Information Literacy: Guide for Students

Keep an Open Mind Regarding:

Write About What You Discover...

Let's say you are trying to argue against hand-held texting while driving. However, in your research you find this summary of research done by University of Utah psychologist David Strayer that found:

So if the safe operation of a car is the core motivation for your argument, you might have to pivot your thesis and research to examine all the aspects of cell phones, handfree or otherwise, and the extent to which they distract the driver.

Adjust your thesis and restructure your argument when credible, current source material:

• Suggests that solutions to your issue are more complex than you first believed
• Offers that there are multiple solutions to the same problem
• Reveals that there are newer, evidence-based paths to positive change
• Provides new research that indicates your current thinking might be flawed
• Indicates that your issue might be one part of a much larger problem that requires far greater change than you imagined

There a several models available for how to systematically evaluate the sources you use in the course of your research. Two of the more popular are:

CLICK on each image for more in-depth information about the method of evaluation.

HOWLER Tutorial: CRAAP Test Explained: Evaluating Your Sources

Other good web content for additional information on evaluating sources:

Help Online With Library Education & Research

Madison College Libraries connects you with all of the following:

Books & ebooks

Besides tens of thousands of print titles, we also provide access to thousands of E-books. One of the best places to start your research is to use one of several hundred reference e-books in Credo Reference:

Articles (Print and electronic) in:

Articles are especially good for more detailed, specific research. Our databases provide online access to tens of thousands of publications.

• Magazines

• Trade Publications

• Scholarly Academic Journals

• Newspapers

Audio reports (Using Opposing Viewpoints)

DVD videos

and Streaming videos

• The Libraries have thousands of non-fiction DVDs on many topics college students write about.

• We also subscribe to Films on Demand, which you can access on and off campus. Films on Demand offers thousands of documentary and educational videos for every academic and many college programs.

Interviews, surveys, other communication

Why scholarly? Why peer-reviewed?

Especially when you use library databases for your research, some of articles you discover will likely be 'scholarly'. Most of the time this means that those who have conducted research in their field have published their findings in an academic journal. The most credible type of journals are those that have published articles following a rigorous 'peer-review' process. In this case the 'peers' are other experts in the field.

For example:

"Ethical Theory and Moral Practice: An International Forum is a double blind peer-reviewed journal which aims to publish the best work produced in all fields of ethics. It welcomes high quality submissions regardless of the tradition or school of thought from which they derive." (About this journal from Springer Publishing)

Scholarly or peer-reviewed sources:

• are written for and reviewed by fellow academics or researchers in the field

• are excellent for finding out what has been studied or researched on a topic

• contain original research or in-depth study in the field

• provide extensive references leading to other relevant sources of information

• use the technical language of the field

"The purpose of a research paper...

is to synthesize previous research and scholarship with your ideas on the subject.  Therefore, you should feel free to use other persons' words, facts, and thoughts in your research paper, but the material you borrow must not be presented as if it were your own creation.  When you write your research paper, remember that you must document everything that you borrow--not only direct quotations and paraphrases but also information and ideas." 

MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers. 7th ed. New York: MLA, 2009. 55. Print.

Madison College Libraries' Citation Help Guide

To play video, click on the above image.

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