Or scanning through possible sources in the electronic card catalogue that might be appropriate to your needs. Or perusing the stacks of professional resources on display at a educators conference or convention. Often, our dilemma is not that there are no resources available. Instead, we are more likely to feel inundated by possible materials that could meet our needs. You may be forced, perhaps within a limited time period, to make a choice, and in some cases spend money.
Students experience a similar challenge when they undertake research projects.
They may confidently sally forth to the library, only to discover a few minutes later that there are more potential sources related to their topic than they can possibly handle. Overwhelmed, many adopt a default strategy to make their choices, settling for the source that appears to be the easiest. The rest are relegated back to the shelf, even though some of them might have been better suited for what the student was looking for. Helping students size up a possible resource is a critical component of the research process. Model the process for critically examining a source through a think-aloud to the class.