Research Guides: Research Resources Toolkit: Toolkit Objectives and Registration

Toolkit Description

This course familiarizes the student with the online catalog, databases, and basic reference sources in a variety of formats. The course focuses on efficient research strategies, evaluation of source material, and appropriate techniques for documenting sources. It is applicable to all subject areas and lifelong learning.

Registration

Videos of Objectives

Module 1: Types of Source/Source Code

Locate and identify primary, secondary, and tertiary sources.
Interpreting availability of items based on the catalog entry or item record.
Identify various types of reference sources.
Identify the differences in library types and resources.
Recognize basic search functions in the UAB Libraries catalog.

Module 2: Subject Headings and Keywords/ Just keep searching, just keep searching, just keep searching…!

Decide when to narrow or broaden a research paper topic.
Select appropriate words or phrases for an effective keyword search.
Recognize subject headings in a catalog entry or item record.

Module 3: Search Strategies/ So you think you can search?

Identify & utilize advanced search strategies in databases.
Recognize both basic and advanced search strings.
Apply various Boolean operators, proximity, and wildcard searches in a search string.
Recognize the best source for the information need.

Registration

How did you like the toolkit?

Module 4: Database Searching/ Where’s Waldo?

Select appropriate databases for specific information needs.
Recognize differences between a vendor and a database.

Module 5 Evaluating Resources/ Red pill or blue pill?

Identify various digital resources, specifically subscriptions and non-subscription services.
Differentiate between scholarly and popular resources.
Critically evaluate reliability, validity, accuracy, authority, currency, and point of view or bias in resources.

Module 6: Citation Creation/ Cite, Cite, Baby!

Identify the purposes of various citations styles.
Identify print and digital citation formation.
Create citations in order to give credit to authors

Module 7: Plagiarism/Copyright/ Like you stole something!

Recognize the differences between plagiarism and copyright.
Identify what constitutes plagiarism and issues related to copyright.
Recognize the issues related to copyright.