RAWAN

Chapter11

Developing library,research, and

information literacy skills
 Rawan
Information
literacy
it’s the ability to find,
interpret, and use
information to meet your
needs. Information literacy
has many facets
among them the
following:

Cultural literacy Media literacy Computer literacy

 HOW DO YOU BECOM INFORMED.
information
literate
You should keep 3 basic goals in
mind:

know how to find information you need

learn how to interpret the information you
find
have a purpose
 Rawan

What’s
research and
what is not¿
 RAWAN
EMPLOYI INFORMATION LITERALLY SKILLS
determine the nature and extent of
the information needed.
Access information effectively and
efficiently.
Evaluate information and its sources
critically Incorporate information into your
knowledge base and value system
Use information effectively to
accomplish a specific purpose.
Access and use information ethically
and legally.
using a library
 WHENEVER YOU HAVE RESEARCH TO DO—WHETHER FOR A CLASS, YOUR JOB, OR
YOUR PER- SONAL LIFE—VISIT A LIBRARY.

IF YOU LIMIT YOURSELF TO THE WEB, YOU’LL MISS OUT ON SOME OF THE BEST MATERI-
ALS. A GREAT DEAL OF VALUABLE INFORMATION IS STILL STORED IN TRA- DITIONAL
FORMATS AND IS MOST EASILY ACCESSED THROUGH A LIBRARY.
TAKING ADVANTAGE OF
EVERYTHING YOUR
LIBRARY HAS TO OFFER

BOOKS AND PERIODICALS ARE ESSENTIAL. OF

COURSE, NO ONE LIBRARY CAN POSSIBLY
OWN EVERYTHING YOU MIGHT NEED, SO
GROUPS OF LIBRARIES SHARE THEIR
HOLDINGS WITH EACH OTHER. IF YOUR
LIBRARY DOES NOT HAVE A JOURNAL OR
BOOK THAT LOOKS PROMISING FOR YOUR
PROJECT, THE INTERLI- BRARY LOAN
DEPARTMENT WILL BE HAPPY TO BORROW
THE MATERIALS FOR YOU.
 If y o u a r e a c o m
m u te r o r d i s ta n
-A SEARCHABLE CATALOG ed u ca tion s t ud c e
en t w h o ca n n o t
OF THE LIBRARY’S easily visit
your co l l ege l
PHYSICAL HOLDINGS ib ra ry in pe rs o
n. Mo s t
-ELECTRONIC l ib r a r ie s p r o v i
d e p r o x y a cce s
s to their
DATABASES. e l e c t r o n ic m a t
er i a l s t o s t u d e
-INTERLIBRARY LOAN nt s o f f
c a m p u s . a n d it m
REQUESTS a y i n cl u d e t h e
f o l l o w i n g:
-COURSE RESERVE
READINGS
-DOWNLOADABLE E-
BOOKS
-ONLINE CHATS WITH
LIBRARIANS WHO CAN
HELP YOU IN REAL TIME
 Libraries also have a wide variety of
physical spaces for students and
faculty members to use.You might also
discover places to eat, socialize, take in
a movie or an art exhibit.
 1:

Asking a librarian Of all the resources available

in a library, the most useful—
and often the least used—are
the people who staff it.

Librarians are information experts

who are trained to assist and guide
you to the resources you need.
 You can contact a reference
librarian in several ways.

-call the reference desk to ask questions

-visit the reference desk in person or make an
appointment for a tutorial or consultation.
 Electronic resources

Online catalogs, periodical databases, and the World

Wide Web allow you to quickly and easily locate
.materials

Learning how to use these resources efficiently will

save you time and im- prove your odds of finding the
.information that best suits your needs
 -Library catalogs
-Periodical databases
-world wide web
-guidelines for effective researchers
 To become a successful and savvy user of
electronic resources, follow these guidelines:
 Consult the Help or FAQs link
.Write out your topic or problem as a statement or question-
.Understand Boolean operators-
Write down several terms or synonyms for your topic-
.Limit your search-
.Expand your search-
.Learn the quirks of the databases or search engines you use often-
Check your library’s electronic resources page-
 True / false
Libraries doesn't have a wide variety of
physical spaces for students and faculty
members to use

What is a “key word”?

Evaluating sources
It’s easy to assume that huge amounts of available information automatically provide
knowledge. Some students might at first be excited about receiving 20,800,000 hits
from a Google search on political ethics, but shock takes hold when they realize their
discovery is utterly unsorted. They might respond by using only the first several hits,
irrespective of quality. A more productive ap- proach is to think critically about the
usefulness of potential sources by mea- suring them against three important criteria:
.relevance, authority, and bias
Relevance
 The first thing to consider in looking at a possible source is how well it fits your
needs. That, in turn, will be affected by the nature of your research proj- ect and
the kind of information you are seeking
Is it introductory? Introductory information is
very basic and elemen- tary. It neither
assumes nor requires prior knowledge about
the topic. Introductory sources can be useful
when you’re first learning about a subject.
They are less useful when you’re drawing
conclusions about a particular aspect of the
subject.
Is it definitional? Definitional information provides some descriptive de- tails about a
subject. It might help you introduce a topic to others or clarify the focus of your
investigation
Is it analytical? Analytical information supplies and interprets data about origins, behaviors,
differences, and uses. In most cases it’s the kind of in- formation you want.
Is it comprehensive? The more detail, the better. Avoid unsubstantiated opinions, and look
instead for sources that consider the topic in depth and offer plenty of evidence to support
their conclusions
 Is it current? You should usually give preference to recent sources, al- though older ones
can sometimes be useful (for instance, if your subject is historical or the source is still cited
by others in a field).
Can you conclude anything from it? Use the “so what?” test: How impor- tant is this
information? Why does it matter to my project?
AUTHORITY
BIAS
A NOTE ON INTERNET SOURCES
 Making Use of What You Find:
Harnessing the Power of Knowledge

Jwana Alomaim
 Synthesizing Information and Ideas:
Creating New Knowledge

The purpose of research is to contribute to the development of new knowledge.

Simply summarizing findings is often not enough; we need to apply the
information to generate new ideas.
1: Moving beyond Summary
While summary reports are sometimes sufficient, exploring ideas of our own is
more valuable.
To accomplish this, we need to consider the relationships between our sources
and identify commonalities and differences.
Synthesis is the key to transforming research findings
into new knowledge and innovative ideas.
By analyzing relationships, sparking new ideas, and
utilizing available information, we can create valuable
insights.
Emphasize the importance of critical thinking and the
impact that synthesis can have on advancing
knowledge.
 Citing Your Sources: Giving Credit
and Avoiding Plagiarism
Presenting your findings requires giving credit to the sources you
have used.
Citing sources serves multiple purposes, ranging from showing
respect for others' contributions to providing evidence for your
.conclusions
Acknowledging Borrowed :1
Information
Citing sources demonstrates respect for the writers and
.researchers whose ideas you have borrowed
It distinguishes between others' ideas and your own, maintaining
.academic integrity
 2: Demonstrating Thoughtful
Consideration
Source citations showcase that your conclusions are based on careful
.evaluation of reliable evidence

.This enhances the credibility and persuasiveness of your work

3: Assisting Further Exploration
Source citations provide a starting point for those seeking additional information
.about your research topic
Curious readers can investigate your sources to understand how you arrived at your
.conclusions
4: Avoiding Plagiarism
Citing sources is crucial in preventing plagiarism, which involves using someone else's
.work without proper acknowledgment
Plagiarism is unethical and can have severe consequences in academic and
.professional settings
 5: Importance of Proper Citations
By citing your sources, you demonstrate academic integrity and
.uphold ethical standards
It shows that you have done your due diligence and respected
.the intellectual property of others
 Citing sources is an essential aspect of
.responsible research and writing
It demonstrates respect, authenticity,
.and credibility while avoiding plagiarism
Familiarize yourself with citation styles
and use appropriate tools to simplify the
.citation process
on page 207
 Plagiarism:
When information is put on paper, film, screen,
or tape, they
become intellectual property
Attempting plagiarism can lead you to failing
the course
.It can be by mistake, so be careful
Rawan
lama
remas
jwana