LIS 105: Information Literacy Basics

The best way to start any project is to determine its scope and deliverables. For a building to be properly constructed, a builder needs architectural plans and a foundation. 

• Read your assignment carefully as soon as possible
• Ask questions if something isn't clear
• Know your due date(s)
• Plan to have enough time to complete your project before the due date, including proofreading and editing

"Original blueprint of the United States National Agricultural Library from architects Warner, Burns, Toan, and Lunde" is in the Public Domain

To get started with your research, you'll want to take some time to think carefully about what you want to investigate. Within the context of your assignment, select a topic that interests YOU, that you would like to learn more about. Also consider why the topic interests you. At this point in the process your topic should be fairly broad.

• Brainstorm or make a concept map or mind map about your topic (watch the video below for more info)
• Consider the context and different aspects, facets, or approaches to the topic

Research papers involve critical analysis of a complex issue, rather than simply reporting information on a topic. Your next step in the process will be to form a clear and focused, researchable question, which will determine how you do your research.  

Begin by asking yourself the following:

• the 5 Ws (Who?, What?, When?, Where?, Why?)
• Is there a cause and effect related to your topic that you could explore? For example, how does X affect Y?
• What do you already know about your topic? Does this relate to your interest in the topic?
• What information you need to know, to examine all aspects of the topic?

Once you've answered these questions you can formulate a specific question to guide your research. (Or you may want to compose a few questions and pick your favorite).

For example: How does artificial intelligence affect students' research methods at the college level? 

Before moving directly to your database search, however, examine your question. Is it:

• open? Does it allow for multiple points of view on your topic?
• focused? Does it make the size of your topic more manageable?
• specific? What exactly are you investigating?
• answerable? Will you be reasonably able to find information to answer your question? 

Keep in mind that research is an exploration of a topic; your research question is not the same as your thesis. As you are doing your research, you may discover information that examines a more interesting (or easier to research) question, and decide to adjust your own question. 

Instead of the natural language you may use on a search engine such as Google (example: when was the Library of Congress founded), databases take a different approach because they deliver results based on a different type of algorithm. Rather than returning results based on popularity, marketing, your search history, and similar categories, database results are based on keywords and related terms, initially ranked by relevance to your topic (how closely the content of a result matches your search). 

So now that you have a research question, you also have keywords for searching the databases; keep in mind that you can use synonyms as well. For example: 

Question: How does artificial intelligence affect students' research methods at the college level? 

Keywords: artificial intelligence, students, research methods, college level

Synonyms: machine learning, college student, research practices, college or university, etc.

When using keywords to search the databases, link them using Boolean operators (AND, OR, NOT). 

Note: Using at least two keywords in the advanced search of a database will help you to find information more efficiently and effectively.