Using Credo Reference (database)

So you want fast, fun reference that’s oh so much better than Wikipedia – try Credo Reference. It is a reference database with almost 500 digitized reference titles from 70 different publishers covering many different subjects. Credo Reference is a wonderful place to start your research. Read more about Credo Reference.

Research Tip: Defining Your Information Need

In the research process, whether your project involves a five-minute speech or a twenty-page paper, the first step is always defining your information need. Before you sit down in front of a computer to begin your search for information, take the time to clarify exactly what kind of information you are searching for. Do you have a thesis statement or an essential question to be answered? Do you have auxiliary questions that will help you prove your thesis or answer your larger question? Without this kind of direction your search for information can become a confusing and frustrating experience.

Once you have taken the necessary time to spell out your information need, you should be able to pull from your thesis or questions several keywords and phrases that you will use when searching the library catalog, online article databases, or the Internet for information. In addition to these words and phrases, try to brainstorm others that tie in with your topic, or that mean the same thing. When you strike out with one word, substitute another and see if you get better results.

Make sure you use different kinds of information sources, and weigh the benefits of one source against another so that you end up choosing the best ones. For instance, a book is often the best resource because the author is usually an expert who has spent substantial time researching the information, which is then verified prior to being published. A scholarly article can be better than a book when the topic is a time-sensitive one, because journals are published more frequently and usually contain the latest findings in a given field. Don’t wait until the last minute to gather your information, but allow yourself enough time to get resources from places besides your own library.

Check back here in another few weeks for tips on effective online searching strategies!

The LRC has officially gone GREEN…Email notices for overdue materials, items available, and fines/fees notices will be sent to students and community members (who have provided an email address). If anyone has any questions, please feel free to stop in the LRC and ask. Thank-You

21st Century Literacy

Before the Internet burst on the scene, a good education was measured in terms of the 3 R’s – Reading, wRiting and ‘Rithmetic – and how well you were able to master them. But as information becomes increasingly digital people are starting to make a big deal of what are now being called 21st Century Information Skills. (If you want to know more about this movement, check out the website of the Partnership for 21st Century Skills .) Now students are still expected to learn the 3R’s, but also how to integrate that knowledge with the ability to think critically, collaborate with their peers on multiple platforms, and become proficient at finding and using online information efficiently and ethically. How does this relate to SVCC students?

It has something to do with the tools that are provided to help you learn and succeed in your courses and your level of proficiency when it comes to using these tools. Consider, for instance, the range of reference and journal databases offered through the Learning Resource Center. Most students are familiar with at least one magazine/journal database when they arrive on campus, but to get the maximum benefit from them, it’s important to learn a few pointers before you can become really proficient.

In the coming weeks the LRC blog will be featuring advice and information about the best practices for searching for information online, whether you are looking for books in the online catalog, for scholarly research articles in the databases, or for background information on any topic on the Internet. Please check back here now and again for new information, and we will help you sharpen your information literacy skills.