Information Literacy Learn to find and critically evaluate information sources. Increase your information literacy skills, to more effectively search, select, and evaluate sources. Learn to find and critically evaluate information sources. Increase your information literacy skills, to more effectively search, select, and evaluate sources.

Identify a variety of information sources Identify characteristics of information on the web Identify characteristics of library resources

Types of Sources Information can come from virtually anywhere. The type of information you will need changes depending on the question you are trying to answer.

Magazines

 Magazines publish articles on topics of popular interest and current events. The articles are written by journalists and are for the general public.  Magazines, like journals and newspapers, are called "periodicals" because they are published at regular intervals throughout the year. You can find print magazines at newsstands and in libraries. Some are available on the Web as electronic magazines.  Magazines publish articles on topics of popular interest and current events. The articles are written by journalists and are for the general public.  Magazines, like journals and newspapers, are called "periodicals" because they are published at regular intervals throughout the year. You can find print magazines at newsstands and in libraries. Some are available on the Web as electronic magazines.

Magazines Use a Magazine  to find information or opinions about popular culture  to find up-to-date information about current events  to find general articles written for people who are not necessarily specialists in the topic area Examples of Magazines  U.S. News and World Report  Wired  Time  Newsweek  Discover Use a Magazine  to find information or opinions about popular culture  to find up-to-date information about current events  to find general articles written for people who are not necessarily specialists in the topic area Examples of Magazines  U.S. News and World Report  Wired  Time  Newsweek  Discover

Magazines DatabasesDatabases With Magazine Articles  EBSCOhost Academic Search Elite EBSCOhost Academic Search Elite  ProQuest Diversity Databases ProQuest Diversity Databases  All EBSCOhost Databases All EBSCOhost Databases  Find Articles Find Articles DatabasesDatabases With Magazine Articles  EBSCOhost Academic Search Elite EBSCOhost Academic Search Elite  ProQuest Diversity Databases ProQuest Diversity Databases  All EBSCOhost Databases All EBSCOhost Databases  Find Articles Find Articles

Journals

 Journal articles are written by scholars in an academic or professional field. An editorial board reviews articles to decide whether they should be published (This process is often called peer- review ). Journal articles may cover very specific topics or narrow fields of research.  Since journals are published at periodic intervals, they are grouped in the category called "periodicals." They may be in print format or on the Web as electronic journals. Your library purchases subscriptions to most journals through library subscription databases.  Journal articles are written by scholars in an academic or professional field. An editorial board reviews articles to decide whether they should be published (This process is often called peer- review ). Journal articles may cover very specific topics or narrow fields of research.  Since journals are published at periodic intervals, they are grouped in the category called "periodicals." They may be in print format or on the Web as electronic journals. Your library purchases subscriptions to most journals through library subscription databases.

Journals Use a Journal When doing scholarly research To find out what has been studied on your topic To find bibliographies that point to other relevant research Examples of Journals 1.Journal of Broadcasting and Electronic Media 2.Omega: A journal of Death and Dying 3.Psychology of Women Quarterly 4.AJN: American Journal of Nursing

Journals DatabasesDatabases With Journal Articles Journal articles can be found in databases such as:  EBSCOhost Academic Search Elite EBSCOhost Academic Search Elite  Project MUSE (all are journals in this database) Project MUSE  ProQuest Diversity Databases ProQuest Diversity Databases  Public WWW Sites Selected by Librarians Public WWW Sites Selected by Librarians  EBSCOhost Health Databases EBSCOhost Health Databases  PubMed Central PubMed Central DatabasesDatabases With Journal Articles Journal articles can be found in databases such as:  EBSCOhost Academic Search Elite EBSCOhost Academic Search Elite  Project MUSE (all are journals in this database) Project MUSE  ProQuest Diversity Databases ProQuest Diversity Databases  Public WWW Sites Selected by Librarians Public WWW Sites Selected by Librarians  EBSCOhost Health Databases EBSCOhost Health Databases  PubMed Central PubMed Central

Newspapers

Books

Use a Book  when looking for a lot of information on a topic  to put your topic in context with other important issues  to find historical information  to find summaries of research to support an argument Examples Waltman, Jerold L. The Case for the Living Wage, Keyes, Cheryl Lynette. Rap Music and Street Consciousness, Use a Book  when looking for a lot of information on a topic  to put your topic in context with other important issues  to find historical information  to find summaries of research to support an argument Examples Waltman, Jerold L. The Case for the Living Wage, Keyes, Cheryl Lynette. Rap Music and Street Consciousness, 2004.

Books Databases With Books The Library CatalogThe Library Catalog will find books in our physical collection, but the book's text will NOT be available online. The On-Line Books Page The On-Line Books Page will lead you to e-books, but most of them are dated from 1920 and before. Databases With Books The Library CatalogThe Library Catalog will find books in our physical collection, but the book's text will NOT be available online. The On-Line Books Page The On-Line Books Page will lead you to e-books, but most of them are dated from 1920 and before.

The Library Catalog

The Library Catalog identifies every item in the Salem City School libraries, and will point you to its location. The Library Catalog includes books, journals, magazines, newspapers, videos, music, government documents, and more. However, you will not find articles in the Library Catalog. You will need to use a Library Subscription Database to identify articles by topic. The Library Catalog identifies every item in the Salem City School libraries, and will point you to its location. The Library Catalog includes books, journals, magazines, newspapers, videos, music, government documents, and more. However, you will not find articles in the Library Catalog. You will need to use a Library Subscription Database to identify articles by topic.

The Library Catalog Use the Library Catalog  to find out what books, etc. the library owns on your topic  to find where a specific item is located in the library Use the Library Catalog  to find out what books, etc. the library owns on your topic  to find where a specific item is located in the library

Encyclopedias

Encyclopedias contain factual articles on many subjects. There are two types of encyclopedias -- general and subject. General encyclopedias provide overviews on a wide variety of topics. Subject encyclopedias contain entries focusing on one field of study. Encyclopedias contain factual articles on many subjects. There are two types of encyclopedias -- general and subject. General encyclopedias provide overviews on a wide variety of topics. Subject encyclopedias contain entries focusing on one field of study.

Encyclopedia Use an Encyclopedia  when looking for background information on a topic  when trying to find key ideas, important dates or concepts Examples  Encyclopedia of Anthropology (subject encyclopedia)  Encyclopedia Americana (general encyclopedia Use an Encyclopedia  when looking for background information on a topic  when trying to find key ideas, important dates or concepts Examples  Encyclopedia of Anthropology (subject encyclopedia)  Encyclopedia Americana (general encyclopedia

Library Subscription Databases

Library subscription databases (especially those that are classified as periodical databases) include the citations of articles in magazines, journals and newspapers. Since the 1990's, these databases have replaced the previous paper article or periodical indexes where you actually had to physically use at the Library.periodicalcitations Databases contain abstracts or brief summaries of the articles, and sometimes also contain the full text or entire content of whole articles as they originally appeared in the periodical. Library subscription databases (especially those that are classified as periodical databases) include the citations of articles in magazines, journals and newspapers. Since the 1990's, these databases have replaced the previous paper article or periodical indexes where you actually had to physically use at the Library.periodicalcitations Databases contain abstracts or brief summaries of the articles, and sometimes also contain the full text or entire content of whole articles as they originally appeared in the periodical.

Library Subscription Databases

Examples of Library Subscription Periodical Databases  EBSCOhost  Gale  Discover Examples of Library Subscription Periodical Databases  EBSCOhost  Gale  Discover

The Web

Use the Web  to find current information  to link to information provided by the library over the Internet  to find information about companies  to find both expert and popular opinions Examples of Web Addresses  (The Library of Congress)  (Google, a search engine) Use the Web  to find current information  to link to information provided by the library over the Internet  to find information about companies  to find both expert and popular opinions Examples of Web Addresses  (The Library of Congress)  (Google, a search engine)

Selecting Sources

If you need: Background information, such as the history of the railroads or statistics on the number of children immunized against diseases in the United States You might try: Books If you need: Background information, such as the history of the railroads or statistics on the number of children immunized against diseases in the United States You might try: Books

Selecting Sources If you need: Popular articles about new movies or social trends You might try: Magazines If you need: Popular articles about new movies or social trends You might try: Magazines

Selecting Sources If you need: Current information about a speech yesterday by the head of Ford Motor Company You might try: Newspapers or Web If you need: Current information about a speech yesterday by the head of Ford Motor Company You might try: Newspapers or Web

Selecting Sources If you need: Scholarly articles about the Chinese economy or the human genome You might try: Journals If you need: Scholarly articles about the Chinese economy or the human genome You might try: Journals

Starting with the Library... Library resources go through a review process. Librarians select books, magazines, journals, databases, and Web sites. The library collects sources considered reliable, historically relevant, and valuable. Library resources go through a review process. Librarians select books, magazines, journals, databases, and Web sites. The library collects sources considered reliable, historically relevant, and valuable.

Starting with the Library...

Library resources are organized. Items are organized so you can find all the sources on a topic. For example, when you search for a book in the library catalog you will get a call number. The books shelved near the same call number will cover a similar topic. Library resources are organized. Items are organized so you can find all the sources on a topic. For example, when you search for a book in the library catalog you will get a call number. The books shelved near the same call number will cover a similar topic.

Starting with the Library... Library resources are meant to be kept permanently. A primary function of a library is to be an organized storehouse of information published throughout time. As well as finding very current information, you can also find books that are no longer published and older issues of magazines. Library resources are meant to be kept permanently. A primary function of a library is to be an organized storehouse of information published throughout time. As well as finding very current information, you can also find books that are no longer published and older issues of magazines.

Starting with the Library... Library resources come with personal assistance. Libraries have staff who are trained to help you. They'll help you learn to use online resources and answer any questions that you have. Library resources come with personal assistance. Libraries have staff who are trained to help you. They'll help you learn to use online resources and answer any questions that you have.

Starting with the Library... Libraries have large collections of information on a variety of carefully selected and organized topics. The key idea when using the library is that you are getting quality over quantity. Print or electronic library resources are the best sources to use when starting your research. You can efficiently find high quality information from a variety of credible resources in the library.

Although many people first go to the Web for information, it is not always the best place for what you need.

Some information on the Web is not free. Many Web pages are free to view, but some commercial sites will charge a fee to access their information. Information on the Web is not organized. Some directory services, like Yahoo, provide links to sites in subject lists. But there are too many Web pages for any single directory service to organize and index. Some information on the Web is not free. Many Web pages are free to view, but some commercial sites will charge a fee to access their information. Information on the Web is not organized. Some directory services, like Yahoo, provide links to sites in subject lists. But there are too many Web pages for any single directory service to organize and index.

Most information on the Web is not comprehensive. Rarely will you be able to use a search engine on the Web to collect information about your topic from earlier decades and different types of sources. Most information on the Web is not permanent. Some well-maintained sites are updated with very current information, but other sites may become quickly dated or disappear altogether without much if any notice. Most information on the Web is not comprehensive. Rarely will you be able to use a search engine on the Web to collect information about your topic from earlier decades and different types of sources. Most information on the Web is not permanent. Some well-maintained sites are updated with very current information, but other sites may become quickly dated or disappear altogether without much if any notice.

THE WEB The Web can be a good source for:  learning more about companies and organizations (at least what they have to say about themselves)  information from the U.S. government  finding quick facts  catching up with current news  gathering opinions of people  And connecting to library resources (such as the Library web site, Library catalog, and databases) The Web is a good tool for finding information, but it is usually not the best place to begin academic research. The Web can be a good source for:  learning more about companies and organizations (at least what they have to say about themselves)  information from the U.S. government  finding quick facts  catching up with current news  gathering opinions of people  And connecting to library resources (such as the Library web site, Library catalog, and databases) The Web is a good tool for finding information, but it is usually not the best place to begin academic research.