Basic Research Skills

What We’ll Learn Before you Start your Research Basic Resources

Using a Library Catalogue Using a Database Using the Internet

Tips on Putting it All Together Apply/Demonstrate What We’ve

Learned

First a Few Questions

Who has a library card? How many use their library card? Or

have used it in the past year? How many of you have a smart phone

– either Android or Iphone? How many have Internet access @

home? How many are scared by this

assignment?

Where Do We Begin?

A Few Things to Consider

Before You Start Your Research

Have assignment sheet/project sheet

Know the topic (Preliminary Research)

Have all questions you want/need to answer written ahead of time

Ask questions - your teachers, your instructors, your librarians

Track EVERYTHING! What do you have to hand in?

The Three Basic Tools:What Are

They?

The ToolsCatalogues – directory of what a

library has e.g. books, DVDs, magazines,

Databases – electronic resources with current/historical info; controlled and scholarly-reviewed

Internet – e-universe of everything/anything; not entirely controlled, massive, but useful

How The Resources Work

Library Catalogue

InternetDatabases

Information

Library Catalogue Easy to use Simple and Advanced Search First place you should go to find

material for your assignment Need a library card to borrow

anything from the library Example:

http://markham.bibliocommons.com

The Database A little more difficult to use Open 24/7, can use ANYTIME Subject specific or general but can

always find something on your topic

Full-text articles, or partial-content

Free to use, IF you have a library card

Example: http://www.markhampubliclibrary.ca click on >> online databases <<

But I don’t Want to Use Those…

Who uses those resources first?

Who uses the Internet first?

Who knows anything about Internet PowerSearching? Advanced Google Searching? Filtering Internet Results? Evaluating Internet Sites?

The Internet Sometimes first and last source Can find useful AND useless

information Easy to use; dozens of unknown,

unused and powerful search features

Always offer advanced search tips & search tricks

Google is king of search engines, though there are a few others…

Evaluating Your Sources

What are you looking at when noting usefulness of a resource? Origin :: Purpose :: Value :: Limitation

A more in-depth explanation of evaluting sources can be found in your assignment sheets…

Other important things to think about: Current? Validate another source? Filled with

inaccuracies? Presents list of sources referred to in creating document? Are the sources OWN sources peer-reviewed and/or valid?

What’s Next? -Breaking Down Your Assignment

Question…

A Simple but Useful System

Get topic(s)/subject Get important terms/break down

terms (note ALL synonyms or similar terms)

Terms + Catalogue+Database+Search Engine = Information

Jot down ALL search strings/phrases used

Create bibliography while researching

Simple Rules/Strategy

Simple Rules: This process can be broken down into 5 common

steps known as SKILL: Summarise your topic in one or two sentences Keywords and phrases need to be highlighted Identify synonyms/ alternate terms and variant

spellings Link your keywords and phrases Locate your information

@ http://www.library.uq.edu.au/how-to-guides/create-search-strategy

The Last Stages: Taking All You

Have and Putting It All

Together

Putting It All Together

Have checklist of requirements; shape final work based on requirements

Map final assignment Track EVERYTHING/evaluate

resources Write/produce assignment (2 rough

copies minimum) Review work (you or someone else) Looks weak? Re-write/Do more

research

Sample and Demonstration:Applying What

We Know!

Let’s Begin Searching

Library Catalogue e.g. Markham Public Library @ http://markham.bibliocommons.com

Database Searching e.g. MPL E-Resources@ http://www.markhampubliclibrary.ca

Internet Search Engine e.g. Google (scholar & books) & PDF

Search Engine – http://www.google.com

Extras

Mobile Site and Apps (for Iphone and

Android) Markham Public Library App – What’s

available, reserve items, library card barcode JUST IN CASE you forget your card

CAMScanner App – Can take pictures of print documents (e.g. book covers, specific pages in a book) & convert them (PDFs) & can email

In-depth Presentation found @ http://theinformationsepulchre.wordpress.com/

A Side Note: Expectations of

Colleges/Universities: Critical thinking skills Research skills Writing skills Using all (as they are interdependent) Most important is critical thinking

Critical Thinking: The kind of thinking which seeks to explore

questions about existing knowledge for issues which are not clearly defined and for which there are no clear-cut answers.

Why is Critical Thinking Important?

In general, students who develop critical thinking skills are more able to: achieve better marks become less dependent on teachers

and textbooks create knowledge (or a logical point

of view) evaluate, challenge and change the

structures in societySource: Orientation Lecture Series LEARNING TO LEARN:

Developing critical thinking skills

Questions?