intro to library research

WELCOME

Research

Information Literacy The Research Process Research Resources

Our Agenda

Information Literacy

• Is not just a necessity, but a basic human right that promotes social inclusion in all nations.

• United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)

Critical Thinking Skills

• the ability to reflect critically upon and evaluate their own research strategies,

• the tools used, • the resources found • and the context in which the

resources were produced.

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Where do I begin?

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Research Process1. Find and develop a topic

2. Find background information

3. Find books about your topic

4. Find newspaper and journal articles about your topic

5. Find Websites

6. Evaluate what you find

7. Cite the material you use

Library As Portal

Most topics are way too big!

FIND AND DEVELOP A TOPIC

• Narrow it down

• Break it down to sub-topics

• Remember assignment instructions

• What am I interested in?

• e.g. Global Warming

FIND BACKGROUND INFO

• Learn general terms and context

• Encyclopedia and Dictionaries

• e.g. Encyclopedia of Global Environmental Change GE 149 E443 2002

• Check bibliographies (works cited, recommended resources, for more ideas)

FINDING BOOKS

FINDING ARTICLES

• Newspapers and Magazines for popular views and info

• Academic Journal Articles for the latest research

• Peer Review/ Scholarly Journals

FINDING ARTICLES

EVALUATE WHAT YOU FIND• Author

• Date of Publication

• Edition or Revision

• Publisher

• Title of Journal

• Intended Audience

• Objective Reasoning

• Coverage

• Writing Style

• Evaluative Reviews

• http://www.library.cornell.edu/olinuris/ref/research/evaluate.html

INTERNET

•World Trade Organization

•Dihydrogen Monoxide

•United Nations

• EVALUATING WEBSITES

LOOK FOR:

• Accuracy of the web site

• Authority

• Objectivity

• Currency

• Coverage• http://www.uwindsor.ca/units/leddy/leddy.nsf/SearchTheWeb!OpenForm

Citing Your Sources

Writing Tools

•APA and MLA Styles•Academic Writing

Centre•Writing Help Page

Research Process1. Find and develop a topic

2. Find background information

3. Find books about your topic

4. Find newspaper and journal articles about your topic

5. Find Websites

6. Evaluate what you find

7. Cite the material you use

• Global Warming >

• Alternative Energies >

• Wind, Solar, Tidal, Thermal >

• World > Canada

• Trend: the use of solar energy in Canada

Here’s An Example

Library As Portal

Thank you!