Basic Reference Skills
Basic Reference Skills
•
•
•
•
•
•
Comparing Circulation to Reference
Types of Questions
Types of Resources
Reference Interview
Referrals
Learning Styles
Circulation vs. Reference
• Time is of the essence
• Take your time
• Little interaction with
customer
• Lot’s of interaction with
customer
• Predictable
• Unpredictable
• Set procedures as
determined by the
“library”
• Flexible or no
procedures; customer
“drives” the transaction
• Computer alerts you to
special circumstances
• Subtle or no clues when
you’re going in the wrong
direction
Types of Reference Questions
• Known Items
• Research Paper or Bibliography
• Treasure Hunts
Known Items
Examples of Questions
• Do you have?
Multidisciplinary perspectives on aging by
Tepper and Cassidy
• Where do I find this?
Faulkner, Mark; Davies, Sue; Nolan, Mike;
Brown-Wilson, Christine. Development of the
combined assessment of residential
environments (CARE) profiles. J. Adv. Nursing
55(6):664-677
Known Items: Books
Citation Components
Whole Books
• Author(s)
• Title of the Book
• Edition*
• Place of Publication
• Publisher
• Date
• Pages*
Chapter within Edited Book
• Author(s) of Chapter
• Title of the Chapter*
• Editor(s)
• Title of the Book
• Edition*
• Chapter*
• Place of Publication
• Publisher
• Date
• Pages
Known Items: Book Citations
Examples: Whole Book
• Baxter, C. (1997). Race equality in health care
and education. Philadelphia: Ballière Tindall.
• C. Baxter, Race equality in health care and
education (Philadelphia: Balliere Tindal, 1997)
• Baxter, C. Race Equality in Health Care and
Education; Balliere Tindal: Philadelphia, 1997.
Known Items: Book Citations
Examples: Book Chapter
• Roy, A. (1995). Psychiatric emergencies. In H. I. Kaplan & B. J.
Sadock (Eds.), Comprehensive textbook of psychiatry. (6th ed., pp.
1739-1752). Baltimore: Williams & Wilkins.
• A. Roy, “Psychiatric emergencies,” In Comprehensive textbook of
psychiatry, ed. H. I. Kaplan and B. J. Sadock, 6th ed. (Baltimore:
Williams & Wilkins, 1995), 1739.
• Roy, A. Psychiatric Emergencies. In Comprehensive Textbook of
Psychiatry, 6th ed; Kaplan, H. I., Sadock, B. J., Ed.; Williams &
Wilkins: Baltimore, 1995: pp. 1739-1742.
• Roy, A. In Comprehensive Textbook of Psychiatry, 6th ed; Kaplan, H.
I., Sadock, B. J., Ed.; Williams & Wilkins: Baltimore, 1995: pp. 17391742.
Known Items: Books
Where to look
• Use:
– Catalog
– Google Books (mainly pre-1925)
– The Web (recent Gov Docs)
• If found:
– Direct to appropriate library, floor, location using maps if
necessary
– Assist with appropriate doc del service
• If not found, verify using WorldCat and/or the Web
– If citation was incorrect, return to sources
– If citation was correct, assist with ILL
Known Items: Journal Articles
Citation Components
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Author(s)
Title of the Article*
Title of the Journal
Date
Volume
Issue*
Pages
Known Items: Journal Articles
Citation Examples
Consecutive numbering throughout volume
• Roy, A. (1982). Suicide in chronic schizophrenia.
British Journal of Psychiatry, 141, 171-177.
• A. Roy, “Suicide in Chronic Schizophrenia,”
British Journal of Psychiatry 141 (1982): 171
• Roy, A. British Journal of Psychiatry 1982, 141,
171-177.
Known Items: Journal Articles
Citation Examples
Renumbers with each issue
• Baldwin, C. M., Bevan, C., & Beshalske, A. (2000). Atrisk minority populations in a church-based clinic:
Communicating basic needs. Journal of Multicultural
Nursing & Health, 6(2), 26-28.
• C. M. Baldwin, C. Bevan and A. Beshalske, “At-risk
Minority Populations in a Church-based Clinic:
Communicating basic needs,” Journal of Multicultural
Nursing & Health 6 (February 2000): 26.
• Baldwin, C. M.; Bevan, C.; Beshalske, A. Journal of
Multicultural Nursing & Health 2000, 6 (2), 26-28.
Known Items: Journal Articles
Where to look
• Abbreviated journal title:
– Citation Linker (change title to “contains”)
– WorldCat (keyword)
• Full journal title:
– Citation Linker
– E-journal list/Catalog
– Journal ‘s home page
• If found:
– Assist with electronic access
– Direct to appropriate library, floor, location using maps if
necessary
– Assist with appropriate doc del service
• If not found, verify using appropriate index/abstracts or the Web
– If citation was incorrect, return to Citation Linker or E-journal
list/Catalog
– If citation was correct, assist with ILL
Known Items
Citations for other material
Contact Noble Reference Desk for:
• Conference Proceedings not found in Catalog
• Patents
• Society publications:
– ASTM STP (American Society for Testing and
Materials, Special Technical Publications)
– MRS (Material Research Society) Symposia
– SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers) Papers and
Transactions
• Standards
• Technical Reports
(US and Arizona agencies, see Gov Docs)
Known Items
Citations for other material
Contact Hayden Reference Desk for:
• Humanities, Business, Social Sciences, Education
• Gov Docs*
Contact Architecture Library for:
• Applied Arts
• Interior and Industrial Design
• Landscaping
• Urban planning
Contact Music Library for:
• Music (!)
And remember to use
Ask a Librarian!
Exercises
Find these items:
1. Shakespeare, T (2003) ‘Rights, risks and
responsibilities: new genetics and disabled people’ in
S. Williams, L.Birke and G. Bendelow, Debating
Biology: sociological reflections on health, medicine
and society, London: Routledege.
2.
Moreno J, Berger S. Taking stem cells seriously. Am J
Bioeth. 2006 Sep-Oct; 6(5):6-7
3.
Susanne C, Casado M, Buxo MJ What challenges
offers nanotechnology to bioethics? Law Hum
Genome Rev. (22) 27-45 Jan-Jun 2005.
Types of Reference Questions
• Known Items
• Research Paper or Bibliography
– Write a paper
– Find scholarly books and/or journal articles
• Treasure Hunts
Research Paper or Bibliography
Examples
• I have to write a paper on public policy and
nurses; where do I find books and
articles?
• I have to find 5 scholarly articles on
gerontological nursing.
Research Paper or Bibliography
Where to Look for Books
Use Catalog:
– Keyword search for topic as described by
customer
– Subject Headings Search:
• When keyword is too inefficient
• Obtain subject headings from appropriate records
found in keyword search
Research Paper or Bibliography
Where to Look for Journal Articles
• Find -> Articles -> Specific Subject
– Nursing
– Public Administration and Affairs
– Social Work
• Best I/A Services “Cheat Sheet”
• Sci/Tech Best Indexes web page
http://www.asu.edu/lib/noble/library/bestind.htm
• Library Resources for Public Affairs web page
http://www.asu.edu/lib/hayden/ref/paf/LibResForPubAffs.htm
• Health Sciences Information web page
http://www.asu.edu/lib/noble/health/
Search Strategy
• Divide the topic into concepts
– Maximum of 3 concepts per search
• For each concept find synonyms and subject heading(s)
– If needed, do a search and view subject headings on appropriate
records
– Use truncation to account for word variants
• If too many results:
– Add another concept
– Use only subject headings as search terms
• If too few results:
–
–
–
–
Eliminate a concept
Broaden a concept
Use other/additional terminology
Look at the topic from the opposite direction
Exercises
• I need to find a few books at the
Downtown Library about New Urbanism.
• How about journal articles? The instructor
says they need to be peer-reviewed.
Types of Reference Questions
• Known Items
• Research Paper or Bibliography
• Treasure Hunts
Treasure Hunts
Examples
• Topics:
– How is gasoline made?
– What are the pros and cons of nuclear power?
• Facts & Numbers:
– How many SUVs were sold in Arizona in 2004?
– When did Albert Einstein die?
– What are the symptoms of Meniere’s disease?
Treasure Hunts
Determine:
1. The subject area
Not sure?
•
•
Ask the customer!
Use Google to “define”
2. The type of resource that most likely
would have that kind of information
Treasure Hunts
Type of Resources
•
•
•
•
•
Almanacs
Biographies
Books
Dictionaries
Directories
•
•
•
•
•
Encyclopedias
Handbooks, Manuals
Journal Articles
Statistical compilations
The Web
Treasure Hunts
Types of Resources
The research sequence for topics:
• Dictionary
• General Encyclopedia
• Subject Encyclopedia
• Book
• Journal Article
Treasure Hunts
Types of Resources
HOW MUCH information is needed on the topic?
• Dictionary – one or two lines of description
• General Encyclopedia – a summary of several
paragraphs or pages
• Subject Encyclopedia – a summary of many
pages
• Book – in-depth treatment
• Journal Article – in-depth (and/or current)
treatment of a narrow aspect
Treasure Hunts
Types of Resources
• Dictionaries
Provide one or two lines of description
– Google
Define: gasoline
– Catalog Keyword search for broad subject
chemistry and dictionaries
Treasure Hunts
Types of Resources
• Dictionaries
• General Encyclopedias
Provide a summary of several paragraphs
or pages
– Encyclopedia Britannica (online)
Treasure Hunts
Types of Resources
• Dictionaries
• General Encyclopedias
• Subject Encyclopedias
Provide a summary of many pages
– Be familiar with the major encyclopedias in
DPC program areas, especially those online
– Catalog keyword search for broad subjects
chemistry and encyclopedia*
Treasure Hunts
Types of Resources
•
•
•
•
Dictionaries
General Encyclopedias
Subject Encyclopedias
Books
Provide in-depth treatment
– Catalog Keyword Search
gasoline
– Apply same search strategies as under
“Research Paper or Bibliography”
Treasure Hunts
Types of Resources
•
•
•
•
•
Dictionaries
General Encyclopedia
Subject Encyclopedias
Books
Journal Articles
Provide in-depth (and/or current) treatment of a
narrow aspect
– Use the same tools and search strategies as under
“Research Paper or Bibliography”
– Be familiar with the major indexing/abstracting
services in DPC program areas
Treasure Hunts
Types of Resources
Data or specific pieces of information can be
found in
• Almanacs
• Biographies
• Directories
• Handbooks, Manuals
• Statistical Compilations
• The Web
Treasure Hunts
Types of Resources
• Almanacs
Provide a quick way to find facts via the use of
“lists” (prize winners, state population counts,
cities where the Olympics have been held,
etc.)
– World Almanac and Book of Facts
AY 67 .W7
– Google the question
Treasure Hunts
Types of Resources
• Almanacs
• Biographies
Provide information about people - their lives and their
work
– Find -> Articles -> Biography (Specific Subjects)
(Find -> All Types of Material -> Biography)
– “Biographical Information” page
http://www.asu.edu/lib/noble/scirefrm/biogra.htm
– Catalog
• Subject
• Subject
langmuir irving
chemists biography
– Google the person
Treasure Hunts
Types of Resources
• Almanacs
• Biographies
• Directories
Provide contact information, such as addresses
– Google It!
– Catalog:
• Keyword and/or subject search for topic
chemistry and directories
chemistry directories
Treasure Hunts
Types of Resources
•
•
•
•
Almanacs
Biographies
Directories
Handbooks or Manuals
Provide facts, formulas and numerical data (properties)
– Be familiar with the major handbooks in DPC program areas
• Knovel (engineering, biotech, chemistry, food sci/tech)
• Stat!Ref (health, medicine, nursing)
– Catalog:
• Keyword search for topic
gasoline and handbooks
• Keyword and/or subject search for broader subject
chemistry and handbooks
chemistry handbooks
– Google It
Treasure Hunts
Types of Resources
•
•
•
•
•
Almanacs
Biographies
Directories
Handbooks or Manuals
Statistical Compilations
Provide numerical data and/or counts
– Answers the “How many …” questions
– Statistical Abstract of the U.S.
• HA 202 .A388
• http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/
– Lexis/Nexis Statistical
Treasure Hunts
Types of Resources
•
•
•
•
•
•
Almanacs
Biographies
Directories
Handbooks or Manuals
Statistical Compilations
The Web
For all subjects!
– Use liberally but evaluate results for authority
– Know and use Google’s advanced search features
Google Search Features
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
“Phrases”
OR
~Synonyms
+Include
-Eliminate
* Near
Limits:
–
–
–
–
–
Date
Language
Field
Site
Numerical range
• Define:
• Spell Check
• Calculator
•
•
•
•
•
•
Scholar
Books
Images
News
Catalogs
Earth
Treasure Hunts
Types of Resources
• Alamanac
• Handbook, Manual
– Lists
– Facts
– Formulas
– Numerical data
• Olympic cities
• Population of the States
• Prize winners
• Biography
– People
• Directories
– Contact info
• addresses
• properties
• Statistical Compilation
– Numerical data
• how many?
• The Web
– Everything!
Exercises
In what type of resource would you expect to find the
answers to the following questions?
• What treatments are used for ADHD?
• What are the pros and cons of nuclear power?
• How many SUVs were sold in Arizona in 2004?
• When did Albert Einstein die?
• What are the symptoms of Meniere’s disease?
Common Miscommunications
• Generalized the question
• Made an incorrect assumption about library
resources
• Used inadequate or inaccurate terminology
• Doesn’t understand the assignment
Common Miscommunications
Generalizations
“Where are the books on aging?”
• Could mean:
– Do you have “Multidisciplinary perspectives” on aging by Tepper
and Cassidy?
– I need to find a recent books on gerontological nursing
– How many senior citizens are there in Arizona?
– What are the symptoms of Alzheimer’s?
You need to know:
• Do they have a title for a specific book?
• Are they trying to browse the shelves when they should
be using the Catalog?
• Are they looking for specific data/information?
Common Miscommunications
Generalizations
“Where is the Journal of Advances in Nursing?”
• Could mean:
– Where do I find “Faulkner, Mark; Davies, Sue; Nolan, Mike;
Brown-Wilson, Christine. Development of the combined
assessment of residential environments (CARE) profiles. J. Adv.
Nursing 55(6):664-677”
Actual journal title: Journal of Advanced Nursing
– How do I find 5 scholarly articles on current trends in nursing?
You need to know:
• Do they have a citation to a specific article(s)?
– Have they guessed what a journal title abbreviation stands for?
• Are they trying to browse a journal when they should be
using an indexing/abstracting service?
Common Miscommunications
Generalizations
I want to know about Albert Einstein
• Could mean:
– When did Albert Einstein die?
– What was the name of Albert Einstein’s wife?
You need to know:
• How much information do they need – a whole
book or just a few paragraphs or pages?
• Are they looking for a specific piece of
information rather than the whole story of
someone’s life
Common Miscommunications
Incorrect Assumptions
I need a good book about gasoline
• Could mean:
– How is gasoline made?
Depending on what they need, one of our chemistry
encyclopedias might be a better fit than a book
You need to know:
• How much do they need – at what depth - a couple of
paragraphs or several books?
• At what level - high school – undergraduate –
professional?
Common Misommunications
Incorrect Assumptions
How do I get to PubMed?
• Could mean:
– What are the symptoms of Meniere’s Disease?
– I need 5 scholarly articles on aquaculture in Arizona
You can Google Meniere’s and get authoritative sources much quicker
than finding journal articles on the topic; also journal articles may be
too narrow – a medical textbook would be more appropriate
Customers tend to return to the same database they used previously
without regard to the resource’s coverage
You need to know:
• Why they want to use that resource
• What topic are they researching?
Common Miscommunications
Incorrect Assumptions
How do I access Ovid (EbscoHost, CSA,
SilverPlatter)?
• Could mean:
– How do I access CINHAL (Academic Search Premier,
PsycInfo, etc.)?
– I need to find 5 scholarly articles on public policy and
mental health
Databases are frequently referred to by the platform name
You need to know:
• What topic they are researching
Common Miscommunications
Incorrect Assumptions
Can you get me a list of car dealers in Arizona?
• Could mean:
– How many SUVs were sold in Arizona in 2004?
You’ll have better luck with a statistical resource
than a business directory
You need to know:
• What they really want
Common Miscommunications
Inadequate or Inaccurate Terminology
Non-professional terminology for both library and
subject topics
• “Magazine” instead of “journal”
• “I looked it up online” instead of “I used the catalog”
• “Making gasoline” instead of “crude oil refining” or
“petroleum refinery”
You need to:
• Be familiar with the common ways people describe
library materials and processes
• Elicit more information from the customer
• Look for proper or synonymous subject terminology in
search results
Common Miscommunications
Inadequate or Inaccurate Terminology
English as second language
• Customer only knows one way/one word to
describe topic and you can find little or nothing
You need to:
– Look for proper or synonymous subject terminology in
search results
– Use Google “Define:” for ideas about proper or
synonymous terminology
– Find a staff member who can speak the native
language
Common Miscommunications
Inadequate or Inaccurate Terminology
Can’t spell
• “manears” instead of “meniere’s”
You need to know:
• How to spell English “real good”!
• Be aware that little or no search results may be
the result of spelling errors rather lack of
available research
– Examine results for other spellings
• Search term(s) in Google for spell checking
Common Miscommunications
Doesn’t Understand the Assignment
You need to:
• Ask to see a copy of the assignment
• Refer student back to instructor
• Refer assignment to appropriate subject librarian
if:
– Many students are confused about the assignment
– Many students cannot complete the assignment
without consulting with library staff
– Assignment requires students to approach library
research incorrectly or inefficiently
The Reference Interview
Customers have difficulty expressing their wants
Until you know what they really want,
you can’t determine what they need
If you can’t determine what they need,
your help may be incorrect or inadequate
Reference Interview
• Maintain a friendly, approachable demeanor
• Smile and greet the customer
– Hi! How may I help you?
• Listen - do not interrupt or cut-off
• Use open-ended questions (cannot be answered with
Yes or No) to elicit more information
–
–
–
–
–
–
What is your assignment?
What did your instructor ask you to find?
How much information do you need on this topic?
Where have you looked so far?
What other words or phrases are used to describe ADHD?
Please tell me some more about the issues surrounding ADHD.
Reference Interview
• Use close-ended questions (able to be answered with
Yes or No) to determine if the need is correctly
understood.
– You need to find 5 scholarly articles on the treatment for adults
with attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder; is that correct?
• As you give assistance, frequently determine if the need
is being met
– Is this the type of material (or information) you need?
• When you reach the end of the transaction, ask if the
customer agrees it is the end.
– Is there anything else I can help you with?
• Close the transaction by giving options for more help
– If you need more information, please return to the desk
Referrals
• Avoid the “run around”
• Take ownership of questions you are asked
• If you cannot answer the question, then act as
the intermediary between the customer and the
person who can
• You cannot refer a customer to someone else
(or a service point) until that someone (or
someone at the service point) gives you
permission to do so
Learning Styles
• The wrong response to a learning style will
give the perception of poor service
• Difficult to determine a learning style within
the confines of a reference transaction
Learning Styles
• Visual
– Needs to “see” to learn
– Show them a Demonstration
– Give them Written Instructions
– Let them see what you are doing
Learning Styles
• Visual
• Kinesthetic
– Movement triggers learning
– Get their fingers on the keyboard as fast as
possible
– Give them room to explore on their own
– Hands-on training
Learning Styles
• Visual
• Kinesthetic
• Auditory
– Must hear it to learn it
– Talk them through the whole procedure
– Group with another learner
– “Hold their hand”
Learning Styles
• If you let the customer drive the transaction, you
will provide the correct style automatically
• Look and listen for clues:
–
–
–
–
–
“Can you show me how to ….?”
“Can you tell me how to …?”
“What database do I use for …. ?”
“OK, I can take it from here.”
Hesitating to go off on their own
Homework!
• Suntutor
http://www.asu.edu/lib/tutorials/suntutor/
–
–
–
–
Books
Journal Articles*
Web
Evaluate Sources
• Learn Advanced Search Features of Google
• Exercises