A. Types of Finding Tools
- Demonstrates when it is appropriate to use a general and subject-specific information source (e.g., to provide an overview, to give ideas on terminology).
- Distinguishes among indexes, online databases, and collections of online databases, as well as gateways to different databases and collections.
- Identifies the differences between freely available Internet search tools and subscription or fee-based databases.
- Identifies the types of sources that are indexed in a particular database or index (e.g., an index that covers newspapers or popular periodicals versus a more specialized index to find scholarly literature).
- Identifies research sources, regardless of format, that are appropriate to a particular discipline or research need.
- Explains the difference between the library catalog and a periodical index.
- Describes the different scopes of coverage found in different periodical indexes.
B. Information Time Line
- Determines the period of time covered by a particular source.
- Determines when some topics may be too recent to be covered by some standard tools (e.g., a periodicals index) and when information on the topic retrieved by less authoritative tools (e.g., a Web search engine) may not be reliable.
C. Descriptions of Main Finding Tools and Types of Materials Accessed.
- Selects appropriate tools (e.g., indexes, online databases) for research on a particular topic.
- Locates major print bibliographic and reference sources appropriate to the discipline of a research topic.
- Uses different research sources (e.g., catalogs and indexes) to find different types of information (e.g., books and periodical articles).
D. Wrap Up and Review
