Information Literacy Commons^™

Primary, Secondary, And Tertiary Sources, Jim Alderman

Beginning Library & Information Systems Strategies

Help identifying source materials for academic research.

Search Strategies: Internet Vs. Library Databases, Jim Alderman

Beginning Library & Information Systems Strategies

Help understanding and constructing internet and library searches for more successful academic research.

What Is A Reference Collection?, Jim Alderman

Beginning Library & Information Systems Strategies

Help understanding a library's reference collection.

Peer Review, Jim Alderman

Beginning Library & Information Systems Strategies

Help understanding peer review for successful academic research.

The Library's Catalog: From Cards To Databases, Jim Alderman

Beginning Library & Information Systems Strategies

Overview of the library's catalog and how to search it.

Information: What Is It? How Is It Organized?, Jim Alderman

Beginning Library & Information Systems Strategies

Overview of information in regards to academic research.

Government Documents, Jim Alderman

Beginning Library & Information Systems Strategies

Information about government documents as potential research sources.

Evaluating Books & Other Lengthy Sources, Jim Alderman

Beginning Library & Information Systems Strategies

Help identifying characteristics/qualities to examine when evaluating books and longer sources for inclusion in an academic paper

Discovery Tool, Jim Alderman

Beginning Library & Information Systems Strategies

Information on library discovery tools.

Developing A Research Vocabulary, Jim Alderman

Beginning Library & Information Systems Strategies

Help finding terminology that will aid in the discovery of relevant research materials.

Creating An Annotated Bibliography, Jim Alderman

Beginning Library & Information Systems Strategies

Help understanding the annotated bibliography and how to create one.

Conducting A Literature Review, Jim Alderman

Beginning Library & Information Systems Strategies

The literature review is an integral part of any research project and is undertaken as a means of surveying what research has been conducted previously on a particular topic. There are many reasons for conducting a literature review, but one of the primary reasons is to establish a base line of what is already known on a topic before exploring the topic any further. The review typically involves a search of any previously published or presented materials that might have relevance to a prospective new study.

Choosing A Research Topic, Jim Alderman

Beginning Library & Information Systems Strategies

One of the most difficult things about doing research is finding a good topic. Finding an area of interest is usually no problem, but discovering a specific topic within that area can be challenging or even frustrating. The following discussion should help you to select an appropriate research topic.

Boolean Logic/Boolean Searching, Jim Alderman

Beginning Library & Information Systems Strategies

Help using Boolean operators for a successful online or database search.

Books: Their Role In Research, Jim Alderman

Beginning Library & Information Systems Strategies

Help evaluating books as resources in an academic research project.

Parts Of The Book, Jim Alderman

Beginning Library & Information Systems Strategies

Information to help recognize the different parts of a research or academic book.

Bibliographic Styles: A Brief Guide, Jim Alderman

Beginning Library & Information Systems Strategies

Documentation of sources is a critical part of preparing a research project. A responsible researcher will provide his or her readers with a list of all sources referenced in the project and will provide in‐text documentation of all ideas that are not original. Following are some general guidelines for what types of information to record as you use sources in a project.

Article Types: Choosing What Is Best, Jim Alderman

Beginning Library & Information Systems Strategies

Help recognizing different types of articles and choosing what type of article is best for different academic research projects.

Embracing Into: Library Plans And Campus Collaboration To Serve An Increased International Student Population, Shannon L. Farrell, Catherine L. Cranston, Jeffrey Bullington

Collaborative Librarianship

Universities are using private recruitment agencies to fast-track internationalization initiatives and realize tuition-based revenue increases. Colorado State University (CSU), with this dual aim of increasing the proportion of international students on campus and generating income via out-of-state tuition, signed a contract with INTO, a British organization that works to recruit international students to attend partner institutions from countries across five continents. International students, although not a homogenous population, as a whole do bring unique challenges. Our study examined how both campus and the library could prepare for the expected large influx of international students. Seeking to understand the INTO model …

Whose Job Is It Anyway?, Lori Ayre

Collaborative Librarianship

No abstract provided.

Review Of “Can Library Use Enhance Intercultural Education?”, Jimena Sagàs

Collaborative Librarianship

No abstract provided.

Information Literacy Opportunities Within The Discovery Tool Environment, Nancy E. Fawley, Nikki Krysak

Library Faculty Research

Discovery tools such as Primo, EBSCO Discovery Service, Summon, and WorldCat Local aim to make scholarly research more intuitive for students in part because of their single interface for searching across multiple platforms, including the library, fee-based databases, and unique digital collections. Discovery tools are in sync with the way many undergraduates look for information because they offer a more “Google-like” experience in contrast with previous methods of research that required first knowing which database to use, then searching each one differently according to its specifications. However, broad searches across multiple formats with different systems of controlled vocabulary force instructors …

Collection Of Online Learning Objects For Research Success (Colors) Pilot Project, Andrea Falcone, Stephanie Wiegand

University Libraries Publications

The availability of library-related videos is growing; yet it is difficult to justify the impact of such time-consuming projects. In order to investigate the impact of such projects and a possible solution, the researchers asked students to create videos that appeal to their peers. The following research questions were posed:

• Will creation of media projects enable students to learn core research concepts and skills?
• Will a series of peer-created media engage students and help them acclimate to researching in an academic library?

By asking students to create videos, the researchers were able to observe how users interact with and perceive …

You Say You Want An E-Revolution?: Helping Our Patrons Benefit From Developments In Personal Technology, Beau Steenken

Law Faculty Popular Media

In this article, the author provides advice on how libraries and patrons can adapt to changes in technology and the prevalence of personal tech devices.

The Golden Ratio And Community, Lori Bowen Ayre

Collaborative Librarianship

No abstract provided.

Collaborative Fundraising, Nicole C. Engard

Collaborative Librarianship

No abstract provided.

Consortia Building Among Libraries In Africa, And The Nigerian Experience, Ngozi Blessing Ossai

Collaborative Librarianship

This study focuses on consortia building among libraries in Africa, with special attention given to Nigeria. It covers the various forms of library consortia: formal and informal as well as cooperative interchanges, including partnerships for resource sharing. Affirming the aim of consortia building as strengthening libraries and library services, the study considers the problems and prospects that are associated with consortia building in Africa and proposes a way forward. It concludes with an affirmation of the need to embrace consortia building among libraries in Africa and an emphasis on the key role ICT (Information and Communication Technologies) plays in consortia …

Collaborative Research, Nicole C. Engard

Collaborative Librarianship

Research is one of those things that can be done well either in a group or solo. For me, I always work better in a group, sharing resources, picking colleagues' brains, coming up with new ways to look at something I’ve reviewed a hundred times before. In some fields collaborative research is a must.

Review Of Libraries Got Game: Aligned Learning Through Modern Board Games, Christine Baker

Collaborative Librarianship

A review of:

Mayer, B., & Harris, C. (2009). Libraries Got Game: Aligned Learning through Modern Board Games. ALA Editions.

Student Affairs Connection: Promoting The Library Through Co-Curricular Activities, Kathryn M. Crowe

Collaborative Librarianship

Librarians at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG) University Libraries developed the “Student Affairs Connection” program in order to market the Libraries to students in co-curricular settings and to collaborate more closely with the Student Affairs Division. The program also provides the opportunity to seek student input on Libraries’ services and resources and to communicate directly with them in a variety of ways. The program has multiple facets: a liaison program where librarians are assigned to specific student organizations and services such as Student Government and Residence Life, a Student Libraries Advisory Council (SLAC) representing diverse groups of …