Ohlone College LRC — English 101A
Instructor: Rachel Sherman / Librarian: Barbara Duggal
Popular Culture
The WWW is an excellent source of information on the topic of Popular Culture. It is your job to think critically about the information you find, regardless of the source, but Web sources present a special challenge. Why?
- The materials found on the Web are not “selected” as in a library collection;
- No standards or guidelines exist for inclusion on the free Internet.
Give every website the Reliability Test:
- Consult multiple sources to verify information.
- Beware of sites that seem biased or push a specific agenda if searching for “facts”.
- Pay attention to URL suffixes. U.S. sites are assigned a suffix according to the groups or individuals who own them.
Currency (date published) is an important factor in research on popular culture. When a Web source was last updated is not always openly declared on the site. Try this:
- Type into address bar of website: javascript:alert(document.lastModified)
- If using Firefox, right click on the page & select View Page Info.
Comprehensive Guide to Evaluating Web resources on LRC Website!! http://www2.ohlone.edu/org/library/webeval.html
Open the Internet Explorer browser on your laptop. Enter the URL www.dhmo.org Evaluate for Authority!
Enter: http://www.hudson.org/ Evaluate for Objectivity!
Excellent Web Sources on Popular Culture and related topics:
Some Starting Point Search Terms: Popular Culture; common culture; folk culture; mass culture
From LRC homepage, select Search for Articles link. Review subject areas as a guide to help you find databases suitable for your topic (scroll down the page for descriptions of each database).
General Search Tips:
- If searching from home, enter your Ohlone College student or staff ID and last name at the log-in to be granted access to subscription databases.
- Like Web search engines, each database will support a different set of rules for searching. Always refer to the “Help” section for specifics. Become efficient at two or three databases and you should see good results.
- A “subject” search will always retrieve more precise results. If you find a good article, check to see the assigned Subject Headings (also called Descriptors), then combine those terms to search for more articles. If not getting enough results, try a “keyword” search.
- Always look for ways in which the database will allow you to save good search results as you go. Most offer correct citation formats in various styles, and the option to email results to yourself and others.
- ALWAYS save your citation information AS YOU COLLECT YOUR SOURCES!!
Gale Virtual Reference Library & Net Library: Like all reference sources, these e-Reference Books are good sources for general overviews of topics from a variety of perspectives.
- Select Net Library
- Select “keyword” from drop-down menu at left.
- Enter search term, popular culture
- Find under General subject category, select Gale Virtual Reference Library
- Enter search term, vampires
Academic Search Premier: Full-text or citations for articles on academic or general interest topics.
- Create a personalized My EbscoHost account!
- Find “Sign In to My EbscoHost” on top tool bar
- Follow prompts to create a personal account
Sample Search:
- On Basic Search page, select Choose Databases. For this search, select only Academic Search Premier. Click OK.
- Enter keyword: TV Commercials. How many Results are retrieved? _______
- Review Subject: Thesaurus Term list. This will combine your term with the databases controlled vocabulary.
- Click on Television Advertising. Number of Results?_______ Notice combined terms below Results.
- Find Sort by, select Relevance. Notice change in Results list. Notice relevancy meter on articles.
- Click Search Options. Select Full-Text; in Date from: enter Jan. 1985; in Number of Pages: select Greater than: 2. Number of Results? _______.
- Notice article: The intrusive commercial: influence of aggressive TV commercials on aggression . Click on title. Read Abstract.
- Collect Subject Terms: 1.____________________2. ____________________3._________________
- Find Return to Results List. Click on Add to Folder under this article. Review other articles from the same Results list. Be alert to appropriate Subject Terms to add to your list.
- Add two more articles to your folder. Click on Folder View. Click on boxes next to article to Select items. Explore icons for options. To email selected articles to yourself or others, click on email icon. Remember to select appropriate Citation Format (MLA, APA, etc.). Fill in email address information. Click send. Check your emails.
- Let’s say you collected the following Subject Terms in your review of relevant articles. Click on New Search at top. Click on Advanced Search.
- Enter: aggressiveness in the top field. Select SU Subject Terms from drop down menu in field at right.
- Enter television & teenagers in field below. Select SU Subject Terms from drop down menu in field at right.
- Refine search to Full Text; Published Date from: Jan. 1985; Number of Pages: Greater than: 2. Click Search.
- Review Results, Collect more Subject Terms, Save articles to Folder, then Print, Email, etc.
- Combine Subject Terms in a variety of ways in new searches for different results.
Don’t forget to search HANS for books in print, eBooks, print periodicals & a variety of eResources!
- From LRC homepage, select Search HANS
- Enter popular culture in search field. Under Search By: leave keyword as limiter.
- Review options in Quick Limit for Keyword or Title Search drop-down menu. Leave as none for this search.
- Click Search & review results. Notice Library Location for item format (eBook, online periodical, circulating book, etc.)
Need a book from the Fremont LRC collection? Place a hold, have it sent to the NC-LRC for pick up & drop off! Watch the tutorial: http://www2.ohlone.edu/org/library/holds/holds.html .
Any Questions?
Ask a Librarian!!
