STEP 1:
Decide what information you need.

a)   What’s your assignment?  If you’re not sure, check your syllabus or assignment sheet and talk with your instructor.

b)   If you can choose any topic you wish but aren’t sure what interests you, try: looking through a newspaper for topics; asking a friend or family member what interests them (make their interest yours); see lists of topics available in selected RCCD Library Electronic Resources.

STEP 2:
Find the information efficiently and effectively.

ü      Ask librarians ... we're here for you & your success!

b)     MAGAZINE, JOURNAL, NEWSPAPER ARTICLES: Use LAMP's ELECTRONIC RESOURCES.  On the resulting screen, select from the many PERIODICAL INDEXES listed (InfoTrac, ProQuest, etc.)

c)     WEB SITES:  Use LAMP's INTERNET RESOURCES.  On the resulting screen click on INTERNET BY SUBJECT.  Here are Web sites selected by RCCD Librarians as giving good, authentic, authoritative information.

d)     MORE INFORMATION SOURCES: Ask librarians!

STEP 3:
Use the information well, wisely, and appropriately.

ü      Includes evaluating and citing the information you find by ”logging your research.” 

a)     Evaluate the information you find by reading it critically.  Ask yourself:  Is it true, trustworthy, accurate, reliable, current, etc.?

b)     Cite or document the information you use according to standard “citation format style” guides (MLA, APA, etc.).  For more about citing sources – use LAMP's HELP, then on the resulting list, at the bottom, click on GIVING CREDIT.

BASIC INFORMATION SOURCES

TIPS FOR USING THEM

1)   ONLINE REFERENCE RESOURCES

Use LAMP's ELECTRONIC RESOURCES - REFERENCE RESOURCES.

2)   BOOKS & MEDIA

ü      Ask Librarians for REFERENCE books to give you a good start with your research – RCCD Library has many good ones.

ü      Look too for CIRCULATING books – books you can borrow for use away from the library.

ü      For MEDIA ITEMS in the RCCD Library, in a KEYWORD search use the MATERIAL TYPE limiting option and select from the drop-down menu any of the media choices (like VIDEO;SLIDE or SPOKEN RECORD or SOUND RECORD)

a)   Use LAMP's LIBRARY CATALOG.

b)   I recommend starting with KEYWORD SEARCHING: 

c)    Use words and phrases you think describe information you want.  Put exact phrases in quotation marks, for example, “college students.”  From the results list, look at the full description of items of interest to you and note the SUBJECT line of the record to see the subject headings assigned.  Click on the subject headings that look especially relevant for a list of other RCCD Library books about that same subject.

d)   You can also search by SUBJECT (heading) directly, by AUTHOR, and by TITLE.

3)   MAGAZINE, JOURNAL, NEWSPAPER ARTICLES

ü       KEYWORDS = Words you’re thinking of to describe information you need.

ü      SUBJECT HEADINGS  = Words and phrases experts use in respective databases to describe information about any aspect of human life and interest.

a)   Use LAMP's ELECTRONIC RESOURCES - PERIODICAL INDEXES.

b)   I recommend starting with KEYWORD searching: 

c)    Use words and phrases you think describe information you want.  From the results list, look at the full description of items of interest to you and note the subject headings assigned.  Click on the subject headings that look especially relevant for a list of other articles about that same subject.

4)     WEB SITES

ü     Use “Web subject directories” to find sites giving good, authentic, authoritative, reliable information.

ü     Evaluate information you get from the Web – however, when you use a Web subject directory, the Web sites listed have already been evaluated.

ü     Learn more about good Web searching – for example, go to:  http://www.walthowe.com .

a)   Use LAMP's INTERNET RESOURCES.  On the resulting page click on INTERNET BY SUBJECT.  Here’s a subject listing of Web sites selected by RCCD Librarians – sites that give good, authoritative, authentic information.   

b)   For other “Web subject directories” go to LAMP’s Internet Resources page, click on INTERNET SEARCH TOOLS, then on SUBJECT DIRECTORIES.   

c)    Also, from LAMP’s INTERNET RESOURCES page, click on EVALUATING RESOURCES.  The Web sites listed will help you determine how good the information is that you get from any Web site.