LIS 105: Information Literacy Basics

Organizing information ensures that it will be findable. The main thing you need is to know the path to get there, or at least how to find the path (remember: research is an exploration), and knowing how to navigate it, all of which we'll be discussing this week.

Information is organized in a number of different ways, depending on where it is kept and how it is used. Libraries, archives, museums, government offices, online repositories, and others organize information in various ways, but all have the same intention of making information resources available and accessible. Most often, resources are organized alphabetically and/or numerically, in a logical sequence. 

Truman College (all CCC Libraries) uses the Library of Congress classification system to organize books in the library:

There are two ways to find books in the library: searching for known items in a catalog, and browsing through any number of resources that result from your search, or on the shelf, with the hope of finding something useful. Both methodologies are perfectly acceptable, and often complement each other.

Locating a book by its call number requires finding the item in the library catalog, then matching the call number listed there to the item in the stacks (on the shelf). 

Information is further organized within resources, for example using tables of contents and indexes, and chapters and chapter sections in books:

• Table of contents: A list, usually at the beginning of a book, outlining the various chapters and/or sections of the work, and providing page numbers for ease of location. 
• Index: A list, usually at the end of a book, identifying key concepts or topics in the work, alphabetized and with page numbers for ease of location. 
• Chapter; chapter sections: A discrete portion of a book, focused on a particular aspect of the main subject matter. Chapters may be subdivided by section, according to subtopics.

One way to conceptualize the way databases are organized is to compare the layout of a database to that of a grocery store. This conceptualization is also helpful for understanding how to narrow a topic to a more manageable size. Read through the illustration below for an overview of how to navigate a database; the importance of having this understanding will be discussed on the next tab.

To Google or not to Google...

When searching for information, we have all become accustomed to "googling." (The process is so ubiquitous in our culture that it's even become a commonly-used verb!) When we are searching for certain types of information, such as hours and locations, directions, definitions or descriptions, information about current events, and more, Google is the best place to look. In addition, Wikipedia is a useful and legitimate resource for getting a general idea about a topic, and even for getting started with research for class projects, though that doesn't change the fact that it is not an acceptable and citable resource for college level research papers. 

It's important to be able to discern between the features of library resources and those out there on the open web for your research. The figures below outline the main points of what you will need to know:

Library Databases vs. Google

Differences Between Library Databases & Google

Library Database Organization and Searching

As the illustration on the previous tab shows, one way to conceptualize database organization and navigation is to compare the layout of a database to that of a grocery store. Once you have an idea of what you are looking for specifically (as a result of brainstorming, composing a research question, and selecting keywords), within a familiar framework, you will be able to find relevant results much more easily and quickly. 

Using the grocery store/database model, you can think of your keywords as departmental signage, indicating that various individual items (articles) are accessible according to your search terms. Entering at least 2 keywords linked with Boolean operators (AND, OR, NOT) into database search boxes will bring you more relevant results more efficiently. 

Very much like keywords, though from an official list, Library of Congress subject terms are used to organize the contents of library catalogs, as described in the video on the previous tab; they are also used in library databases, as seen here. 

Database searching pro-tips

• Not all databases contain the same information. Some will have overlapping content, while others will differ. It's a good idea to use more than one database for researching a topic. 
• Browse through the list of available databases to discover which might be a good fit for your subject area or type of research question. The most often-used databases are listed at the right of CCC's complete list of databases.
• Use advanced search with at least 2 keywords + Boolean operators to get to relevant results more quickly
• When viewing the full text of an article, always select the PDF version vs. HTML. PDFs are images of the original, whereas HTML does not always include things like page numbers, graphs, and other illustrations. The layout of HTML files is also more difficult to read because of the density of the text. 
• Know where the toolbox is located to use functions including Save, Cite, Share, etc. The most important tools are Cite (gives citations in various formats) and Permalink (provides a link directly back to the article, using your CCC credentials).
• Mine bibliographies of relevant resources and use "Related Search" functions for related articles and information.
• Keep a record of all sources you think you might use for your research, whether it's in a Word or Google doc, saved in a database folder, in a research matrix something like the one below, or whatever works best for you!
  • Doing this at the beginning of your research will help you out in the long run, especially if you are writing an annotated bibliography (as you are for your final project for this class!)

Give it a try in the Library Databases!