LIB 1600: Introduction to College Level Research

In this module, students will learn how to select the right search tools to locate information. Each search tool is specialized in finding certain kinds of information. Knowing which search tool to use will make the research process more efficient and less time-consuming.

Upon completion, students will be able to:

1. Connect their information needs to the appropriate search tools
   • by distinguishing between different information search tools and what each tool is good at finding
   • by matching the type of information they need with the appropriate search tool for the job
2. Differentiate between open and paywalled materials
   • by recognizing which items I have full-text access to and which ones they might need to request through Interlibrary Loan (ILL)
3. Locate quality online materials effectively
   • by using Google Scholar, Quick Search, and databases to find materials relevant to their assignment
   • by using simple Boolean operators, phrase searching, and filtering to refine their results
4. Analyze search results to identify materials relevant to their assignment
   • by recognizing when a search result item is sponsored
   • by recognizing the impact search algorithms have on their search results
5. Locate books and other physical materials in the library
   • by determining their collection and location
   • by using Library of Congress call numbers to find library materials

Module 3 is about honing students' search skills and crafting a search strategy to find the information they need. 

Upon completion, I will be able to:

1. Break down a research question into keywords 
   • by recognizing which words are essential elements in the question
   • by identifying which words will be helpful in searches and which words will not be helpful
2. Use more complex search strategies to identify materials
   • by distinguishing when to use truncation and nested Boolean operators when necessary
   • by matching the search strategy to their topic and keywords
3. Use field searching to strengthen search capabilities
   • by recognizing the fields found in item records and citations
   • by identifying controlled vocabulary for subject-field searching
4. Use citations to locate sources
   • by recognizing the type of item being cited
   • by using citation chaining
5. Use library tools and services to access materials
   • by successfully finding available items and/or requesting items not available in local collections

How do you know if the information you've gathered is scholarly, trustworthy, and not full of bogus information generated by a human or an AI? 

You evaluate it! This module is focused on evaluating information.

Evaluating information is something we do every day, whether you know it or not. You evaluate information when you determine what to write down in your notes, debate issues with friends, and use reviews to decide what book to read — all this before you even start presearching!

Upon completion, students will be able to:

1. Identify key reasons for evaluating sources
   • by identifying different types of biases and other forms of information pollution
   • by recognizing that many factors impact the accuracy of a source, including advances in research or technology and our overall understanding of something
2. Apply the four moves of SIFT to evaluate sources in both academic and personal contexts
   • by practicing lateral reading of sources to investigate the background, reputation, and biases of a source
3. Learn more about a topic, author, source or event by searching for additional resources
   • by doing a reverse image search, using a fact-checking website, etc.

In this module, students will learn the basics about giving others the credit they deserve, using sources ethically, and copyright.

Upon completion, students will be able to:

1. Describe why giving credit is an important part of the research process
   • by describing a citation's relationship to fairness
   • by describing how my academic research builds upon other researchers' work
2. Recognize when I should give credit to others 
   • by describing plagiarism and common knowledge 
3. Identify what constitutes copyright infringement
   • by defining Fair Use, Creative Commons licensing, and Public Domain
4. Describe how to give credit to others
   • by using techniques like in-text citations, paraphrasing, and bibliographies
   • by identifying and using the appropriate style manual for their field of study