Information Services

1) Key Reference tools
Faculty member and/or Librarian can identify some key reference books and bring them to the classroom or have the students come to the library. Students can be assigned a certain topic or choose one to research in each of the key reference books.

2) Boolean Searching
Boolean searching is the use of “And,” “Or,” and “Not.” If a phrase is to be searched it must be in quotes. In searching the library catalog and many of the library databases it is essential to know how to do Boolean searching.  Students should take their original research topic and put it in Boolean format.

Example:  Original research topic:  Female suicide bombers in Palestine.

Boolean search possibilities: female and suicide and bombers and Palestine

Female and “suicide bombers” and (Palestine or Palestinian)

(women or woman or female) and suicide and bombers and (Palestine or Palestinian).

3) Compare two library databases
Students can choose a topic or start their research assignment with an investigation of two library databases, perhaps one discipline specific database and one general. Have students do the exact same search in each database.

Example: Search in Expanded Academic Index and Index Islamicus for “female and suicide and bombers.”

How do the results compare? How many results did each search produce? How much is full text? What type of publications are the articles in?

4) Compare two search engines or compare one search engine and one library database
Search engines and library databases are two very different things. Students are often confused about what a library database is. 

Example: Search your topic in Google and Ask Jeeves.  Compare the results.

Search your topic in Google and Expanded Academic Index.  Compare the results.

5) Scholarly vs. Popular
Have students find one article in a scholarly publication on their topic and one in a popular magazine.

6) Primary source vs. secondary source
Have students find one primary source and one secondary source on their topic.

Assignments that support the research paper process

1) Concept Mapping
Concept mapping is a brainstorming exercise.  It allows students to think outside of the limited research topic they first conceived, exploring different keywords, synonyms, and relationships. See handout.

2) Research Journals
Students can keep a research journal in print or as an online discussion thread.  The journal should describe how they went about finding information, pitfalls, successes, keywords, etc.

3) Research Paper, the “Building Block Approach.”
Break the research process into manageable chunks with specific due dates. Have the Librarian do an instruction session once the students have chosen their topics and created a thesis question or hypotheses.

4) Research Pathfinder
As a final part of the research process have the student create a research pathfinder, a simple guide that gives the recipe to their research, something they could hand to a student that is new to research.

5) Annotated Bibliography or Literature Review
This can be done in a variety of ways. Different types of materials can be required (one monograph, one journal article, one internet site) or a minimum number can be required.  In their research students should look for areas of controversy and write up questions that need further research

Other assignments that use online and/or print resources

1) Web site evaluation
Have students evaluate two web sites chosen by faculty member or student. Students should check for usefulness, currency, authority, accuracy and biases. See Evaluating Web Resources for additional information.

2) Biographical assignment
Assign each student a prominent figure to research.  Have the librarian do a session on finding biographical information for that specific discipline.

3) Find a book review
Assign each student a book.  Have the librarian do a short session on finding a book review.

4 )Bias assignment
Research topic in two newspapers, one foreign and one domestic. Compare the coverage.

Page content by Ashley Hanson