Information Literacy Modules

Welcome! Whether your instructor has required that you complete these modules, you’re seeking
guidance on a current research project, or you’re simply curious about information literacy, we
hope you’ll find these modules useful. There are six modules; as you work through them, you’ll
find learning games for review as well as boxes containing questions to guide your research
project. At the end of each module is a quiz to test your understanding on the concepts covered
in the module. If you’ve been assigned these modules as a class assignment, make sure you
understand how your instructor wants you to keep track of your responses to the “Guiding Your
Research” questions and/or the quizzes at the end of the modules. Let’s get started!

In this series of modules, you’ll learn that Information Literacy involves:

1. Recognizing the need for information.

2. Understanding the sources of information.
3. Locating information.
4. Evaluating information.
5. Using information ethically.
6. Using information effectively.

The following six modules may be used to learn the concepts of Information Literacy and to
become “Information Literate”.

 Module I:  Understanding Information Literacy

 Module II:  Information Sources
 Module III: Search Strategies
 Module IV: Evaluating Information
 Module V: Using Information Ethically
 Module VI: Using Information Effectively

Module I – Understanding Information

 

Literacy
What is “Information Literacy”?
 Going After What You Want
 Recognizing the Need for Information
 Defining Information Literacy
What Type of Information Do You Need?
 Understanding the Role of Research in Education
 Having a Reason to Research

Start Now! (the importance of time management)

 Step 1: Understand the Assignment
Step 2: Choose a Topic
Step 3: Prepare to Research
Step 4: Understand the Variety of Information Sources
Step 5: Decide Which Information to Use

Review Game! Conducting Research in 5 Steps

Going After What You Want

Who in each pair do you think has a better chance of getting what he or she wants?

 Two women who both feel that they’re not being challenged enough in their current
careers:
a. One who settles for her current position
b. One who takes an aptitude test, researches possible careers, job-shadows, and begins
taking classes in the field that looks most promising
 Two men who want efficient commutes to work:
a. One who takes a round-about way every day because it’s the only way he knows
b. One who uses a mapping service and the road report to seek the most efficient route
 Two mice in a maze:
a. One who lies around complaining of hunger
b. One who knows there’s a piece of cheese at the end of the maze and has a plan for
finding it

What do these three winning characters have in common? They know what they want, and they
go after it by combining a little ingenuity with the best tools available to them. The same concept
applies to your role as a student; only, in your case, what you need isn’t a dream, an efficient
route, or even cheese: it’s information!

Guiding Your Research

Describe a time when you sought information other than what was provided for you in your textbook,
lectures, or other class materials. Were you conducting research for a specific assignment, hoping to better
understand a class concept, or looking for more information about a topic that interested you? What
information were you looking for? Did you know how or where to find it? What were the results of your
information seeking? Did you find what you were looking for? How did you use the information?

Recognizing the Need for Information

Education requires the ability to adapt, problem solve, and think critically about challenges that
arise in your classes and career. An educated person can recognize an opportunity to learn and
make the most of it.
 An important skill to acquire is the ability to acknowledge when you don’t know something and
decide what to do about it. In other words, it’s valuable to approach an assignment by asking,

 “What do I already know about this?”

 “What do I want to know?”
 “How do I find the information I need?”

Beyond that, you’ll be able to ask,

 “Where will I find the best information to fit my needs?”

 “How will I know it when I see it?”
 “What do I do with it once I have it?”

All of these questions together are a part of a concept called “Information Literacy,” which
you’ll learn about, practice, and apply as you work through these six modules. In this first
module, you’ll learn how to recognize the need for information and how to plan for a successful
inquiry. Understanding these concepts will prepare you to approach later modules – about
finding and using information – with a clear sense of purpose.

Guiding Your Research

If you had to guess, what would you say is the definition of “information literacy”? How would you define
“information” in a college context? What do you know about the term “literacy”? How do you think these two words
work together to form one concept?

Defining Information Literacy

According to the American Library Association’s Information Literacy Competency
Standards for Higher Education, information literacy is the ability to “recognize when
information is needed and . . . locate, evaluate, and use effectively the needed information.” In
other words, students who are “information literate” will know what they want (information) and
how to get it (through thoughtful research).

Let’s think about this definition:  Information literacy is the ability to “[1] recognize when
information is needed and . . . [2] locate, [3] evaluate, and [4] use effectively the needed
information.”

Guiding Your Research

1.  RECOGNIZE: What do you think it means to “recognize when information is needed”?

2.  LOCATE: What are the means you’ve used to “locate” information in the past? What additional options does MCC a
Meijer Library make available to you?
3.  EVALUATE: What does it mean to “evaluate” information? Why would you want to do this? What criteria would yo
good information? What about bad information?
4.  USE EFFECTIVELY: In what ways have you had to “use” information in your classes? In what other ways do you ex
information throughout your college career?

Understanding the Role of Research in

Education
While much of the studying you do in college may be spent reading textbooks, taking notes
about class lectures, practicing skills, and memorizing facts – all of which involve working with
information that is handed to you — you’ll spend a significant amount of time seeking your own
information through assignments that require research.

Why is that? Is it because your teachers ran out of time to plan the day’s lesson and want you to
teach yourself? Not likely. Instead, it’s because your instructors understand that the career world
is constantly changing. By the time you graduate from college, the skills you learned during your
first year may be on their way out the door while new concepts take their place.

Your instructors want you to be able to adapt to this rapidly changing environment by
developing the skills to recognize a need for information, seek it out, and use it effectively. Enter
the research assignment.

Guiding Your Research

Do you remember this question: “What do you want to be when you grow up?” How would you answer it today? In what
future career require you to adapt to changing needs and resources?

Having a Reason to Research

Do you remember this conversation from your childhood?

Mom: “Do your chores.”

Kid: “Why?”
Mom: “Because I said so.”

This reasoning got old really fast, didn’t it? So too does the idea that you do research because
your teacher told you to. College students really ought to have a better reason to spend their time
and energy researching, don’t you think?

Which of the following reasons do you think are good reasons for finding information in sources
and using it to enhance your learning experience?

1. To prove the thesis of an argumentative essay in an English class

2. To learn more about political candidates’ policies before voting
 3. To gain background knowledge about a laboratory experiment in order to form a
hypothesis
4. To inquire about the educational requirements, job descriptions, salary, and projected
demand for career options
5. To explore educational theories before constructing a lesson plan
6. To learn about an important historical figure before presenting a speech about him or her
7. All of the above

Did you say “all of the above”? Good! The truth is that every day, every class, every assignment
gives you an opportunity to learn something new or to add to your knowledge about a topic.
Whether your goal in college is to learn a skilled trade, to earn a degree, or to establish a general
foundation for future specialized studies, you share this goal of learning with other college
students. Your objective is to leave college smarter and better equipped to take on the world. The
trick is knowing where to start.

Guiding Your Research

What is the purpose of your research project? What do you imagine the final product will be? How do you think
other than your instructor, your textbook, or other class materials will help you to develop a better understanding
and a better final product?

Start Now! (The Importance of Time

Management)
Now that you understand the concept of “information literacy,” we’ll preview the steps involved
in the process of researching and preparing to use information. We’ll begin with a concept that is
important each step of the way.

Before you can begin any major research project, it’s important to get a realistic view of how
much time the assignment will require of you. As you’ll learn in these modules, researching is
not simply a matter of “googling” a topic, yanking a couple of quotes, and calling it a day.
Instead, it’s a process of questioning your need for information; understanding, searching, and
evaluating your sources; and processing and using information ethically and effectively. All of
this, while a rewarding and enjoyable experience, takes time. As soon as you receive a research
assignment, you should decide how long it will take you to complete it (using these Information
Literacy Modules for help), create a calendar, and stick to it in order to develop a high quality
finished product in time for the due date.

Five Steps to Conducting Good Research

Step 1: Understand the Assignment

Let’s say you’re faced with an opportunity to seek out information. Whether that opportunity is a
formal research paper, an upcoming presentation, an academic journal entry, or simply a chance
to get some background information to help you understand a new concept, it’s important that
you consider what your information needs are before you dive into the vast sea of information
available to you.

The first step toward approaching the research with confidence is to understand the
assignment. Questions you might consider include:
 Is the topic assigned, or do I get to choose my own?
 What does my instructor want me to do with the information I find?  Does the assignment require
me to write, speak, or engage with the information in another way?
 Will I need to report or persuade?
 Are there parameters on the number and kinds of sources I’m expected to use?
 Will I be documenting my research with MLA, APA, Chicago, or some other style of
documentation?

Focusing your information needs, understanding the variety of sources available to you, and
deciding which information will be most useful to you will help you respond to these questions
and make the most of your quest for information.

Guiding Your Research

Think about a research opportunity you have in a class right now (whether a formal assignment or an informal chance to
understanding of a topic), and answer the five bulleted questions above.

Step 2: Choose a Topic

Often, research assignments require or allow you to choose your own topic. There are a
couple of things to keep in mind when doing so:

1. Interest:   If the assignment allows, choose something that genuinely interests you.
You’ll become more engaged in your research. Not only will it be more enjoyable for you,
but also your investment in the project will show, and you’ll turn in better work (more
thoughtful insights).
2. Focus:   Follow the Goldilocks rule, and choose a topic that is “just right” in focus. What
does “just right” look like in the world of research? It depends on the assignment. If your
objective is to write a ten-page research paper, it’s probably not a good idea to choose a
topic like “how to peel a banana.” There’s really not much to say there. On the other
hand, if your objective is to write a one-page opinion paper, tackling a topic like “world
peace” may be an unrealistic goal.

Let’s look at the difference between topics that are too broad, too narrow, and just
right.  The topics in the first column are interesting but way too broad; they’d result in
too much information and a vague research paper. The topics in the second column are
also interesting but way too narrow; they wouldn’t give us enough information to write
about. The topics in the third column are “just right”; they’re focused enough to yield a
manageable amount of reading, which will allow for a research paper with depth of
understanding.

Defining Your Topic

Too Broad Too Narrow Just Right

The kinds of bullets used in the 2008 conflict The influence of the Israeli/Palestinian conflic
World peace
over South Ossetia children

Leadership How to perfect a winning smile The principles of corporate leadership

U. S. Recession of How much a dollar can buy at the grocery The domestic auto industry’s efforts to retool
2008 store desirable fuel efficient vehicles

The details of a recent local arrest for fishing

Illegal fishing The efforts of anti-whaling vigilantes off the co
without a license

Guiding Your Research

Think about the possible research topic you described on the previous page. What would be a “too broad” take
What would be “too narrow”? How could you focus your topic to have just the right scope?

Step 3: Prepare to Research

Which is a more efficient approach to shopping for new running shoes?

1. Walking into a shoe store and asking to try on every pair of men’s, women’s, and
children’s shoes in every size, style, and color
2. Telling the salesperson your size and asking to try on a selection of running shoes that
suit your jogging gait and personal style

Let’s apply this same concept to research. Say there’s a nursing student whose
instructor requires 6-10 sources for a research paper. In order to choose the 6-10
articles that provide the kinds of explanations and statistics he was hoping to use in his
report, which would the student rather do?

1. Sort through 87,431 articles about blood disorders

2. Sort through 23 articles about the rise in autoimmune hemolytic anemia among young
athletes

The answer is obvious in both cases. Just like no one has the time or the need to try on
every pair of shoes in the store, no one has the time or the need to read countless
articles that may or may not be useful for the purposes of the assignment. That’s why
it’s important to know what kind of information you need before you begin looking for it.
Often, when students are presented with an opportunity to seek information through
research, they head straight to the library and begin searching and sifting. While this
might be fun for the first hour or so (or until the caffeine wears off), it’s not a very
efficient way to find the right information for your needs.

That’s why it’s important to decide what information you need before you begin looking
for it. There are several questions you can ask yourself to determine the scope of your
information hunt:

 What do I already know about my subject?

 What specific question(s) do I want my research to answer?
 What are the parameters of my research? Does my instructor want me to use a certain
type or number of sources?
Step 4: Understand the Variety of Information Sources

Who is more likely to have a more thorough understanding of the culinary treasures of
their hometown?

1. The family that eats at the same restaurant week after week
2. The family that tries out a new restaurant each week

Whose money is safer?

1. Someone who invests all of his or her money in one stock

2. Someone who diversifies his or her investment portfolio

The same concepts apply to research. Habits are nice, but often they keep us from
experiencing a wealth of opportunities. The person who uses only one source of
information risks missing out on useful information, while the person who uses a variety
of sources has a better chance to find the information needed. It might feel comfortable
to use Google or whatever else you’re used to every single time you need to find
information, but it also causes you to miss out on information that might be really useful
to you.

Did you know that the MCC library offers all of these sources*?

 Books / digital books

 Subject-specific encyclopedias (for example, Encyclopedia of Stem Cell Research)
 Print newspapers / digital newspapers
 Print magazines / digital magazines
 Print journals / digital journals
 Videos
 DVDs
 Special reports / digital reports
Each one offers you a different information experience. Combining different types of
sources in your research will lead to a well-rounded understanding of your topic as well
as varied support that appeals to your essay’s audience.

Guiding Your Research

What sources are the comfortable ones that you usually turn to first? Which of the source types in the list above
but might have the kind of information you need for your current research paper?

*Would you like to learn how to find each of these types of sources? Visit Module II
“Information Sources“ and Module III “Search Strategies“ , where you’ll learn more
about these sources and how to search for information using all of the resources
available to you through MCC’s Hendrik Meijer Library.

Step 5: Decide Which Information to Use

So, you’ve claimed your territory at the library: a five-foot by three-foot table, which is
now covered with “information” in the form of reference books, academic journals,
magazines, and newspapers, not to mention the online articles and websites housed on
your laptop. What now?

 Skim and Sort: Save time by committing to read only the sources that look like they’ll be
most useful to you.
 Read: Read thoughtfully and actively to gain an understanding of the information your
sources provide.
 Process: Talk or write about what you’ve learned. Try to answer the questions, “What
does it all mean?” and “Have I answered my research question(s) thoroughly with the
information I’ve found?”
 Take Inventory: Decide how confident you felt when explaining what you’ve learned. If
you feel like you need a better understanding or more information, continue researching
and reading.
 Outline: Once you’re confident in the amount and quality of your sources as well as your
understanding of them and their relevance to your research project, create an early plan
for your finished project, including a main idea and supporting points.
 Choose your evidence: Return to your sources to gather the quotes, paraphrases, and
summaries you’ll use as evidence for your supporting points.
 Prepare to take notes: Make a plan for keeping yourself organized as you take notes.
 Document: As you take notes, keep track of the citation and documentation information
for the sources you quote, paraphrase, and summarize. Use the documentation style
required by your specific assignment.
 Take Notes. Use the organizational system you’ve devised to keep track of your notes.
 Organize: Distribute your quotes, paraphrases, and summaries into your outline where
they’ll be most useful.
 Take Inventory: Decide whether the evidence you’ve gathered and organized is
sufficient to serve as evidence for each of your supporting points. If so, prepare to write
or plan your speech! If not, continue researching.
You’ll be reading more about these steps in detail when you get to Module VI
“Preparing to Use Information Effectively”.

Module II – Information Sources

There are many sources and types of information.

 They may be published periodically (a magazine or newspaper) or may be published only

once (a book).
 They come in many types of formats such as in print, in electronic (digital) format, or in
person (an interview).
 They may be very scholarly and academic and appeal to a specific audience or they may
be geared more toward the popular culture.
 They may contain very current information, or give historical or in-depth coverage to a
topic.
 They may be subjective or factual or a mixture of both.
 They may be a primary source (Darwin’s diary) or a secondary source (a book
about Darwin).

Information sources are typically a mixture of the above.

With that in mind, let’s look at the following sources of information and find out the types of
information they may contain.

 Books – Reference/General
 Periodicals – Scholarly/Popular
 Videos and DVDs
 Radio and Television Broadcasts
 Interviews
 Internet/Web Sites

Books – Reference/General
Books are a great way to get a good background or overview on a topic.   So, they are a good
place to start your research.  They may be digital or in print or in both formats.  Since books can
take a lot of time to write and to publish, they are not the best source of very current information.

Reference books are the best starting point for good background information on your research
topic.  These books are usually written by a group of authors with expertise in a particular
subject.  They are very thorough in their coverage of topics.  Articles or chapters from reference
books very often contain a bibliography of sources at the ends of the articles.  Use the sources in
these bibliographies to find additional information on your topic.  Examples of reference books
are Encyclopedia of Capital Punishment in the United States and Historical Statistics of the
United States.  In our library, reference books are not allowed to be checked out so they are
always there for you to use.

General books may be a great source of additional, more detailed information on a topic.  A
majority of the books in an academic library contain scholarly studies.

Guiding Your Research

Think of the topic you have chosen.   Do you need historical or statistical or detailed information on your topic?  What typ
on your topic may be learned from a reference book?

Periodicals
These are published on a “periodical” basis.  They may be issued daily, weekly, monthly or
quarterly.  These are a good source of both current and historical information.

Newspapers are issued daily or weekly.  The articles are generally brief and report on current
events and may contain political, social and economic news.  Newspaper feature writers may
also perform research and generate their own news articles.  Newspapers are a good source for
regional and current information.  The Wall Street Journal and the New York Times are two
of many newspapers that are available in the MCC Library.

Magazines contain articles on topics of popular interest and current events.  You may use them
to find information on a variety of topics.  Time and Newsweek are examples of popular
magazines.  “Trade” magazines cover a specific subject area and are aimed at a specific
audience.  They contain brief reports and condensed stories from the field.  Advertising Age is
an example of a trade magazine.

Scholarly Journals contain extensive research articles.  The articles may have several
authors.  Besides the full research report, the article usually gives an overview of previous
research and a bibliography of references that may be useful for further research.  Before
these articles are published, they are read and accepted by scholars in the field of study.  These
journals are called “refereed”  or “peer-reviewed” or “juried”.  Most of these journals also
contain book reviews  from the field.  Many instructors require their students to use these
scholarly journals in their research papers.  The Journal of Abnormal Psychology and
the Journal of Economic Theory are two of thousands of journals available online through
the MCC Library.

Specialized Reports, Newsletters and Bulletins usually contain brief articles or

condensed reports.  They may be published by nonprofit agencies, educational institutions,
government agencies or commercial sources.

Guiding Your Research

While collecting sources for your research, you will encounter several different types of periodicals. Think about your top
topic be covered in a local newspaper? A popular magazine? A trade magazine? A scholarly journal? A newsletter or bulle

Videos and DVDs

For academic research, the most useful videos and DVDs are the non-fiction productions.  They
contain studies and documentaries such as NOVA Adventures in Science and are published by
PBS, The History Channel, Films for Humanities and other groups.   The MCC Library also has
a few popular motion pictures.

Guiding Your Research

Videos and DVDs may not be relevant for some class projects. Think about your topic and your class project. Could a vide
relevant information? What type of information on your topic may be gained from a video or DVD?

Radio and Television Broadcasts

Radio and television broadcasts may contain relevant information for your topic.  These
broadcasts are similar to newspapers and magazines but with a multimedia format.  They cover
both current and historical events with both brief and in-depth reports.  Many of these broadcasts
may be watched or listened to online.  Some of the sources, such as NPR, are indexed in the
research databases available in the library.

Guiding Your Research

Radio or television broadcasts may not be relevant for some class projects. Think about your topic and your class project.
television broadcast contain relevant information? What type of information on your topic may be gained from a radio o
broadcast?

Interviews
Interviews are a good way to learn about a topic from a personal perspective.  Case studies,
biographical information, and unique, first-hand information may be garnered from
interviews.  When selecting a person to interview, make sure you choose someone with authority
and who will be able provide you with accurate information.
 

Guiding Your Research

Think about your topic and the project’s requirements. Does your instructor allow you to use interviews in your research
information from an authority on your topic? What type of information on your topic may be gained from an interview? 
would the person you interview need to have?

The Internet
What is the Internet?  The beginnings of the Internet occurred in the 1960s when people started
connecting their computers together so they could share information.  By the start of the 1990s a
world wide web of computers had evolved that displayed information on Web pages that were
linked together around a common theme or focus.  Together these common pages formed a Web
site that distributes ideas and information in many languages using a variety of media.

Let’s explore the variety of Internet sources…

 Internet content
 Multimedia Sources and Informational Documents
 Sharing Information and Ideas Using the Internet

 Internet Content
Who controls information found on the Internet?  No one person or company or nation controls
the content on the Internet. It is an open source for facts, fiction, half-truths and lies.  For this
reason, you need to consider this source of information with a skeptical mind, especially if no
one takes credit for it.

 Which of the following references can be found on the Internet?

1. Last night’s sports scores
2. Biblical quote
3. Images of yesterday’s volcano eruption in Hawaii
4. List of foods Lemurs like to eat
5. Video of the 2006 riot in Nuku’alofa Tonga
6. Someone’s opinion on a good stock to purchase
7. Departure times for tomorrow’s trains from London to Edinburgh
8. Definition of bipolar
9. Picture of the individual who invented the computer mouse
10. Map from your house to school
11. Cost of a new laptop computer
12. Someone’s proof that a chicken came before the egg.
13. All the above
Guiding Your Research
What type of information might be found on the Internet on your topic?

Multimedia Sources and Informational

Documents
The Internet is filled with over a billion Web sites. Most use text-based Web pages to present
information which can be supplemented by numbers, charts, audio presentations and videos. All
together these various ways of presenting a page’s content is referred to as multimedia. If you
can read it in a book, magazine or newspaper, hear it on the radio or see it on your television,
you can find it or information about it on the Internet.

Web sites that support the promotion and sales of information, products or services are known as
commercial sites.

Governmental sites (.gov) contain a wealth of trusted information for the

researcher. The U. S. government collects information from many agencies and makes
this information available via the departmental websites. For example, the Center for
Disease Control or the Department of Education websites contain a wealth of statistical
information from their areas.
Educational sites (.edu) often contain faculty research projects and may be a great
source of information from an expert in the field. Most professors have research
interests and many place their research information on their websites.
Nonprofit sites (.org) usually have a mission and may be biased (see Evaluating
Sources).  But, these sites may have useful information on your topic.
Commercial sites (.com) support the promotion and sales of information, products or
services. Information on these sites may be biased toward the commercial product.
Informational sites (.info) give information on topics.
Other ways multimedia is used on the Internet:
 Podcasts: Recorded audio or video clip broadcast over the Internet.
 Webcasts: Internet-based video that can either be live or recorded.

Schools, radio stations, your favorite band and travel destination will all use various types of
multimedia to provide auditory and visual information to you. Businesses use multimedia to train
people stationed all over the world and to sell their products.

Guiding Your Research

Think about your topic. Who might provide information about your topic on the Internet? A business? A non-pro
Would a governmental office have statistics related to your topic?
Sharing Information and Ideas Using the
Internet
We should not overlook the ability of Internet users to instantaneously communicate
with others all over the world. We’re not talking about your cell phone or instant
messaging, although some would say they are part of our worldwide connection of
technology. We are referring to the following connections that are made through Web
pages:
 Email: electronic mail messages.
 Discussion Forums: Messages are posted for open discussion and others post replies.
What both of these applications have in common is that they allow people to
communicate even though they are not on the Internet at the same time.
Which application would best be handled by phone, email or discussion forum?
1. Canceling a dinner date you have for later in the day
2. Telling a teacher that you are sick and will not be in class today
3. Giving your opinion on trickle down economics in your online Government class.
4. Letting friends and family know where you will be going for Spring Break
5. Finding the best and most economical place to stay for Spring Break this year.
6. Wishing your Mother a happy birthday
Guiding Your Research
Think about your topic. Is there a group of people who may have expertise on your subject?

Module III – Search Strategies

It is very important to be able to effectively search for the information you need. 
Many databases contain millions of items or articles.   It is wise to learn how to find exactly what
you need from these databases.

There are some basic search strategies that apply to many different types of resources.  Whether
you are searching for books, or magazines, or Internet documents these basic search strategies
may apply:

1. Use synonyms to broaden your search:  Car, cars, autos, automobiles, vehicles

2. Use root or stem searching. Search for any instance of the root word.  Most
databases use an asterisk to show that any characters are allowed.  For example,
computer* will find computer, computers, computerize, computerization, etc.
3. Use quotes to keep phrases together.  “social networking”
4. Use Boolean operators (AND, OR, NOT)  to get the most out of your search terms.  (car
or cars or automobile) and (fuel or energy) and (hybrid or electric*)
5. Make use of the variety of fields that make up the records.  For example, search in title
field only, or in the subject field only

Use the links below for specific search strategies:

  Searching for Books I / Searching for Books II / Searching for Books
Outside the MCC Library
 Searching for Periodical Articles and Published Reports
 Searching for Videos and DVDs
 Searching for Radio Broadcasts
 Searching for Information on the Internet / Search Engines / Subject
Catalogs

Searching for Books

Books and other materials in the MCC library are arranged using the Library of Congress
Classification system. Most colleges and universities use this system and use a catalog to arrange
and search for the books and other materials in the library.   Books in the MCC library are found
using our online catalog.

 You may search by:

 Title:     To search by title, enter the most unique words of the title. To find the book, I
Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, you may type in: caged bird sings.
 Author:      To search by author, enter the author’s last name and first name in any order.
 Subject:     Searching by subject requires that you use a Library of Congress subject
heading.
 All fields:   Searches for your words anywhere in the record.  This is the best type of
search if you are unsure of the subject heading.
 Series:       This is similar to a Title search but allows you to search for all titles in a
series, such as the “Time-Life Library of Art” series.

 Searching for Books II

To find books on your topic, think about the terms used to describe your topic.  Let’s say that
you want to find some books on the topic “the use of the death penalty and its effectiveness in
deterring crime”.   Think about the terms to describe what it is you are looking for:

Concept 1 Concept 2 Concept 3

Death penalty Crime or criminals Deterrent or Reduction or Reduce

A search for this might look like:

“death penalty” and (crime or crimes or criminals) and (deterrence or reduce or reduction)

A WebCat “search everything” search will locate your terms in the titles, table of contents,
subject fields and other parts of the record.  When constructing your search, think about
synonyms, truncation and Boolean operators.  Notice that we put phrases in parentheses and link
the words together with AND, OR. or NOT.  Also we could use the dollar sign as a “wild card
symbol” to show that any characters after the dollar sign would work:

“death penalty” and (crim$) and (deter$ or reduc$)

The above search will find any books that have the phrase “death penalty” and crime, crimes,
criminal, or criminals, and deterrence, deters, deter, reduce, or reduction or any form of these
words.

When we do the above search, we find that there are some good books on this topic.  We also
find that the proper subject would be “capital punishment” or “punishment in crime
deterrence”.   This is helpful in finding additional books that did not have “death penalty” in the
record.

If you don’t find enough books on your topic, try your search again with fewer concepts:

“death penalty” and crim$

Guiding Your Research

What keywords define your topic? Devise a search with your terms. Use truncation, Boolean logic, and synonyms if appro

Module IV – Evaluating Information

Information Literacy Module IV: Evaluating Information

Now that you’ve learned how to find sources, it’s time to consider how to tell whether those
sources are respectable sources that you’ll want to use. Evaluating your sources and the
information they provide is important. There are some general guidelines that apply to most
sources, and we’ll take a look at them here.

 Trusting Your Sources

 Seeking Quality Information

Print Sources

 Browsing Print Sources

 Evaluating Print Sources

Websites

 Browsing Websites
 Evaluating Websites
Review Game! Characteristics of Quality Sources

rusting Your Sources

Information Literacy Module IV: Evaluating Information

Who or what would you trust more?

 Matchmaker
o A mother who says you simply must meet her son because he’s such a good catch
o A dating service that will make its money only if you are satisfied with the match
 Milk
o A carton of milk that is still two weeks away from its expiration date
o A carton of milk that’s been festering in the back of your fridge for a year and a half
 Salesman
o Someone selling stolen goods out of the back of his car
o Someone selling goods with warrantees in a brick and mortar store
 Testimony
o An investigator who’s collected files of evidence against a defendant
o A plaintiff who has a hunch that the defendant is a bad guy
 Tour Guide
o A tour guide who has lived, worked, and studied in your destination city for years
o A tour guide who’s never actually been to your destination

In the same way that you wouldn’t trust a biased mother, an old jug of milk, a TV with a sketchy
history, lazy testimony, or an unqualified tour guide, you wouldn’t trust a research source that is
biased, outdated, lacking credentials, shallow, or lacking authority.

Guiding Your Research

What types of sources would you consider good sources research for your current project? Which sources do you think y
away from?

Seeking Quality Information

Information Literacy Module IV: Evaluating Information

Choosing your research sources is like choosing a dodge ball team.  Just like you want to know
that your team is going to be quick, agile, smart, and strong in order to help you win the game,
you want to trust that your research sources will be authoritative, accurate, objective, current, and
reliable in order to help you write a well-informed paper.  It is important to ask yourself, “What
is the quality of this information?”  Let’s take a look at each of these qualities:
  Authority:  You wouldn’t ask a carpenter for advice about your teeth or a dentist for advice about
your kitchen cabinets.  The same concept applies to research.  Seek out sources written by experts
in their field, and keep in mind that many sources are specialized for certain subjects or fields.
 Accuracy:   It’s important to be definite (not hesitant) about the points you make in your research
assignment.  That’s why the information in your sources should be explained clearly and
supported with evidence.
 Objectivity:   An objective source states only the facts and does not try to persuade its readers,
push an agenda, or advocate a cause.  A non-objective (or biased) source has an opinion or
agenda.  It may include good information, and it may be a good source of current opinions about
a topic, but you should be careful not to cite its assertions as facts.
 Currency:   Look at your research paper as an addition to the ongoing conversation about your
topic.  Would it make sense to jump into the discussion with old news?  Of course not.  That’s
why it’s important to choose only the most recent sources, particularly if you’re researching a
topic about which new developments are made every day.  Although currency is important, you
shouldn’t rule out older sources entirely; using older sources is fine for getting a background
understanding of your topic or a historical perspective on its development.
 Coverage: How comprehensive is the coverage of the topic?
Guiding Your Research

A great source on evaluation is provided by Cornell University’s library:  Critically Analyzing Information Sources.A
helpful source for web page evaluation is provided by the University of California at Berkeley’s library:  Evaluating Web
Techniques to Apply and Questions to Ask.

 Browsing Printing Sources

Information Literacy Module IV: Evaluating Information

We’ve all heard the rule, “Don’t judge a book by its cover.” It’s a nice concept for avoiding
prejudice, but when it comes to looking for quality sources of information, it’s a rule worth
breaking. When you’re searching for a source using an online catalog or a database, you’ll
encounter some important information about your source long before you have the book in your
hand or the journal article on your screen. This description usually includes the documentation
information for the source and often includes a summary of the work. As you’re browsing your
sources, there are a few elements you’ll want to keep an eye out for:

Author: Who wrote the source? Is it clear what the author’s credentials are? Can you search the
author’s name on the internet to find out anything more about his or her credibility, reputation,
experience, and expertise with your topic?

Date: When was this source published? Since most research assignments will have you adding
something new to the greater conversation about your topic, it’s important to find the most
current research. We’re living in an information age, so there’s no reason to go with stale
research. (Note: This is not to say that all aged works are to be ignored. Depending on your
research topic, a historical perspective may be useful.)
Publication: Which company published the book you’re considering, and what type and
quality of work is it known for publishing? Which journal printed the article you’re eyeing, and
what is its reputation in the field? Was your work put out by a university, a government office, or
another respected outlet?

Summary: Reading a summary of your source may have less to do with quality and more to do
with whether or not the source is a good fit for the answers you’re seeking through research. In
this way, it helps you to evaluate the usefulness of the source.

As you can see, you can tell a lot about the quality of your source before you even read it. Take
the time to consider the publication information and summary of your sources before you
commit to downloading, locating, printing, or reading them. It will save you time in the long run!

Guiding Your Research

Using either WebCat or one of the databases you learned about in Module 3, find the descriptions for two sources: one t
documentation information and its summary (if available), you would feel completely confident using in your research an
based on the information provided, might leave you questioning its quality or usefulness. Explain in a sentence or two wh
makes you trust the first source and doubt the second.

Evaluating Print Sources

Information Literacy Module IV: Evaluating Information

Once a source has passed your first test (a scanning of its documentation information and
summary), it’s time to decide whether the information it provides will indeed be useful to you.
There are a few elements to consider:

Focus and Scope: Scan the major headings of the work. Does it appear that the source
addresses the topic(s) you’re seeking to learn more about, or does it develop in a direction that
won’t be useful to you? Does the source address your topic in sufficient detail, or does it gloss
over the concepts you were hoping to read more about?

Purpose: What is the aim of the source? Does it seek to entertain, inform, or persuade?
Would using information from this source be helpful to your research or would it confuse it? For
example, for some assignments, it might be appropriate to begin a speech or an essay by citing a
story that lightly introduces your audience to your topic, while in other assignments it wouldn’t
work; in addition, while it might be useful to compare the opinions of experts in the field, stating
opinions as facts would lead to biased and possibly inaccurate information. That’s why it’s
important to consider the source’s purpose as well as your purpose in using it.

Audience and Readability: Who do you think is the intended audience for this source? On
one hand, a source may be too simple and elementary (perhaps aimed at younger school
children). On the other, it may assume considerable previous knowledge from its readers and
be full of jargon (perhaps intended for experts in the field). It’s important to find a source that
will be useful to you and your audience.

Guiding Your Research

Evaluate the content of the two sources you just found (the good one and the not-so-good one). Base your evaluation on
we just addressed: focus and scope, purpose, and audience and readability. One sentence for each criterion should be su

Browsing Websites
Information Literacy Module IV: Evaluating Information

While a wealth of high-quality information can be found through MCC’s WebCat catalog and
research databases, searching the Internet can often be useful as well . . . as long as it’s done with
a little suspicion and a discerning eye. (To learn more about using the Internet as a location to
find sources, visit Modules 2 and 3.) If you’ve ever developed a homepage or fiddled with a
wiki, you know it’s easy to be published on the Internet. There are a lot of ridiculous websites
out there, but there are a lot of reputable sites, too. All it takes to find the sources that are right
for your research project is knowing what to look for. Just like you can tell a lot about a print
source by looking at its documentation information, you can get a good feel for a website at a
glance.

The URL: Whether it’s www.sillycindysellssoupspoons.com or

www.yale.edu/academics/research_centers, that clumsy web address can actually tell you a lot
about a website.

 Domain: The domain (the abbreviation that comes after the “dot”) can tell you whether the
website is a government site (.gov), a site supported by an educational institution (.edu), a
nonprofit site (.org), a commercial site (.com), or a personal site (.net). Be careful evaluating a
website based on its domain. After all, there’s no such thing as a good or a bad domain; instead,
domains simply help us to understand the purpose of the site (like a .com site selling a product)
or whether it’s biased (like a .org site supporting a cause).
 Personal names: If you notice a person’s name or the fact that the site is hosted by a provider
like geocities.com, keep in mind that the website is likely a personal site that is not supported by
a reputable institution.

First Impressions: What does the page look like? Is it overly decorated, silly-looking, and
choked with ads, or does it appear to be professionally developed and maintained? While not all
polished pages are guaranteed to be reputable sources of information, the first impression is at
least a way to weed out a definite “No.”

Behind the Curtain: Just as it’s helpful to look at the documentation information for a print
source, considering who and what are behind the information on a website is important, too. The
difference here is that most websites do not hand you a neat package of documentation
information. Instead, you’ll need to do a little investigation.

 Purpose: Can you find a link titled “About Us” or “Our Mission”? These pages are good places
to start when deciding whether the website contains the kind of information you’re looking for
and whether it’s biased.
 Author: A website may name its author outright and even provide the author’s credentials. If all
you find is a name, do a new search to see if you can learn anything about the author’s expertise.
If you can’t find an author name, don’t despair. Websites presented by organizations often take a
united front; the information on the website is that of the organization, not of any one particular
member or writer. If, on the other hand, the missing author name is just one glitch among many,
you may want to reconsider this source.
 Date: Publication dates on websites are just as if not more important than publication dates on
print sources. One of the beauties of the Internet is that it’s an efficient means of providing up-to-
date information, so try to find sources that haven’t been neglected.
Guiding Your Research

Using the search strategies you learned in Module 3, find two websites: one that you would feel completely confident us
research and another that might leave you questioning its quality or usefulness. Explain in a sentence or two what it is th
trust the first source and doubt the second.

Evaluating Websites
Information Literacy Module IV: Evaluating Information

Evaluating the information provided by a website is a lot like evaluating the information
provided by a print source. You’ll want to consider the
source’s focus, scope, purpose, audience and readability. In addition, however, you’ll
want to ask yourself these questions:

 “Is this website as good as if not better than my print sources?”

 “Does it provide something important that I can’t get from any of my print sources?”
 “Do I trust it?”  (Authority, accuracy, objectivity, currency, content)
Guiding Your Research

Evaluate the content of the two websites you just found (the good one and the not-so-good one). Create lists or a chart c
two sources according to three to five of the criteria listed above.

Review Game! Characteristics of Quality

Sources
Information Literacy Module IV: Evaluating Information

What are the characteristics of a quality research source? Test your knowledge with these games.

Play the Games Here

Once you’re confident you understand how to evaluate sources, you can move on to Module V
“Preparing to Use Information Ethically.”

Module V – Preparing to Use Information

Ethically
Information Literacy Module V: Preparing to Use Information Ethically

Okay, so you’ve read the assignment, developed a research question, located sources, read and
evaluated the information, taken notes, and processed what you’ve learned.  So far, so good!  But
now comes the part that many students find intimidating: preparing to use researched
information–both words and ideas–ethically.  In an ever-evolving information environment, even
the most responsible students may have questions about what information they can use and in
what form.  This module will help you to navigate the waters of writing with sources.

Permission to Use Sources

   To Cite or Not to Cite
   Copyright versus Fair Use
   Protected Images
   Personal Communication
Avoiding Plagiarism
    Defining Plagiarism
    Why Avoiding Plagiarism is Smart 
    Defining MLA and APA
    How MLA and APA Can Help You Avoid Plagiarism
    How to Avoid Plagiarism in Writing and Speech
    Two Scenarios: How Using Information Ethically Earns Respect

o Cite or Not to Cite

Information Literacy Module V: Preparing to Use Information Ethically

You may have heard a rumor that you don’t need to cite or document “general knowledge,” but
what is “general knowledge”? If you’re conducting research to learn about a topic, chances are
most of the information you encounter is new to you, so it might be hard to distinguish between
information that needs to be cited and documented and information that is considered “general
knowledge.”
This used to be a matter of accessibility. If the information was something that anyone could find
easily in any number of sources, then it was considered “general knowledge” and did not need
to be cited. However, in the age of the internet, information is at our finger tips, so it’s no longer
a question of accessibility. Instead, it’s an issue of how basic or widely understood the
information is.

Which of the following pieces of information do you think are common knowledge, and which
do you think would need to be cited? State your reasoning for each one.

 The fact that drunk driving is a major cause of auto fatalities

 The exact number of people who died in drunk-driving accidents between 2006 and 2008
 The idea that President Obama was a community organizer before he became a senator
 A dollar amount representing President Obama’s financial impact on Chicago’s south side

You get the idea! If a piece of information is specific (like a number), if it’s debatable, or if
you’ve found it in only one of your sources, be sure to cite. If it’s general information that
several sources agree upon, there’s no need to cite. When in doubt, it can’t hurt to give credit to
your source. Imagine the author of the source is watching you use the information you learned
from his or her source. Would they be pleased with your use of their information? It’s better to
overdo it on the citations than it is to appear dishonest.

Guiding Your Research

 List two pieces of information that you learned through your research: one that needs to be cited and one that does not

Copyright versus Fair Use

Information Literacy Module V: Preparing to Use Information Ethically

“Copyright” is another term that you may have heard and that might make you a little nervous.
Many students aren’t sure what it is, and it can be an off-putting concept at the start of a research
project. The 1976 Copyright Law was designed to protect the authors of published and
unpublished intellectual works. It gives the owner of a work the exclusive right to reproduce,
distribute, perform, display, and derive new works from the original. “Fair Use” policies,
however, allow exceptions to copyright protections for the use of materials in non-profit
educational contexts like criticism and research.

But what on earth has all of this to do with you and your research project? Unless you plan to
perform someone else’s work or reproduce it for the purpose of criticism or analysis, not much
(and even in those cases your rights to use the materials in such ways are protected). It’s more
likely that you’ll be gathering information from a number of sources and using it (in the form of
quotations, summaries, or paraphrases) as evidence in your own speech or writing. In this case,
the basic rules of avoiding plagiarism by citing and documenting apply.

Guiding Your Research

 For more information about copyright, visit the website of the United States Copyright
Office http://www.copyright.gov/circs/circ1.pdf where you’ll also find that the Library of Congress provides a fun vi
to copyright law called “Taking the Mystery Out of Copyright”: http://www.loc.gov/teachers/copyrightmystery/#. 
copyright websites listed above and share with your instructor one fact about copyright that you find interesting and tha
be applicable to your current or future educational use of information. Remember to cite and document the website as y

Protected Images
Information Literacy Module V: Preparing to Use Information Ethically

So far, we’ve been dealing in words and ideas, but what about using a source’s chart, graph, or
picture?

Copyright protects authorship of words as well as images, including charts, graphs, and pictures,
and although “Fair Use” allows you permission to use someone else’s image, there is a certain
amount of gray area concerning this subject. Do you remember the hubbub over street artist
Shepard Fairey’s image of then-candidate Barack Obama? Fairey created the image by
artistically enhancing a photo of Obama taken by an Associated Press photographer. The AP
claims it owns the rights to the photo, but Fairey claims that fair use policies protect his use of
the image. The result of this debate has been a legal tangle lasting months and possibly even
years. This example proves to remind us that it’s important to determine whether using another
source’s image in our work is acceptable, but perhaps more importantly we should question
whether this sort of borrowing is even helpful in all cases. Let’s take a look . . .

Pictures in Essays: Most formatting styles (like MLA and APA) favor simple design; in
documents like these, artwork on the cover page or within the essay itself may be considered
cutesy, gratuitous, or an attempt to divert attention away from the writing. After all, the focus of
an essay should be on the ideas, not on aesthetics. If you feel a picture is necessary in
communicating your point, present your case to your instructor and ask for his or her okay before
using it.

Charts or Graphs in Essays: Sometimes numbers can be more easily described in a chart or

a graph than in words. But remember, your ideas – the conclusions you come to as a result of the
learning you do through research – are most important in your essay. Sometimes, copying a chart
or a graph from a source (even when you cite it and document it correctly) is a sign that your
research is taking over your essay and drowning you out. A good question to ask is, “Is this chart
or graph important enough to my paper that its relevance will overshadow the distraction it will
cause?” If not, try summarizing the overall point you’d like to make about the numbers presented
in your source’s graph or chart. Your readers can always use your works cited page or
bibliography to find the source and see the original graph or chart.
Charts, Graphs, and Images in Presentations: If you’re giving a presentation and you
plan to use PowerPoint or some other visual aid, a good chart, graph, or image might be pretty
useful! Be sure to give credit to the source of each image, though. If all you need is a picture to
illustrate a point, you might also consider the stock images available through clip art.

Guiding Your Research

Consider your own research assignment. Can you imagine how a picture, a graph, or a chart may be useful in your finishe
Would you prefer to use your own image, or one you find in your research? In what way will use of this image add to or d
main idea of your paper? Explore these ideas in a brief journal (five to seven sentences), and share them with your instru

Personal Communication
Information Literacy Module V: Preparing to Use Information Ethically

Personal communications are valuable but non-traditional research sources. Many students may
wonder whether they need to give credit for interviews and emails. The fact is that not only do
you need to give credit to this type of source, but doing so will strengthen the point you’re
supporting with the evidence you gathered through this personal communication. After all, you
sought out someone who is an expert (whether through personal or professional experience) in
the subject you’re researching. Giving credit to this kind of source will lend credibility to your
writing or speaking.

Guiding Your Research

 Give an example of a valuable source you might be able to contact through personal communication.  What is his or her
topic? How would you introduce this source to your audience as someone they should believe and trust?

 Defining Plagiarism
Information Literacy Module V: Preparing to Use Information Ethically

According to the Muskegon Community College Student Handbook, plagiarism is “the use of
another’s words or ideas without permission or acknowledgment,” but what does this mean to
your research project? “Permission” refers to copyright protection, which we’ll discuss later in
this module. “Acknowledgment” refers to citation and documentation guidelines required by
your field of study or by your specific instructor. Common styles include Modern Language
Association (MLA), American Psychological Association (APA), and Chicago. Failure to cite
and document researched information is considered plagiarism, and can range from blatant
dishonesty, like downloading an essay and turning it in as your own, to carelessness, like
summarizing information from a source and failing to cite it.
Guiding Your Research

Share your experience with the concept of plagiarism. Have you heard of it? What do you know about it? Give an exampl
someone might plagiarize when trying to complete the research assignment you’re working on now.

Why Avoiding Plagiarism is Smart

Information Literacy Module V: Preparing to Use Information Ethically

If the point of research is to pursue the answer to a research question by seeking information,
reading sources, and coming to a conclusion of your own, the last thing you want to do is let
someone else speak for you. If that’s not enough, consider the fact that plagiarism is academic
dishonesty and can lead to failing grades and even removal from a course. In its “Academic
Integrity Policy,” MCC warns that plagiarism “may result in sanctions of [sic] up to and
including suspension or expulsion from MCC.”

Guiding Your Research

Have you ever heard of anyone who was caught plagiarizing? What were the consequences? What do you think the cons
plagiarism should be? Ask your instructor what the consequences of plagiarizing are in his or her class.

Defining MLA and APA

Information Literacy Module V: Preparing to Use Information Ethically

Documentation styles such as MLA and APA prescribe guidelines for citing and documenting
the sources of our information. Citation and documentation work together. When we cite, we
give credit to our source right when we introduce its information into our speech or writing.
Because we want to stay focused on our topic, this is usually a brief reference, so we use
documentation to provide a more thorough description of the source. As you can imagine, things
might get a little bit messy if we each had to come up with our own sensible system of citation
and documentation. That’s why the Modern Language Association (MLA), the American
Psychological Association (APA), and other professional organizations have kindly provided
guidelines for us to follow. Now, as long as we know which style a writer or a speaker is using,
we can all understand each other and feel confident knowing that we’re following the same rules
for citing and documenting our sources responsibly.

There are several styles of documentation, and depending on your discipline and your
instructors’ preferences, you may be required to use more than one of these during your time as a
student. Before you begin your research project, find out what’s expected of you by asking your
instructor or consulting your assignment or course syllabus. Test Your Understanding

 
Guiding Your Research

What style of documentation are you required to use for the research project you’re working on now? Which reference g
using to help you follow the guidelines of this style? (Example: Diana Hacker’s A Pocket Style Manual)

For helpful hints about note-taking, visit Module VI “Preparing to Use Information

Effectively.”

How to Avoid Plagiarism in Writing and in

Speech
Information Literacy Module V: Preparing to Use Information Ethically

Avoiding plagiarism and, in fact, any efforts to use researched information ethically, are really
more about earning respect than staying out of trouble. Let’s begin by considering the fact that
many students have two major misconceptions about research: that turning to a source to seek
further information about a topic is a sign of weakness and that using research requires
sneakiness, like they’re trying to pull a fast one on their instructors. Because of these
misconceptions, students try to draw as little attention to their research as possible and end up
plagiarizing.

The truth is that research is neither shameful nor shady. (Just make sure it’s okay with your
instructor that you consult outside sources. Sometimes, like when you’re interpreting literature,
your instructor would rather you think for yourself without the help of the experts.) In general,
however, research strengthens your understanding of a topic and leads to better class
participation and writing. Instructors respect your efforts to learn, so there’s no need to sneak
that valuable research into your essay and pass it off as your own. Instead, be overt about the
fact that you went above and beyond the contents of the course to seek out relevant information
that applies to the topic you’re studying or writing about. Using researched evidence to support
your ideas strengthens your writing, speaking, and class discussions, as long as you’re up front
about it.

Let’s look at two scenarios to see how this works. . .

Two scenarios: how using information

ethically earns respect
Information Literacy Module V: Preparing to Use Information Ethically

One student contributes to a class discussion by throwing out statistics and facts that none of his
classmates remember seeing in the book. He never mentions a source, but continues stating facts
and claiming to know everything about the discussion topic. While he’s talking, his classmates
think, “Who’s this guy think he is? Is his information even correct? Maybe he’s making it all
up.” Later, his classmates see photocopies of articles about the discussion topic fall out of his
backpack. Now they think, “What a boob. He was pretending to be soooo smart, but the whole
time he was just using information he read in an article. He wasn’t fooling us.”

Another student in a different class adds to a similar discussion and also uses statistics and facts
to support his points, but he doesn’t pretend to know everything. Instead, he says, “I was reading
this article by Dr. Sandra Jones, a behavioral psychologist who researches this topic for a living.
It really helped me to get a better understanding of it. One thing that struck me as most
interesting was that . . .” and so on. His classmates think, “Wow! He’s a really smart guy! He
went out and found some research to help him understand the topic. I bet he knows a lot more
about it than I do now. Good thinking!”

Guiding Your Research

Part 1: Which student do you think will get more respect from his classmates and instructor? Why?

Part 2: How might this same concept apply to delivering formal presentations and writing research papers?

Module VI – Preparing to Use Information

Effectively
Information Literacy Module VI: Preparing to Use Information Effectively

In Module 1: Understanding Information Literacy, you briefly previewed the process of

choosing, reading, processing, taking notes about, and organizing information. Now that you’ve
learned how to locate sources, we’ll look at this process in more detail to prepare you for your
own effective use of information.

 Processing Information

 Skim and sort

 Read
 Process What You’ve Read
 Take Inventory of Your Understanding
Preparing to Gather the Information You Want
 Mark Your Territory with an Outline/Storyboard
 Include these Elements in your Outline/Storyboard
 Look for Useful Evidence
 Prepare to Take Notes
 Use Documentation in Your Notes
 Take Notes Using Summary, Paraphrase, and Quotation
Organizing Information
 Use your Outline to Organize Your Research Notes
 Take Inventory of your Evidence
Writing or Presenting Your Findings

 Processing Information
So, you’ve claimed your territory at the library: a five-foot by four-foot table, which is now
covered with information in the form of reference books, academic journals, magazines, and
newspapers, not to mention the online articles and websites housed on your laptop. What now?
Read on . . .

Skim and Sort

Information Literacy Module VI: Preparing to Use Information Effectively

The first step in processing the information you’ve gathered is to decide which of those sources
are worth keeping for close reading and which sources just aren’t what you’re looking for. The
best way to do this is to create three piles.

Pile 1: Yes! These sources definitely answer my research question.

Pile 2: Maybe. These sources aren’t exactly what I was looking for, but they might help me
develop a better background understanding of the topic.
Pile 3: No Thanks: These sources are not what I hoped they’d be. Either they’re off-topic, laden
with jargon, or full of information I already know, so I’m going to put them back where I found
them.

Guiding Your Research

Conduct your own skim and sort exercise with the sources you’ve found! Keep three lists (one for each pile). Next to the
source, briefly (in one sentence) describe why you decided to list it as a yes, a maybe, or a no.

Helpful Hint: How do you know which sources are good sources of information? Visit Module
IV “Evaluating Information” to find out! 

Read
Information Literacy Module VI: Preparing to Use Information Effectively

Reading sounds like a simple task, but it’s important that you get the most out of your research
reading. Skimming is fine when you’re trying to figure out whether a source has the type of
information you’re looking for, but once you’re ready to learn from a source, it’s time to slow
down and read to understand. To do so, try something called “active reading”: have a
conversation with the information. What strikes you as interesting or new? What surprises you?
What do you doubt? What questions does this new information lead you to ask?
Time-saving tip: As you read, make note of page and paragraph numbers of especially
intriguing information; if you’re using your own personal copy of a source (like a printout or
photocopy), highlight or put a star by these passages so they’re easy to find. Don’t stop now to
take notes; wait until after you’ve read the entire source carefully. You can go back later and
decide which passages are truly going to be useful to you.
The more you engage with the information, the better you’ll understand it, the closer it will lead
you to more valuable information, and the better you’ll be able to use it with authority and
confidence.

Guiding Your Research

Now it’s time to do your own active reading! To get into the groove of having a conversation with the information, record
questions, comments, and observations you make while reading your first source. Write them out or use a voice recorde
your experience with your instructor.

 Process What You’ve Read

Information Literacy Module VI: Preparing to Use Information Effectively

Take your sources and set them aside where you can’t see them. Really? Really! After finding,
evaluating, reading, and having imaginary conversations with your information, you should be
ready for the exciting step of processing what you’ve learned.

Find a willing listener. It doesn’t have to be someone in the class who understands the
assignment, but it should be someone capable of understanding your topic and asking good
questions (no goldfish or pre-schoolers). Tell your listener a little bit about the assignment, and
then begin talking about your topic. (Encourage your listener to interject with questions
whenever he or she wants clarification.) Start easily by explaining why you chose the topic, what
you knew about it to begin with, and what your research question was. Then, get into some new
territory. Explain what you’ve learned through research. What is your favorite source, and why?
What surprises you most about what you’ve learned? What prior knowledge has been confirmed
by your research? Most importantly, and this may take some “Ummms” and “Hmmms,” what do
you think it all means? In other words, what is the answer to your research question? As you
look toward your research assignment – whether it’s a research paper, a presentation, or
something else – what do you think your point will be?

Alone? No problem! Hold your side of the conversation in writing. An informal free-write
exploring everything you’ve learned so far can be just as helpful. Answer your research question
to the best of your ability using the information you’ve learned through your research. Try
pretending that you’re explaining the concepts to someone new to the subject. Don’t worry about
writing well; instead, use this as a thinking-on-paper exercise.

Whether you explain your topic out loud or on paper, you’ll find that you feel more confident in
your understanding of it after this exercise. Hopefully, you’ll even have come to some important
conclusions in response to your research question and be ready to begin shaping the final product
of your research assignment.

Guiding Your Research

Have this conversation (either with a willing listener or on paper), and share your conclusions with your instructor. If your conversation w
submit a recording of the conversation or a list of bullet points highlighting your favorite conclusions.

ake Inventory of Your Understanding

Information Literacy Module VI: Preparing to Use Information Effectively

Did you feel confident and knowledgeable as you explained your topic? If not, begin searching
for new sources to fill the holes in your understanding. Since you know where the holes are,
you’ll be able to used more refined search terms to identify just the right sources for your needs.

Continue the research process up to this point until you feel confident that you understand your
topic sufficiently and can answer your research questions with confidence.

Guiding Your Research

Read the following descriptions, and decide which one best describes your level of confidence:

Level 1: I have no idea what I’m talking about. I have a handful of sources, but many of them seem off topic. I c
though, because I haven’t read any of them very carefully yet. I’d better read what I have and then regroup to fin
better sources.

Level 2: I think the sources I have are good, but I don’t have enough of them to meet the requirements of the ass
need to read my sources more carefully in order to get a better understanding of my topic.

Level 3: I’m really learning a lot about my topic; however, I was pretty uncomfortable when my listener asked m
have to admit that there are still some holes in my understanding. I’d better do a little more research and reading

Level 4: I know a lot about my topic, but I’m having a hard time pulling all of my information together and com
conclusion about it. Maybe I should spend some more time rereading and thinking about the information I have.

Level 5: Wow! I nailed that! I know enough about my topic to discuss it confidently, I’ve come to a solid conclu
to my research question, and I’m able to support it with what I learned in my research.

If you gave yourself anything less than a five, keep working!

Preparing to Gather the Information You
Want
Information Literacy Module VI: Preparing to Use Information Effectively

The result of reading and processing information should be that you have now come to a
conclusion in response to your research question. Most likely, you’re preparing to write a paper
or deliver a presentation in defense of this conclusion. The next logical step, then, is to figure out
how you’re going to combine your understanding of the issue with evidence from your research
sources to develop that finished product. Now is not the time to go willy-nilly, grabbing quotes
and stringing them along. If you do that, you’ll end up with an incoherent mess. Instead, what
you want to do now is maintain control of your project and take useful notes. The best thing
about this deliberate approach is that it will save you time.

Mark Your Territory with an

Outline/Storyboard
Information Literacy Module VI: Preparing to Use Information Effectively

Now is the time for a plan: an outline if you’re writing a paper or a storyboard if you’re
preparing a speech. Why? There are two ideas at work here. First of all, you want to plan a solid
structure for your research project so that it’s unified and makes sense. Second, you want to
“own” your project from the start.

Think about it this way: Have you ever seen an organized fight? Whether it was a mixed martial
arts fight or a couple of yellow-tailed floopies fighting over territory or a mate, the intro is always
the same. The two fighters strut around, grimace, puff up their chests, and basically assert their
toughness before the fight even begins, right? Well, you’ll be doing the same thing here. You
and your researched evidence will be fighting for territory in your final product (paper or
speech). An outline or a storyboard can help you control that fight.
Students often make the mistake of gathering way too many notes, grouping them into piles of
information about related sub-topic, and stringing them all together into a paper or a speech
without a clear sense of purpose and without playing an active roll in the project. Your
researched evidence is important, but its purpose is to back you up, not to drown you out. By
preparing an outline/storyboard that contains your main idea and your supporting points, you’ll
claim your research project as your own before you even begin to gather research notes.

 
Guiding Your Research

How has organization helped (or the lack of organization hurt) you in previous research experiences? How do yo
an outline/storyboard at this stage will be useful to you?

Include these Elements in Your

Outline/Storyboard
Information Literacy Module VI: Preparing to Use Information Effectively

Main Idea: Whether you’re planning a paper, a presentation, or something else, your project
should have a point. State this main idea in one sentence (which will be your thesis statement if
you’re writing a paper).

Supporting points: Now that you know your main idea, it’s time to prove it. What is the reasoning
behind your main idea? State each supporting point in its own sentence. (Each one of these
may act as a topic sentence if you’re writing a paper.)

 Look for Useful Evidence

Information Literacy Module VI: Preparing to Use Information Effectively

Now that your research project has a clear purpose and direction, it’s time to begin gathering
research evidence that will help you to support your main idea and supporting points. What kind
of evidence will you need? Generally, there are three types of valuable evidence:

Expert opinion: You’re a student who is probably pretty new to your topic, so your audience will
buy your main idea only insofar as it is well-reasoned and well-supported. One way to lend
authority to your point is to include expert opinion.
Examples: Audiences also respond well to examples that illustrate your point. We like stories
because we connect with them and they lend a human element to your research.
Facts and statistics: Finally, many in your audience will read or hear your main idea and think,
“Yeah? Prove it!” Sometimes, the most efficient way to prove a point is to provide calculable
evidence: cold, hard facts and statistics.

Guiding Your Research

Consider your own research topic. For each type of evidence, write one good sentence explaining how this type
will be useful in communicating your particular information to your audience effectively.
Prepare to Take Notes
Information Literacy Module VI: Preparing to Use Information Effectively

Now that you know what you’re looking for, develop a system of note-taking that will keep you
and your researched evidence organized. Being organized now will save you from being
agonized later when you have to go back and relocate all of your sources in order to cite and
document them properly.

 If you plan to take notes by hand, decide whether you want to use note cards, a notebook, or
loose leaf paper. If you feel more comfortable with a computer, decide whether you want to use
a note-taking program like Zotero or develop your own system. Each option has its benefits and
detriments.

Note cards are great for sorting, but they require some sort of color-coding or numbering system
for keeping track of which notes come from which source.

Notebooks and loose leaf paper are great for keeping track of where your information comes
from (particularly if you dedicate one page or one section of pages to each source), but they’re
difficult to sort without bringing out the scissors.

Many students prefer taking notes electronically by using word-processing documents or a

service like Zotero; both of these options are great for sorting and keeping track of where your
information comes from, and they also save you the step of typing your hand-written notes into a
more formal word-processed finished product.

If your outline or storyboard is saved as a word-processed file, you can even organize your notes
according to where they’ll fit into your finished product as you take them. Just make sure the
citation and documentation information follows each piece of information.

Guiding Your Research

How will you keep track of which notes come from which source? Decide on a system now, and stick to it!

 Use Documentation in Your Notes

Information Literacy Module VI: Preparing to Use Information Effectively

As you prepare to take notes, keep in mind that you’ll need to record the publication information
for each source before you take any notes from it. Follow the works cited or bibliography
instructions for whatever documentation style your instructor requires: MLA, APA, or another
style. Then, as you take notes, keep track of the page or paragraph number on which you find
each piece of information. When it comes time to write your paper or deliver your presentation,
you’ll need to be able to cite where each piece of information came from, so although it may
seem like a hassle, skipping this step now, but skimping now will only create more work for
yourself later.

Guiding Your Research

Which documentation style does your instructor want you to use? If you don’t know, find out before you begin reading and taking notes!

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