer you the whole article online, while other times, it will provide information about the article for you to find on your own.
Database Examples
*Expanded Academic ASAP: Fulltext articles and images from scholarly journals, magazines, and newspapers. Spans all academic disciplines from arts and humanities to social sciences, science, and technology.
*ProQuest Research Library: Articles from popular magazines, business periodicals, and academic publications, plus articles from The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal. Topics include the arts, business, children, education, health, humanities, international, law, military, multicultural, psychology, sciences, social sciences and women's interests.
*Wilson Full Text (OmniFile): Includes US and international professional publications,academic journals, and trade magazines.
Database pop quiz: Do you, or your partner(s), recall the proper name of a database (other than those listed above) you used for a past research project. If so, what is the name(s) of the database(s):
Search for articles on your topic.
Searcher 1: Do a database search according to the instructions, while your partner writes down the information below.
1. Select a general database from the list above.
2. Go to the Databases Main Menu (library.syr.edu/research/database/index.html) and find the
database in the alphabetical listing. Click on the link to connect to the database.
3. View the search screen and read the help or instructions for search tips.
4. Type your search term(s) in the search box and click the search button. Record search term
below:
5. How many results did you get:____
6. If no results are appropriate for your topic, go back to the search screen and try a new term.
(Hint: narrow down by geographic location, time period, ethnic group, etc.) Record new search
term below:
7. When you are satisfied with your search results, click on a title that matches your topic.
8. Record the following information:
a. Article Title:______
b. Author:_______
c. Journal/Source Name: ______
d. Volume/Number: ____
e. Page range:_____
f. Date of publication: __
9. Is the complete article available online through this database_ _
10. If not, how else can you get it? ___ __
Searcher 2: Do a database search according to the instructions, while your partner writes down the information below.
1. Select a general database from the list above.
2. Go to the Databases Main Menu (library.syr.edu/research/database/index.html) and find the
database in the alphabetical listing. Click on the link to connect to the database.
3. View the search screen and read the help or instructions for search tips.
4. Type your search term(s) in the search box and click the search button. Record search term
below:
5. How many results did you get: _______
6. If no results are appropriate for your topic, go back to the search screen and try a new term.
(Hint: narrow down by geographic location, time period, ethnic group, etc.) Record new search term below:
7. When you are satisfied with your search results, click on a title that matches your topic.
8. Record the following information:
a. Article Title:___ ___
b. Author:__ ____
c. Journal/Source Name: _ ____
d. Volume/Number: ______
e. Page range:____
f. Date of publication: ______
Use SUMMIT Catalog
- From the home page, click on “Find Books” to access SUMMIT
*Type in one of the “keyword anywhere” or “keyword combined” searches you used for exercise 1A, above.
*Prior to entering your search, select one of the “Quick Limits” pull down menu options that will limit your results to either a video or a sound recording, a map or a music score.
Searcher 1: Do a SUMMIT search according to the instructions, while your partner writes down the information below.
1. Locate at least one item relevant to your general topic that is not a book, such as a map, music sound recording or video/DVD.
2. What’s the title of the item you found:___
3. What is the item’s call number? ___
4. On what floor of the library can it be located? _ ____
Searcher 2: Do a SUMMIT search according to the instructions, while your partner writes down the information below.
1. Locate at least one item relevant to your general topic that is not a book, such as a map, music sound recording or video/DVD.
2. What’s the title of the item you found:_ ___
3. What is the item’s call number? _____
4. On what floor of the library can it be located? _____
- Having trouble finding something on your topic? Try a different topic for this part of the exercise.
LIBRARY TOOL OR SERVICE
A. SUMMIT Catalog {“Find Books” link}
B. An SU Library Subscription database {“Find Articles” link}
C. The “Ask Us” Button @ the Library’s Web Site
D. The Ejournal Locator {“Find EJournals link}
E. The Databases Main Menu {“Find Articles” link
F. The Citation Support link at the Library’s Web Site
