Library Research Tutorial
An Information Literacy Skills Program

Griffith University Queensland Australia
http://www4.gu.edu.au/shr/lrt/

Narrative || Tutorial Contents || Checklist



Narrative

This tutorial contains some excellent, non-library-specific information literacy concepts, beginning with attractivecartoon graphics, and slow, easy-to-follow, short page displays.

It also contains some excellent library-specific information from an 'online resources' page with links to both library-specific and general sites. The Library Catalogue module contains catalog searching directions in both text-based and web-based formats.

An assessment page is included at the end of teach of seven modules, whihc may be recorded or not. Except for the assessment pages, navigation is easy (although there was often difficulty connecting with the site), with a glossary page always accessible. Other clever, effective touches include 'hints' boxes and rollovers explaining the components of citations.

There seems to be a second tutorial with some redundancy, a more sophisticated, text-heavy style, and research paper examples, contained within Module 5 - Other Databases. This could be confusing. Another weakness is in the lack of presentation of the use of indexes and periodical indexes, important elementary concepts. California state University, Northridge, whose tutorial is cited for use and adaptation permission, seems to have a better presentation of some of these more elementary concepts.


Tutorial Contents

Module 1
Think about the Topic
Module 2
What sort of Information
Module 3
Introduction to Databases
  • Clarify Terms
  • Main Concepts
  • Related Terms
  • How much information do you need?
  • Is currency an issue?
  • Do you need information from a particular type of publication?
  • Do you need information in a particular format?
  • Overview
  • Structure of a database
  • Search Strategies
    Truncation
    Planning your database search
    AND
    OR
    • Module 4
    Library Catalogues
    Module 4
    Other Databases
    Module 6
    Internet
  • Text based
  • Web based - Grifflink
    		• Searching
  • What is a Database?
  • Why would you want to use an electronic database?
  • What databases are available?
  • Preparing a search strategy
  • Conducting a search
  • Searching using OR
  • Interpreting a results screen
  • Searching using AND
  • Interpreting a results screen
  • Search history
  • Combining search results
  • Displayig a results screen
  • Other available databases Communications Module
  • Using electronic databases
  • Accessing electronic databases
  • Research preparation process
  • Using relevant databases
  • From searching to writing
    		• World Wide Web
  • What is the Internet?
  • Overview of the Web
  • Hyperlinks Web Tools
  • Subject Directories
  • Search Engines
  • Metasearch tools
    • Module 7
    Evaluating Resources
  • Relevance
  • Currency
  • Reliability
  • Accuracy



    • Checklist

    Research
    Understanding information needed Yes excellent
    Narrowing research topic Yes excellent
    Database definition Yes very comprehensive
    Catalog Searching Yes - both web and text-based
    Article Searching Yes - but weak in index searching
    Keyword searching Yes
    Boolean searching Yes - AND and OR only described in first modules, Communications Module includes NOT
    Controlled vocabulary Yes
    Primary vs. Secondary Resources Weak
    Scholarly vs. Popular Materials Yes
    Peer Review No
    Evaluating Sources Yes, very good
    Locating Materials Yes
    Organization of Library Materials Weak
    LC Call Number System Yes excellent
    Citing Sources Yes - excellent, roll-overs on examples
    Plagiarism No
    Reference Resources Weak
    How to get Reference Help Weak
    Web Searching
    Understanding the Internet/Web (what it does and doesn't do) Yes excellent
    Search Engines vs. Subject Directories Yes
    Evaluating Internet Resources Yes good
    Web search operators (+/-) No
    Web vs. other resources (content) Yes
    Look
    Wordy vs. Terse Terse, except for Communications Module
    Use of Graphics Excellent
    Interactivity
    Passive vs. Active User User can move around at will, with an assessment test after each module is completed. examples and hints are subject to user choice.
    Ongoing Testing/Quiz Yes
    Navigation
    Clear vs. Confusing Clear
    Technology
    Minimum Browser Requirements Yes
    Sound Card No
    Java Yes
    Shockwave Yes for some features and Quicktime is required to view some videos on the communications module
    Assessment
    Pre-test No
    Post-test Yes
    Users Registered Yes
    Feedback
    Ongoing vs. At the end Ongoing
    Printable Certificate Results of asessment are recorded, and can be printed.
    Credits
    In-house vs. licensed code

    Griffith University's Library Research Tutorial is an initiative of the Division of Information Services.

    Our appreciation to California State University, Northridge for the permission to use and adapt portions of their site CSU Information Competence Tutorial. (Note: you will leave the program if you follow this link)

    Thanks also to the many companies, publishers and authors who gave permission to use their books and web pages as examples throughout the program.

    The Web-based Iinformation Literacy Skills committee was formed in March 1998 and consisted of representatives from all six Griffith University campuses. All members have worked tirelessly in developing this program and along with Griffith Flexible Learning Services (GFLS) who converted the ideas and documents of the committee into web pages.

    From: http://www4.gu.edu.au/shr/lrt/creditbod.htm


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