Developing Library, Research, Developing Library, Research, and Information Literacy Skillsand Information Literacy Skills

Information LiteracyInformation Literacy• What is information literacy?

• Computer literacy

• Media literacy

• Cultural literacy

• Learning to be information literate

• Know how to find the information you need

• Learn how to interpret the information you find

• Have a purpose

• What’s research—and what’s not?

• Employing information literacy skills

Your TurnYour TurnWhy do you think the book states that “information literacy is the premier survival skill for the modern world”? Do you agree? Why or why not?

Choosing, Narrowing, and Researching Choosing, Narrowing, and Researching a Topica Topic

• Before starting your research, have an idea of

what you are looking for

• Choose a topic

• Narrow it down to a particular aspect that interests you

• Figure out what aspects of the subject you will pursue

Using the LibraryUsing the Library

• Taking advantage of everything your

library has to offer

• More than a document warehouse

• Use the library’s home page as an electronic

gateway to its services

• Asking a librarian

• Information experts who are trained to assist

and guide you to the resources you need

Your TurnYour Turn

Is the library a necessary resource for learning in college? Why or why not?

Electronic ResourcesElectronic Resources• Library catalogs

• Tell you what books, magazines, newspapers, videos,

and other materials are available in a particular

library

• Periodical databases• Let you hunt down articles published in hundreds

(even thousands) of newspapers, magazines, and

scholarly journals

• The World Wide Web• Googling is an aggregation of information, opinion,

and sales pitches from servers around the globe

• Guidelines for effective searches

Your TurnYour Turn

Talk to a faculty member, a parent, or an older friend who went to college. Ask this person how he or she conducted research before the Internet. Write a short review of the strategies used by former generations to access and use information.

Evaluating SourcesEvaluating Sources• Relevance

• How well does it fit your needs?

• Authority• Was it created by somebody who has the qualifications to

write or speak on the subject?

• Bias• Some signs of bias indicate that you should avoid using a

source

• A note on Internet sources• Be cautious of material you find online

• Difficult to tell where it came from or who wrote it

Your TurnYour Turn

How do you find sources for an important paper? Do you go to the first several hits on Google, or do you use a more deliberate process? What strategies can you use to make sure your Internet or library research results in valid information?

Your TurnYour Turn

In your opinion, what newspapers, magazines, or TV networks are biased? Does a biased point of view make you more or less likely to read or watch? Why do you think many people expose themselves only to opinions or viewpoints like their own?

Your TurnYour Turn

One of the most frequently visited sites on the Web is Wikipedia, a collaborative reference work written and maintained by thousands of volunteers. Most of its articles can be (and have been) edited by anyone with Internet access. What are the pros and cons of using such a site as a source for a research project?

Making Use of What You FindMaking Use of What You Find

• Synthesizing information and ideas

• Accept some ideas, reject others, combine related

concepts, assess implications, and put it all together

• Can help create new information and ideas

• Citing your sources

• If you use somebody else’s exact words, you must give

that person credit

• If you use somebody else’s ideas, even in your own

words, you must give that person credit

• About plagiarism

• Be aware that “I didn’t know” is not a valid excuse

Tech Tip: Check Your EngineTech Tip: Check Your Engine

Online research in an academic setting

• Use peer-reviewed academic journals,

government Web sites, or newspaper Web sites

• Use tricks to refine your search

• Key words separated by a space or plus sign

• Key words separated by the word OR

• Key words plus words in brackets

• Key words and a minus sign

• Framing key words in asterisks

• Using asterisks for a wildcard search