Research strategies often seem obvious to experienced researchers but are generally unknown to students. Define your topic using an encyclopedia article or textbook chapter for background information. Use appropriate electronic indexes to find more recent information in magazines and journals. Libraries often have ready-made lists of reference sources in various subject areas that can be used for this purpose. If you focus on one topic all semester, we can collaborate with you to design a web-based resource list for your students.
Students prepare an annotated bibliography on information sources on their topics.
Students write an abstract of a journal article. Students locate a popular magazine article through a general periodical index, then find a scholarly journal article on the same topic through a specialized periodical index, and compare the two articles. Students, working in groups, prepare a guide that introduces other students to information sources in the subject field. Students read and evaluate a case study of an information search and suggest alternatives to faulty procedures portrayed in the study. The library offers a variety of services to instructors.