Media Center Handbook
Policies - Printing - Plagiarism - Gathering Information -

Intellectual Freedom

The media center staff espouses the American Library Association's definition of Intellectual Freedom, which is "...the right of every individual to both seek and receive information from all points of view without restriction. It provides for free access to all expressions of ideas through which any and all sides of a question, cause or movement may be explored."
Click to view more on Intellectual Freedom

MCPS Selection Policies

The media center staff is charged with providing appropriate instructional materials to support the curriculum and the individual needs of our students. Materials are selected in accordance with the MCPS Evaluation and Selection Policy.
Click to view the MCPS Evaluation and Selection Policy

MS Power Point Printing

Do not click the Print icon.
Go to File & Print.
Be sure you select one of the Media Center printers.

Print handouts with 2 to 6 slides on a page.

Under Print What, click the arrow and select Handouts.
The Handouts box will light up.
Choose the number of slides you want on a page.

Print the Handouts in Grayscale.

Under Color/grayscale, click the arrow and select Grayscale.

Under Printer Name, choose one of the two MediaCtr printers.

HP8150
ColorHP5550 ($.50 per page)

Click OK.

Printing Online Resources

When printing from the Internet, always look for a Print Icon. This icon will provide a "printer friendly" version by removing pictures and advertisments from the document.

You will also want to preview the document to determine the number of pages that will be printed. Click on File. Scroll down to Print Preview

.Examples of Print Icons:

Gale Student Resource Center/ Opposing Viewpoints

Proquest

ABC-Clio

Washington Post

Saving and Printing
Noodletools Works Cited Pages

Click on: Open in Word. Click on: Save as RTF document. In Explorer: Wait for the open/ save window. You may open to view the document or save it and view in Word. In FireFox: If a new screen with your document does not open, use the link “click here” to open the file.

Avoiding Plagiarism

What is plagiarism?
It is “the act of presenting someone else’s ideas as your own” (Sebranek 256).

Note-Taking Tip:
While taking notes, put quotation marks around direct quotes and identify the source on the same page.

Avoid plagiarism by documenting the works of others when:
“ ...you use someone else's words” (Harris). Use quotation marks around direct quotes to give the writer or speaker credit.
“… you revise or paraphrase the words of someone else or just use their ideas” (Harris). When paraphrasing, give credit in note form.
“ ...you use information gained through interviewing another person” (OWL).
“ ...you reprint any diagrams, illustrations, charts, and pictures” (OWL).
“ ...you use ideas that others have given you in conversations or over email” (OWL).

You do not have to document when:
“ ...you are writing your own experiences, your own observations, your own insights, your own thoughts, your own conclusions about a subject” (OWL).
“ ...you are using ‘common knowledge’ — folklore, common sense observations, shared information within your field of study or cultural group” (OWL).
“ ...you are compiling generally accepted facts” (OWL).
“ ...you are writing up your own experimental results” (OWL).

Sources for further information about plagiarism.

Gathering InformationSearching Tips: Keywords

• Use multiple keywords to search all sources. Cars, automobiles, and mustang will yield some differing results.
  Print Resources
• Use more general keywords when searching in Spectrum (Blake’s online catalog tutorial). It is searching the small amount of information on a catalog card that describes a book, and you will get more complete results if you choose more general subjects. Use specific keywords that describe your search when using the table of contents or index of the book. (Great Depression in Spectrum and Stock Market Crash within the book).
  Online Subscription Databases
• Databases are generally either media specific (include information with certain formats) or subject specific. Use those facts to help you choose appropriate databases based on your topic and questions.
• Databases usually have three search options each requiring different types of keywords:

  • Topic Browse (very broad topics and general keywords)
  • Subject search (simple one-two word subjects)
  • Advanced search (when you need to describe your research question in more detail use multiple specific keywords)
  Internet searches on the free Web
• Use multiple searching tools and keyword combinations when searching the free web. No search engine searches the entire internet
• Be very selective when using internet sites. Use evaluated sites found through databases when available.
• Carefully record the facts that describe your source for your Works Cited page. (worksheets available in the Media Center computer area and online)