[Yulpub] Fwd: SLA-ENG: Google Scholar/Library Instruction related concerns - engineering perspectives

[David Stern]

An interesting start to a more detailed analysis of Google Scholar ...
I am sure we will be performing more widespread tests of this powerful but 
nebulous tool in the near future.
         David


>Date: Wed, 24 Nov 2004 12:47:15 -0500
>From: bhattjj at drexel.edu
>Subject: SLA-ENG: Google Scholar/Library Instruction related concerns - 
>engineering
>  perspectives
>To: SLA-ENG at iee.org.uk
>Reply-To: bhattjj at drexel.edu
>
>
>Hi all,
>
>There are five areas that the present version of Google Scholar does not 
>cover:
>
>1. It does not index online electronic books and handbooks such as those 
>from engnetbase,
>neurosciencenetbase, environetbase, infosecuritynetbase, materialsnetbase, 
>and knovel, etc.
>It becomes even more important to educate our students especially those 
>working on Freshman and Senior Design Projects, to use electronic books 
>and the books available in print when they need to develop sufficient 
>background in their project areas before using Google Scholar. We want 
>them not to carried away by Google Scholar so much that they ignore other 
>important resources. Especially for design projects, scholarly interature 
>is just a component of their research; not the only component.
>
>2. Conference papers indexed in Ei village (engineering village) appears 
>toe not yet available in Google Scholar.
>I did a search for 'Biomaterials' limiting to onlyconference articles in 
>Engineering Village2. I found 507 articles in Engineering Village. I tried 
>a few in Google Scholar but could not find.
>
>3. We may not be able to download citations to Refworks to create
>your bibliography. Students will need to add them manually if they want to 
>add them in Refworks.This will be time consuming.
>
>4. Advanced features such as searching within just Abstract rather
>than Full Text may not be available. Limiting search using advanced 
>features avilable tends to increase relevancy of articles.
>
>5. Google Scholar does not provide what is being covered, what
>journals are indexed, what other databases are covered, so just
>relying on Google Scholar may not be helpful.
>
>6. Searching online codes (MAD CAD) is not available in Google Scholar. 
>MAD CAD is very heavily used by our Senior Design students. 
><http://www.madcad.com/>http://www.madcad.com
>
>"Subscription based MAD-CAD contains the building codes and knowledge 
>based solutions and guidelines to meet the codes. MAD-CAD provides access 
>to a comprehensive cross-referenced collection of building, electrical, 
>mechanical, plumbing, fire, maintenance codes from BOCA, SBCCI, ICBO, ICC, 
>and NFPA; and state and local codes. This comprehensive set of codes in 
>conjunction with the search engine and organizational tools provide an 
>intelligent and efficient system for architectural, engineering and 
>educational solutions.".
>
>
>7. Computer Science/IST - Books24x7, Safari, Lecture Notes in Computer 
>Science - are important not yet available in Google Scholar. As the name 
>implies ('Scholar'), they will not be available in future, too.
>
>8. One can not browse among diiferent volumes/issues of a particular journal.
>
>No doubt Google Scholar appears to be a great product, but we need to consider
>these limitations and promote them during our classes so that students 
>will try to use other resources and simply not carried away by Google 
>Scholar. I do like Google Scholar but I wanted to bring these issues. 
>Lastly, there is a human component that Google Scholar can not provide.
>
>Recently, I had our meeting with Freshman engineering faculty members to 
>discuss planning for our Freshman engineering library sessions during the 
>winter term.. I am including some important points that we discussed from 
>the instructional perspectives.
>
>"They liked our ideas of the multidisciplinary subject headings to address 
>searching for biomedical engineering related information in several 
>databases. Based on our discussion during the meeting, we are going to 
>develop a one page hand out on examples of citations from variety of 
>sources (one from handbook, one from a library book found using the 
>catalog (print), one from encyclopdedia, one from website, one from 
>journal article, and one from conference proceedings). This page will be 
>used as a reference for students as they develop their bibliography.
>
>Discussion on Refworks was extremely well received. Infact, they all loved 
>it. One faculty member suggested that we point out during the class that 
>last year some students received poor grades because they did not
>co-ordinate well with their team members. Collaborating using Refworks in 
>building a 'Group Bibliography' with each member of the team contributing, 
>will be one way to improve co-ordination and
>co-operation among others. This suggestion was applauded by all faculty 
>members present including us.
>
>They are going to ask their students to follow the sample reference page 
>and  write their bibliography in that style. Either APA or MLA style will 
>be used but students can use IEEE/ASCE style in Refworks.
>No decision has been made as yet if they are going to require students to 
>use one style.
>
>Interestingly, they all knew about Google Scholar; we argued and tried to 
>convince them that it is NOT the only tool and that students need to look 
>at other resources, ebooks, handbooks, library books, and
>conference papers for a complete search. They all agreed wholeheartedly. 
>Importance of building codes and specific material properties also came up 
>(google scholar will not find them). They all agreed that we spend a few 
>minutes in our talk to highlight our library resources, and in what 
>situations Google Scholar is good, when it can be used, and when library 
>subscribed other resources should be used. We will add one slide in our 
>Powerpoint to address them. Importance of library consultations by 
>students with librarians was again stressed by many faculty members. Two 
>instructors are using webCT; we will plan to link our tutorial in those 
>two faculty member's sections. This will be  app. 8 sections out of the 27 
>sections.
>
>Any other thoughts and ideas always welcome.
>
>Jay Bhatt
>Information Services Librarian (Engineering)
>Hagerty Library, Drexel University
>TEL 215-895-1873
>FAX 215-895-2070
>EMAIL bhattjj at drexel.edu
>
>Engineering Assistance page:
><http://www.library.drexel.edu/services/refengineer.html>http://www.library.drexel.edu/services/refengineer.html
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