Lesson 3: information seeking strategies
Determining All Possible Sources
Choosing the Right Source
Each type of source has its own strengths and weaknesses, which we will explore in this lesson. You will be using 3 types of resources for this project. We will review the strengths and weaknesses of each type of resource, and then discuss in which classes these sources would be most useful.
Books (including Non-fiction and Reference):
Databases (Blooms, Opposing Viewpoints, FactCite, EBSCOHost):
Internet Sources (Websites, blogs, newspapers):
Complete Assignment 3 in the Assignment Packet before moving to Lesson 4.
Each type of source has its own strengths and weaknesses, which we will explore in this lesson. You will be using 3 types of resources for this project. We will review the strengths and weaknesses of each type of resource, and then discuss in which classes these sources would be most useful.
Books (including Non-fiction and Reference):
- Books offer clear and concise information about a variety of topics.
- They are very reliable, because they have been checked by editors and researched by the author.
- Books can have outdated information because they take so long to publish and cannot be easily updated.
Databases (Blooms, Opposing Viewpoints, FactCite, EBSCOHost):
- Databases offer articles and readings on a variety of topics, from history to science to current events.
- Databases are typically peer-reviewed, meaning that experts in specific fields have validated the information.
- Sometimes databases can have articles that are biased in one way or another, and the reader must assess the bias.
Internet Sources (Websites, blogs, newspapers):
- Internet websites can be constantly updated,
- There is a lot of information on the Internet, so you are sure to find information on any topic that you research. There can be documents, government information, and encyclopedias online as well.
- Because there is so much information, it is hard to decide what is true and what is false. The reliability of information on the Internet is always in question.
Complete Assignment 3 in the Assignment Packet before moving to Lesson 4.