I chose microbes.info, or http://www.microbes.info/index.html as a site based on my topic area, because it provides extensive microbiological research, information, and studies from other reputable resources, to enhance student learning. These resources include: General Microbiology, Environmental Microbiology, Food Microbiology, Industrial Microbiology, Medical Microbiology, Veterinary Microbiology, Education and Learning, Employment and Careers, Organizations, Companies, Web Gateways, Publications, News, Events, Articles, and F.A.Q's. Descriptions of all resources can be found at http://www.microbes.info/resources/.
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Competency #6 Multimedia
Pandemic Influenza Video Clip
http://www.animate4.com/pandemic-influenza-videos.htm
http://www.animate4.com/index.htm
I am using the following link (s) posted, containing various 3-D animations/images/video clips because it displays very interesting, almost real life images and clips of microbiology/biology related topics of study/discussion. Some of these include: pictures of bacteria, pictures of a typical virus and how it's spread, pictures of the human genome project and picture of the DNA molecule; it also contains pandemic influenza and health & wellness video clips, all of which can be extremely beneficial in aiding and enhancing students' daily learning experiences.
http://www.animate4.com/wellness-and-health-pictures.htm
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Competency # 5 Databases
For the following competency, I performed 4 search techniques discussed in class, which included: building block, citation pearl growing, specific facet first, and browsing search. These searches were performed in the following 4 databases: ERIC, Worldcat, Jstor, and Project Muse.
I performed the 4 search techniques on the 4 stated databases, using the following search query: Microbiology resources in university libraries.
The results of each search technique/database and the results/hits of items retrieved are stated below.
Topic: Microbiology resources in university libraries.
1. Database used: Eric; Search technique applied: building block.
Summarization of results/hits retrieved:
Various concept words were applied to my topic/query entry. These included : microbiology materials, microbiology books, microbiology magazines, microbiology journals-in print form/electronic form; online microbiology databases, microbiology online tutorial programs- for labs/lectures, and biology databases. Concept words used for university libraries, which were limited, included: 4-year universities, 2-year universities, on-line universities, and virtual libraries; these concept terms were paired with the microbiology concept terms, mentioned previously.
Query entries: microbiology tutorial programs AND university libraries retrieved, 51-100 of 157, 102, (pages 1-5 and next); many results/hits, which were unrelated to microbiology; microbiology resources AND 4-year universities retrieved, 1-50 of 63,709, (pages 1-5 and next); many of these results/hits, were also unrelated to microbiology; microbiology resources AND 2-year universities retrieved, 1-50 of 68,413, (pages 1-5 and next) of many unrelated results/hits; only 2 articles/hits related to my query entry/topic.
Query entries: to narrow my results, I typed in biology databases AND virtual libraries and retrieved 1-50 of 51800, (pages 1-5 and next); out of all the listed results, I narrowed my results even more, based my retrieved results/hits ; only 2, results/hits of greater relevance, were selected from my query entry/topic; these articles were entitled: On Campus or out of Town: How Publishing On-line Tutorials can Help Your Patrons; and the other article was entitled: Designing Blended Inquiry Learning in a Laboratory Context: A Study of Incoporating Hands-On-and Virtual; microbiology resources AND 2-year university libraries retrieved 68,413 results/hits, many which were unrelated to my topic/query entry and more related to improved teaching abilities/strategies for teachers; however, I retrieved one result/hit from the previous query entry, entitled: Teaching Undergraduates to Think Like Scientist.
Query entries: microbiology databases AND university libraries retrieved only one result/hit, using the building block search technique; it was entitled: The Future of Online Services to Faculty: A Pilot Project wit CAS Online;microbiology books AND university libraries retrieved only 2 articles/ results/hits, entitled: Collection Description and Assessment in ARL Libraries. SPEC Kit 87; the other article is entitled: Undergraduate Medical Education and the Elective System; Experience with the Duke Curriculm, 1966-75.
2. Database used: Worldcat; Search Technique applied: citation pearl growing
Summarization of Results/hits retrieved:
For the citation pearl growing search technique, I did not apply concept words/terms, as I did previously, with the building block technique; I used the two terms, microbiology resources as query entries.
Query Entry: microbiology resources, retrieved 880 (English 862) results/hits related to entry; I narrowed my results based on relevance of query entry, and stated 4 online resources available to microbiology students, these included: http://www.virtual/ library.Microbiology & Virology, one " main pearl" out of the search which led to others, such as: Medline, World of Microbiology and Immunology, and the American Society of Microbiology (AMS) Journals-published in the last 12 months (1 year).
3. Database used: Jstor; Search Technique applied: specific facet first
Summarization of Results/hits retrieved:
For the specific facet first search technqiue, I didn't apply concept words/terms, instead I entered/typed in specficially, my desired query entry.
Query entry: microbiology resources available in university libraries. retrieved, 1-25 of 1,669 results/hits. A basic search was performed, based on journals based on the discipline, which was biology; 3 journal volumes/hits were retrieved as being the most important, out of the remainder of hits/results; these included: Introducing Biology Students to Library Reference resources- The American Biology Teacher, (Vol49, 1938-2007); Selected List of Reference Books in Microbiology, (same as previous journal volume); BioScience: Weaving the Web into Biology Teaching, (Vol. 14-53, 2004-2007); and Scientific Teaching, (2004-2009).
4. Database used: Project Muse; Search Technique applied: browsing
I performed the 4 search techniques on the 4 stated databases, using the following search query: Microbiology resources in university libraries.
The results of each search technique/database and the results/hits of items retrieved are stated below.
Topic: Microbiology resources in university libraries.
1. Database used: Eric; Search technique applied: building block.
Summarization of results/hits retrieved:
Various concept words were applied to my topic/query entry. These included : microbiology materials, microbiology books, microbiology magazines, microbiology journals-in print form/electronic form; online microbiology databases, microbiology online tutorial programs- for labs/lectures, and biology databases. Concept words used for university libraries, which were limited, included: 4-year universities, 2-year universities, on-line universities, and virtual libraries; these concept terms were paired with the microbiology concept terms, mentioned previously.
Query entries: microbiology tutorial programs AND university libraries retrieved, 51-100 of 157, 102, (pages 1-5 and next); many results/hits, which were unrelated to microbiology; microbiology resources AND 4-year universities retrieved, 1-50 of 63,709, (pages 1-5 and next); many of these results/hits, were also unrelated to microbiology; microbiology resources AND 2-year universities retrieved, 1-50 of 68,413, (pages 1-5 and next) of many unrelated results/hits; only 2 articles/hits related to my query entry/topic.
Query entries: to narrow my results, I typed in biology databases AND virtual libraries and retrieved 1-50 of 51800, (pages 1-5 and next); out of all the listed results, I narrowed my results even more, based my retrieved results/hits ; only 2, results/hits of greater relevance, were selected from my query entry/topic; these articles were entitled: On Campus or out of Town: How Publishing On-line Tutorials can Help Your Patrons; and the other article was entitled: Designing Blended Inquiry Learning in a Laboratory Context: A Study of Incoporating Hands-On-and Virtual; microbiology resources AND 2-year university libraries retrieved 68,413 results/hits, many which were unrelated to my topic/query entry and more related to improved teaching abilities/strategies for teachers; however, I retrieved one result/hit from the previous query entry, entitled: Teaching Undergraduates to Think Like Scientist.
Query entries: microbiology databases AND university libraries retrieved only one result/hit, using the building block search technique; it was entitled: The Future of Online Services to Faculty: A Pilot Project wit CAS Online;microbiology books AND university libraries retrieved only 2 articles/ results/hits, entitled: Collection Description and Assessment in ARL Libraries. SPEC Kit 87; the other article is entitled: Undergraduate Medical Education and the Elective System; Experience with the Duke Curriculm, 1966-75.
2. Database used: Worldcat; Search Technique applied: citation pearl growing
Summarization of Results/hits retrieved:
For the citation pearl growing search technique, I did not apply concept words/terms, as I did previously, with the building block technique; I used the two terms, microbiology resources as query entries.
Query Entry: microbiology resources, retrieved 880 (English 862) results/hits related to entry; I narrowed my results based on relevance of query entry, and stated 4 online resources available to microbiology students, these included: http://www.virtual/ library.Microbiology & Virology, one " main pearl" out of the search which led to others, such as: Medline, World of Microbiology and Immunology, and the American Society of Microbiology (AMS) Journals-published in the last 12 months (1 year).
3. Database used: Jstor; Search Technique applied: specific facet first
Summarization of Results/hits retrieved:
For the specific facet first search technqiue, I didn't apply concept words/terms, instead I entered/typed in specficially, my desired query entry.
Query entry: microbiology resources available in university libraries. retrieved, 1-25 of 1,669 results/hits. A basic search was performed, based on journals based on the discipline, which was biology; 3 journal volumes/hits were retrieved as being the most important, out of the remainder of hits/results; these included: Introducing Biology Students to Library Reference resources- The American Biology Teacher, (Vol49, 1938-2007); Selected List of Reference Books in Microbiology, (same as previous journal volume); BioScience: Weaving the Web into Biology Teaching, (Vol. 14-53, 2004-2007); and Scientific Teaching, (2004-2009).
4. Database used: Project Muse; Search Technique applied: browsing
Summarization of Results/hits retrieved:
In Project Muse, I was unable to retrieve many related results/hits, using the browsing options available. For instance, the Browse journals by title and Browse journals by discipline icons retrieved very little information on microbiology resources and libraries; the Browse journals by discipline contained information on Science, Medicine & Health, but it didn't have any, if very little, unrelated information on microbiology; for instance, it had information on history of microbiology or microscopy. The article searh proved more successful than the browse options.
Query Entry: microbiology resources, retrieved 1-10 of 17 results/hits, only 4 out of all 17 were considered the most relevant and important to my query entry. These articles/hits included: Information Use by Ph.D. Students in Agriculture and Biology: A Dissertation Citation Analysis (2008); The Changing College and University Library Market for the University Press Books and Journals (1997-2004); Master's and Doctoral Thesis Citations: Analysis and Trends of a Longitudinal Study (2003); Study in Immunology and Microbiology: Publishing Research Consortium (2006) ....and like electronic resources and most readily adopt them only if the....250 more on serials in 2002, then 1986, but the number of ....Association of Research Libraries.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Tagging/Indexing/Cataloging -Competency # 4
I chose the following four microbiology tags from Librarything, because they serve as excellent resources for university students in the field of microbiology and similiar disciplines. I also selected these tags because my area of study is microbiology and my library area is academic/university, mentioned earlier. Faculty can enhance and improve teaching skills with these supplemental readings, while students can use the following resources/texts for additional readings to enhance and improve learning skills. There are many other tags for books available at Librarything related to microbiology and other sciences, but due to the limited amount of space on my blog and for clarity purposes, I have only selected four tags.
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Why I chose Microbiology as an area of Focus in Library Studies-Competency #1
I chose microbiology as an area of focus in library science because it's an area of study that interests me. It developed as an interest because of my job experiences at Auburn University and Alabama State University as a microbiology research assistant. The major foci included:
- utilizing antimicrobial agents such as penicilin or silver nitrate on Salmonella typhimurim and varying strands of bacteria
- utilizing PCR and electrophoresis for the dectection of food borne bacterial DNA (Salmonella tyhimurium or E. coli) in canned foods such as chicken broth and skim milk
- performed stem cell research on mice in treating gastrointestinal disorders in humans as result of food borne pathogens
"I find this area of study on food safety practices and measures very important as it relates to microbiology". A McDonalds in Illinois experienced an epidemic of Hepatitis A outbreaks as a result of two employees not washing their hands who were infected with this virus. I'm not trying to scare people from eating at their favorite restaurants/fastfood franchises, but I'm just warning everyone to be more vigilant about this serious matter. To get a glimpse at the entire article, follow this link to find out more info. on preventing bacterial diseases/ spread through handwashing : http://www.nbafoodadvocate.com/fast-food-employees-and-poor-hand-sanitization-a-perfect-environment-for-foodborne-illness-1219
For more information on the following topics based on my research and other topics of interest, please refer to these sites for related articles: http://www.nbafoodadvocate.com/hygiene-and-foodborne-illness-in-the-united-states-america%e2%80%99s-dirty-little-secret-1600
Want to find out other interesting topics about the swine flu and how to protect yourself? Follow these links:
http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/qa.htm
http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/sick.htm
Microbiology Media Specialist- Competency #1 and Podcasts- Competency # 2
Greetings everyone! I'm a new student at Texas Women's University enrolled in the Library Science Program. In my Information Storage and Retrieval class, the first assignment is to create a blog. A blog from my understanding is a personalized web page for persons (bloggers) to use to exchange information/ideas on various topics of interest. My area of focus or specialization is microbiology, particularly studying food-borne pathogens and the prevention of illnesses. In relation to library studies, I will be working at a university library where I want to provide improved virtual access and retrieval methods for microbiology students. Additionally, I would like to implement a database system (just like an online library) where students/ faculty can not only retrieve and store current microbiology research/ studies, but they will also be able to improve their knowledge base in this area of study via learning about other digital resources. I'm very excited about my area of focus and applying it to library sciene. I hope that you find my area of study fascinating too!
MY PODCASTS
Just to give viewers an idea of what microbiology is all about and to keep everyone focused, I have attached two interesting podcasts links; the first one is : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=udtr9qZSReg and the other one is : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1EkehFkhWf4 . I hope viewers find both of these broadcasts not only to be entertaining, but I hope that each person viewing learns some new information. I selected these two podcasts in order to interest and motivate university students, since this is my library type (university-academic) and topic (microbiology) in order to browse, research, and retrieve information related to this area of study. I used Youtube as a search engine to find these podcasts. Students in this area of biology and related sciences can give professors feedback on interesting topics or information that has not been covered in class; students and professors can view these clips in class, which can increase the students' knowledge base in microbiology. There are many more microbiology podcasts available for viewing on Youtube for students and interested persons.
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