This is a very clear and simple but thorough introduction to all that a beginning college student should know, from searching basics, to finding books and articles, to web searching and evaluating.

There is minimal interaction, but there is some; at certain points in the tutorial, you cannot proceed without making a choice, which is then shown as correct or incorrect with some explanations of why each is so.

There is a very handy review section with each module, which clearly presents the topics in outline form, with links to go back to the section and review specific parts. Anyone can proceed through the tutorials, but only students can login to take the quizzes.

A narrow and unobtrusive header follows throughout the tutorial, so that one can exit or change course at any point. The pages are clean looking and orderly, usually with few sentences per page, and occasional examples. One might wish for more examples throughout.

Tilt is a highly interactive introduction to searching basics including finding books and articles, with an emphasis on web searching and resource evaluation.

Tutorial takers are offered a number of choices throughout the tutorial to select the topic (such as Censorship or Global Communities) so that they can learn based on a topic of their own interest. The tutorial includes a fair amount of explanatory text, followed by engaging and useful exercises in such formats of game shows, real-life-style job seeking, and an online periodical search.

Each of four modules (Selecting; Searching; Evaluating; Internet Misconceptions) offers an end-of-module quiz, the results of which can be printed or e-mailed. There is an opportunity to review before taking each quiz.

Throughout the tutorial, clicking highlighted words will bring up a pop-up box word definition. Help screens deal with basics of displaying and problems with lack of plug-ins.

Navigation within the tutorial is clear -the top and bottom headers display options for definitions, help, module concepts, and return to the beginning of the module or TILT. The look of TILT is clean, and the graphics and text are generally engaging.

TILT offers two options: Full-TILT which requires Shockwave and a sound card and TILT-Lite for the no-plug-in version. The content (i.e. text) of the two versions is identical - with TILT-Lite lacking all ongoing interactive games and reviews.

This is an excellently organized, thoroughly comprehensive presentation of important concepts, beginning at the most elementary level. The repeated message to "ask a reference librarian" is especially valuable, as is the detailed coverage of periodical resources and database searching.

Although the content is excellent, the weakness here lies in the presentation. Pages are long, and the graphic effects are little more than colorful text with links, although the floor plans of the library are effective. There is some interactivity in quizzes and a library Research Profile to be filled out at the end; however this is not consistent, nor extensive enough.

A combination of this content with advanced technological features, shorter pages and engaging graphics would make an impressive tutorial.

The entry screen is eye-catching and informative, telling you the three things you will learn: library catalog, articles, web research. The menu screen welcomes you again(!) and explains what you will do: "This tutorial consists of four modules, designed to help you learn the skills you'll need to do research throughout your college career and beyond!"

A menu bar stays on the left throughout, so one can easily move back and forth as you need reinforcement. Arrows guide you forward or back, and each page is clearly numbered "Module 1 Page 2" etc. The text is clear and simple, and colors are used for emphasis. Graphics are minimal and loading is quick. There is minimal interaction needed, and the modules are short and quick to complete. You must login to take the Practice Test for self-assessment and the Final Test with certification, thus they cannot be evaluated.

MCTC has a required 1-credit course on Information Literacy and Research Skills that includes a competency exam. "The exam is usually administered as a take-home final with approximately 10 days to complete it."

This thorough tutorial covers the basics of library research with an unusually heavy emphasis on the production and organization of knowledge (lessons 1 & 2). The tutorial also emphasizes print vs. electronic resources and many of the ethical and legal issues surrounding 'information.'

The tutorial is heavily text-based, with screen captures of the catalog and article searching as appropriate. It is easy to move screen to screen, and on the left side is navigation that indicates where one is in the lesson. From the front screen of the tutorial it is possible to link to any lesson, assingment, handout or exercise. There is a quiz at the end of each lesson, which is not graded. More explanation for wrong answers would be useful.

Frames are used to allow tutorial-takers to do live searching in the catalog, periodical index and the Web. Examples/exercises are resource-specific (i.e. ProQuest, Yahoo) which could be limiting.

Each lesson includes a printable 'assignment' form which the student can use to apply their own research question. These assignments are linked to the credit-bearing course on IL.

There are many links out of the tutorial to Web sites that either illustrate a point or allow for further learning. While useful, a novice learner might easily get lost, or not fully understand that the link took them out of the tutorial. Some explanation of this would be useful.

Virgil is a clear and simple tutorial which covers the basics of finding books and articles, and searching the Web.

The tutorial provides examples from the SUNY catalog, ProQuest Direct and HotBot. While the use of the catalog seems appropriate, the ProQuest and HotBot may be confusing to students, and not allow them to understand that there are other options for these kinds of searches.

Throughout each module are self-tests that provide an opportunity for ongoing active learning. Each module provides an opportunity to do a Portfolio Assignment with ones own research topic. These assignments may be printed and handed in to professors. There are no quizzes at the end of modules.

Much of the content of the tutorial is accessed through clicking highlighted terms and reading the information in pop-up boxes. While this allows for much less clutter on the page, and for students to choose which concepts they want to investigate. However, it may not be clear to students that they they should be clicking on the links. In addition the pop-up boxes can seem a bit confusing. A left-hand side navigation bar is always present, making moving to the next module simple.

In modules 3 (finding books) and 4 (finding articles) one clicks through a demonstration search, which is many screens long and thus somewhat balky and slow. In contrast, Javascript rollovers seem to be a more engaging and faster option.

Four tutorials are offered for credit; four "Online Exercises" for review contain highlights from the tutorials. Two offer the online WebCat searching and Fulltext Periodical Index searching. Two others offer the general Online Research tutorials for Search Strategy and Evaluating Resources. It is recommended that the former be done BEFORE classroom instruction, the latter AFTER it.

The screens are simple and uncluttered with examples taken from the library's online catalog and webspirs interface, but they may have to be changed if these are updated. The beige background may look unappealing to students, but it enables the screen shots and explanations to stand out better. Arrows and explanations indicate where to click to continue or where to fill in some text to continue. The latter feature provides a measure of interactivity for students and includes some useful diagrams for Boolean and subject searching.

There is a quiz after three of the tutorials to receive credit; each tutorial takes about 20 minutes. One must complete the tutorial to reach the quiz and one cannot leave and re-enter at the same spot. You must login to take the quiz, so it cannot be viewed by guests.

This tutorial contain 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.

This is an extremely comprehensive presentation of IL material for required courses. Its best feature is the high degree of interactivity via a double screen. Each module presents a quiz, which may be taken while the information in the module can be scanned, or online databases searched for the answers. In fact, some questions require that information be looked up during the quiz. Test results are E-mailed to the students and are also accessible to course instructors. Quizzes may also be retaken to improve scores, and a final classroom test must be taken. In addition, faculty information is provided, including suggested assignments for each module.

However, motivation to learn the material appears to be extrinsic, not the most educationally sound for later recall and use. This approach seems to entail the presentation if information first, with its application required later, in the final module. Although a great deal of excellent material is presented, such abstract to concrete organization is not effective either for natural use motivation or for one capability to be built upon another. For example, search strategies should really precede evaluating and citing sources. Moreover, the text is long and wordy with few engaging graphics, and the amount of detailed information could be overwhelming to a beginning student.