Books or Articles?
The libraries' resources include books and periodical databases.
Once you have decided what type of information you will need, you can then determine which resources are appropriate to your topic.
- Books often work best for historical overviews and detailed biographical information.
- Journal articles often work best for specific/focused topics.
- Newspaper articles are good for news and current topics.
Evaluating Sources
Information
Searching for "New and Useful" information
It may help to focus your information-seeking strategy by answering the following questions:
- What kind of information do I need?
- What kinds of information are there?
- historical overview
- topic of current interest
- what's in the news
- what people are talking about
- topics on specific/focused issues (e.g. "performance-enhancing drugs"), or specific categories, (e.g. statistics)
- How much information do I need?
- depends on the assignment (read the assignment carefully!)
- How will the information I find be incorporated into the assignment?
- help to frame the argument (answering a research question, perhaps)
- help support the argument (facts, examples)
Determining what kind of information you need will help you find the most appropriate sources to search in.
Library Instructor |
 Rod Sharpe |
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