Introduction to Information Literacy for Students

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).

• List of Figures xiPreface xiiiAcknowledgments xviiFlowchart xixPart I The Method1 Think Like a Detective 3Information: The Key to Just about Everything 4Join the Information Conversation 6Start Detecting 9Survey the Research Landscape 13Take Research One Step at a Time 14Conclusion 16Steps to Success 16Works Cited 162 Ask a Compelling Question 18It All Begins with a Research Question 19Explore Your Own Interests and Personality 20Consider the Assignment 22Brainstorm Ideas 24Draw a Concept Map 26Check an Idea Generator 27Explore the News 29Test and Refine a Topic 31Conclusion 32Steps to Success 333 Search for Answers 34Good News and Bad News 35Create a Research Log 36Identify Keywords 39Truncate Keywords When Necessary 41Identify Concept Phrases 42Combine Keywords with Boolean Operators 43Keep an Open Mind 44Conclusion 46Steps to Success 46Works Cited 474 Explore Possible Sources 48So Many Sources…So Little Time! 49Distinguish among the Three Categories of Sources 50Survey the Range of Source Formats 53Conclusion 62Steps to Success 625 Evaluate Sources 64Is It Legit—For Real? 65Is It Relevant? 66Is It Reliable? 67Is It Recent? 71Critically Evaluate Books 72Critically Evaluate Periodicals 74Critically Evaluate Webpages 76Conclusion 77Steps to Success 786 Create a Paper Trail 79The Case for Documentation 80Know Why, What, and How to Cite 81Cite As You Go 89Compile an Annotated Bibliography 91Conclusion 91Documentation Formats 91Steps to Success 927 Mine Your Sources 93Getting the Most from Your Sources 94Interrogate Your Sources 95Take Effective Notes 97Follow Leads 101Conclusion 104Steps to Success 104Part II Types of Sources8 Reference 109Start in the Right Place 110Choose the Right Reference Source 111Search the Online Catalog 115Check the Ready Reference Collection 116Search for Online Reference Sources 116Find and Study Entries in Reference Sources 117Conclusion 120Steps to Success 1219 Books 122Books: More Than Mere Life-changers 123Search a Library’s Online Catalog 124SearchWorldCat 130Use Item Records 131Locate Books on Library Shelves 132Use Interlibrary Loan 134Look for E-books and Online Books 135Mine a Book’s Contents 136Conclusion 137Steps to Success 13710 Periodicals 139Periodicals: Something for Everyone 140The Basics—Not So Basic 142Search Databases 145Manage the Results List 147Check for Relevance 149Locate the Complete Article 149Try Advanced Searching 152Check Google Scholar and Open Access Journals 155Browse Periodicals 156Conclusion 158Steps to Success 15811 Statistics 159The Numbers Game 160Find Statistics Online 161Check Government Sources 162Explore Specialized Sources 163Conclusion 164Steps to Success 16512 Government Sources 166The World’s Most Prolific Publisher 167Types of Government Sources 169Beware of Bias 172Limit a Catalog Search to Government Sources 172Search FDsys 173Run Searches in the U.S. Government Portal or on the Internet at Large 174Search for Bills and Laws 175Check Microforms 175Conclusion 176Steps to Success 17613 Webpages 177An Old Friend in a New Light 178Cyberspace: It’s Real—and Manageable 179Run Keyword Searches in Search Engines 182Capture Webpages 183Check Web Directories 184Follow Links in Librarians’ Subject Guides 185Be Wary of Wikipedia 185Conclusion 186Steps to Success 18714 Other Sources 188But Wait, There’s More! 189Take the Broad View 190Study Images and Artifacts 191Listen to or Watch Recordings 192Interrogate Social Media 193Interview an Expert 194Check Newsletters, Brochures, Etc. 198Conclusion 199Steps to Success 19915 Now What? 201The Value of Information in Your Life 202Prepare for Future College Courses 203Prepare for Graduate School 205Apply Research in the Professional World 208Use Research to Improve Your Life and Community 210Conclusion 212Steps to Success 212Glossary 213Index 229