Top TenResearch Tips for First Year Students

Ylvisaker Librarians

C oncordia C ol lege Moorhead, Mn.

10. Avoid anxiety about the research process

51% found navigating complex print and digital resources difficult. ~Project Information Literacy

Library Launch

&Support

9. Consult Reference Sources:

An ideal starting point for research

BackgroundInformation

Synonyms & discipline vocabulary

8.Library Tools:

Subject Headings

Making these work for you

Citation Management

Database Limiters

ReferenceHelp

7. Dive into the Deep Web

Google, Bing, Wikipedia

Academic, Medical, Legal,

Scientific, Subscription

C onference, Government,

Organization, Multilingual

High School Habits

Surface Web

6. Measure Twice, Cut Once

• Evaluate a source two ways before using it in a project– Journal article vs. other online

content

– Author credentials

– C omparison with other sources

5. Don’t forget books!

4. Use Inter-Library Loan

Strategic searching for unusual topics

Scholarly conversation across time & locations

Academic standards for research

Time management & planning ahead

To round out research

Research as an inquiry process

3. Use the Call Number & Use Find It

11.4 times larger col lection in a smal l col lege than in a smal l high school

32.6 times more databases in a smal l col lege than in a smal l high school

~Project Information Literacy

2. Consider Other Sources

Multiple learning styles

• Excel lent for multi-media projects

• Work wel l for presentations

1 2 3 4

Films on Demand

ARTstor ImageQuest DRAM

1. Ask a Librarian!

Via chat

@ReferenceDesk

Viaemail

Office visit

DESIGN RESOURCES

• Jorn Utzon, Architect, Unbuilt Paper Factory Proposal, Morocco 1947

• Seier+Seier

• Flickr Creative C ommons License

• A Visitor by Lee May Foster-Wilson

• Creature C omforts blog

• P layfair Display

• Jenna Sue

Works Cited

Head, Alison J. “Learning the Ropes.” Project Information Literacy. Project Information Literacy, 4Dec. 2013. Web. 10 Aug. 2015.

Ginny C onnel l

Solveig Lund

Kevin Baggett

C onnie Jones

Theresa Borchert

Laurie Probst Fin