Academic Strategies Course Readings (ENGL 1003)

Now that you have the basics down, there are a few more things you should know about searching for and evaluating information, and about how to use it ethically and legally.  ToDo: Follow the directions in each of the boxes below!

Boolean Operators Rock! 

What are Boolean Operators & how will they improve my search?  - You can improve your online search results by using connectors, such as and, or, not, to combine search terms.  These connectors also are called "Boolean operators," named after the nineteenth-century English mathematician, George Boole.  Click on the link below to learn more about how you can use them to improve your search results in our library catalog and library databases!

The Difference Between Keyword & Subject Searching

When you were working on the library catalog activity, you tried a keyword search first, then a subject search for a book on your topic.

Depending on your topic & search term(s), you likely got more results with a keyword search, but some of those may not actually help with your topic; a subject search likely produced fewer results, but they should be more relevant to your search. Why do you think that is? Once you've mulled that over a bit, click on the video link to find out why.

This video shows an example from Ebsco's MLA International Bibliography database, but the concept described is basically the same for any searchable database (including our library catalog).

Finally, even though we hope you now see the value of using library resources to find good, reliable information, it would only be fair to mention that there's a lot of great information out there on the web as well.  The trick is knowing which sites to trust.  ToDo: Click on the link below to read about the CRAAP test, a great tool you can use to help determine whether a website contains reliable information for research.

ToDo:  Use Google or another search engine to find 2 websites on one of your topics.  List the URL and title for each site, and then explain which one would be a better source of information and why.  Be sure to refer to some of the points on the CRAAP test in your analysis.

A library overview wouldn't be complete without mentioning the importance of using any information you've found in a way that is responsible, legal and ethical, so take a few minutes to learn a little about plagiarism and how you can avoid it using some simple techniques. ToDo: First, watch the video below.  Then, click on the "Searchpath Module 6 - Citing Sources" link in Box #4 below for an opportunity to practice and test your plagiarism knowledge.

What does plagiarism mean to you at TCC? Watch this video tutorial created by Adam Brennan (Librarian, Metro Campus) and the Metro Campus Writing Center to find out.

Everything you need to know about plagiarism but didn't know how to ask.  Detailed explanations of how to avoid plagiarism from Purdue University's OWL Online Writing Lab:

http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/589/01/

Still not sure what plagiarism is?  Practice with college students like you in this tutorial, You Quote It, You Note It, from Acadia University.

That depends.

• If your instructor has assigned you to turn in any of the activities (ToDo items), you should probably do that. 
• If you would like, go back and review any portions of the guide to reinforce your understanding of the concepts and mastery of the skills.
• Enrichment Ideas provides ideas for activities Academic Strategies instructors could assign to reinforce the concepts.  Feel free to complete them on your own to sharpen your research skills.
• Take a look at Good To Know! to find out other general information that most new college students find helpful.  Some is related to research, but most of it is just related to college life in general.