Introduction to Information Literacy for Students presents a concise, practical guide to navigating information in the digital age.
Features a unique step-by-step method that can be applied to any research project Includes research insights from professionals, along with review exercises, insiders' tips and tools, search screen images utilized by students, and more Encourages active inquiry-based learning through the inclusion of various study questions and exercises Provides students with effective research strategies to serve them through their academic years and professional careers Ensures accessibility and a strong instructional approach due to authorship by a librarian and award-winning English professor
List of Figures xi Preface xiii Acknowledgments xvii Flowchart xix Part I The Method 1 Think Like a Detective 3 Information: The Key to Just about Everything 4 Join the Information Conversation 6 Start Detecting 9 Survey the Research Landscape 13 Take Research One Step at a Time 14 Conclusion 16 Steps to Success 16 Works Cited 16 2 Ask a Compelling Question 18 It All Begins with a Research Question 19 Explore Your Own Interests and Personality 20 Consider the Assignment 22 Brainstorm Ideas 24 Draw a Concept Map 26 Check an Idea Generator 27 Explore the News 29 Test and Refine a Topic 31 Conclusion 32 Steps to Success 33 3 Search for Answers 34 Good News and Bad News 35 Create a Research Log 36 Identify Keywords 39 Truncate Keywords When Necessary 41 Identify Concept Phrases 42 Combine Keywords with Boolean Operators 43 Keep an Open Mind 44 Conclusion 46 Steps to Success 46 Works Cited 47 4 Explore Possible Sources 48 So Many Sources…So Little Time! 49 Distinguish among the Three Categories of Sources 50 Survey the Range of Source Formats 53 Conclusion 62 Steps to Success 62 5 Evaluate Sources 64 Is It Legit—For Real? 65 Is It Relevant? 66 Is It Reliable? 67 Is It Recent? 71 Critically Evaluate Books 72 Critically Evaluate Periodicals 74 Critically Evaluate Webpages 76 Conclusion 77 Steps to Success 78 6 Create a Paper Trail 79 The Case for Documentation 80 Know Why, What, and How to Cite 81 Cite As You Go 89 Compile an Annotated Bibliography 91 Conclusion 91 Documentation Formats 91 Steps to Success 92 7 Mine Your Sources 93 Getting the Most from Your Sources 94 Interrogate Your Sources 95 Take Effective Notes 97 Follow Leads 101 Conclusion 104 Steps to Success 104 Part II Types of Sources 8 Reference 109 Start in the Right Place 110 Choose the Right Reference Source 111 Search the Online Catalog 115 Check the Ready Reference Collection 116 Search for Online Reference Sources 116 Find and Study Entries in Reference Sources 117 Conclusion 120 Steps to Success 121 9 Books 122 Books: More Than Mere Life-changers 123 Search a Library’s Online Catalog 124 SearchWorldCat 130 Use Item Records 131 Locate Books on Library Shelves 132 Use Interlibrary Loan 134 Look for E-books and Online Books 135 Mine a Book’s Contents 136 Conclusion 137 Steps to Success 137 10 Periodicals 139 Periodicals: Something for Everyone 140 The Basics—Not So Basic 142 Search Databases 145 Manage the Results List 147 Check for Relevance 149 Locate the Complete Article 149 Try Advanced Searching 152 Check Google Scholar and Open Access Journals 155 Browse Periodicals 156 Conclusion 158 Steps to Success 158 11 Statistics 159 The Numbers Game 160 Find Statistics Online 161 Check Government Sources 162 Explore Specialized Sources 163 Conclusion 164 Steps to Success 165 12 Government Sources 166 The World’s Most Prolific Publisher 167 Types of Government Sources 169 Beware of Bias 172 Limit a Catalog Search to Government Sources 172 Search FDsys 173 Run Searches in the U.S. Government Portal or on the Internet at Large 174 Search for Bills and Laws 175 Check Microforms 175 Conclusion 176 Steps to Success 176 13 Webpages 177 An Old Friend in a New Light 178 Cyberspace: It’s Real—and Manageable 179 Run Keyword Searches in Search Engines 182 Capture Webpages 183 Check Web Directories 184 Follow Links in Librarians’ Subject Guides 185 Be Wary of Wikipedia 185 Conclusion 186 Steps to Success 187 14 Other Sources 188 But Wait, There’s More! 189 Take the Broad View 190 Study Images and Artifacts 191 Listen to or Watch Recordings 192 Interrogate Social Media 193 Interview an Expert 194 Check Newsletters, Brochures, Etc. 198 Conclusion 199 Steps to Success 199 15 Now What? 201 The Value of Information in Your Life 202 Prepare for Future College Courses 203 Prepare for Graduate School 205 Apply Research in the Professional World 208 Use Research to Improve Your Life and Community 210 Conclusion 212 Steps to Success 212 Glossary 213 Index 229
Michael C. Alewine is the Outreach and Distance Education Librarian at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke. He teaches information-literacy courses and research seminars, and he has published and presented on information literacy, student learning and motivation, and teaching and learning in online environments. Mark Canada is Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and Professor of English at Indiana University Kokomo. A 2008 recipient of the University of North Carolina Board of Governors' Award for Excellence in Teaching, Dr. Canada is author of Literature and Journalism in Antebellum America (2011), and editor of Literature and Journalism: Inspirations, Intersections, and Inventions from Ben Franklin to Stephen Colbert (2013) and Out of the West: Notes from Thomas Wolfe’s Final Western Journey (2014).
