library research task

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LibrarySkills@UCL: Library skills essentials

5 steps to effective library research.

• Getting started
• Assignments
• Independent research
• Good academic practice in the use of sources
• Books and e-books
• Journals and e-journals
• Grey literature
• Data and statistics
• Research metrics
• Generative AI
• Other types of information
• Where to look for information
• Plan your search
• Evaluate your results
• Manage and cite your sources
• Communicate your research
• Further help

When working on an assignment or research study, your library research follows a process. Ensure you consider every step in the process. Although the process is linear, you will usually find you need to revisit steps as you uncover more information.

Our model illustrates the process in five steps, which map to the related knowledge and library skills covered in our guides.

• Understanding your search:  Understanding your topic and the nature and extent of your library research task.
• Defining search terms:  Identifying search concepts and alternative search terms.
• Where to look for information: Select resources to search for information to inform your research.
• Develop your search strategy:  Combining search concepts and utilising appropriate search rules to ensure an effective search.
• Review and refine your search:  Revisiting your search to develop it further as you discover more about the topic and existing sources of information.
• Select relevant, reliable, valid sources:  Think critically about the information you have retrieved and assess whether to use it to inform your work.
• Organise your references:  Keep track of the information you retrieve so you can come back to it and acknowledge it in your work.
• Acknowledge and cite appropriately:  Follow standardised protocols for consistent and accurate referencing of your information sources in your work.
• Produce your research output:  Writing, presenting and sharing your work.
• << Previous: Where to look for information
• Next: Plan your search >>
• Last Updated: May 10, 2024 4:13 PM
• URL: https://library-guides.ucl.ac.uk/library-skills-essentials

• University of Michigan Library
• Research Guides

Essentials of Library Research

• Choosing Your Topic
• Getting Started
• Finding Books & Media
• Finding Articles & Journals
• Evaluating Information
• Citing Sources

Choosing a Topic

Coming up with a topic for your paper can sometimes be the hardest or most frustrating part of the research process. It can be intimidating to have a big library research task in front of you. Don't worry--just about everyone feels this way at some point! 

And it's O.K. to not feel completely confident about your topic. That is why we do research: to see what is already out there, and then come to a conclusion or make an argument. It may take several iterations before you settle on a final topic or thesis. That's why it's important to start as early as you can, so that you still have enough time for the searching and exploring stage.

See the Finding and Exploring Your Topic Research Guide for more in-depth help for this stage of your research.

Creating Keywords

Building a good search statement will help you find great resources related to your topic. The library's Search Strategy Generator  will help you translate your topic into search terms or keywords.  

Choosing an Argument

The library has some series of books and specialized databases which summarize both sides of an issue. These may help you develop a topic, and help you track down appropriate research.

To find relevant books go to  Library Catalog Search ,  and search one of the following:

" opposing viewpoints "

" contemporary world issues "

Databases & Websites

• Culture Wars in America: An Encyclopedia of Issues, Viewpoints, and Voices Encyclopedia covers major topics of contemporary importance to America society.
• CQ Researcher This link opens in a new window CQ Researcher is noted for its in-depth, unbiased coverage of health, social trends, criminal justice, international affairs, education, the environment, technology, and the economy. The Pro/Con section offers succinct articles by experts arguing for and against given topics.
• Issues & Controversies This link opens in a new window Issues and Controversies offers accurate discussions of over 250 controversial topics in the news supplemented with chronologies, illustrations, maps, tables, contact information, and bibliographies including primary source documents and news editorials.
• Opposing Viewpoints in Context This link opens in a new window Covers current social and cultural issues, and includes pro and con "viewpoint" essays, topic overviews, primary sources, and news articles.
• ProCon.org: Pros and Cons of Controversial Issues ProCon.org presents both sides of a current "controversial" issue. The topics on this site include: politics, religion, medicine and health, sports, science, and education.

Narrowing Your Topic

Sometimes a topic that seems like the right size for your paper can seem way too big after you’ve learned a little more about it.   When this happens, you need to narrow the focus of your paper.   You can do this by considering different ways to restrict your paper topic.

Some of the ways you can limit your paper topic are by:

• Who – population or group (e.g., college students; women; Asian Americans)
• What – discipline or focus (e.g., sociological or historical perspective)
• Where – geographic location (e.g., United States; universities; small towns)
• When – time period or era (19 th century; Renaissance; Vietnam War)
• Why – why is the topic important? (to the class, to the field, or to you)

For example, a paper about alcohol use would be very broad.   But a paper about reasons for alcohol abuse by female college students in the United States during the 1990s might be just right.

Broadening Your Topic

Sometimes you will find that your topic is too narrow - there is not enough published on your topic.  When this happens, you can try to broaden your topic.  There are a couple of strategies you can try when broadening your topic.

One strategy is to choose less specific terms for your search, e.g., standardized tests instead of SATs, or performance-enhancing drugs instead of anabolic steroids.

Another strategy is to broaden your topic by changing or removing limits or filters from your topic:

• Who - population or group (e.g., instead of college students, choose a broader section of the population)
• What  - discipline or focus (e.g., instead of choosing a sociological perspective, look at a number of perspectives)
• Where  - geographic location (e.g., instead of Michigan, choose United States)
• When  - time period or era (e.g., instead of 1984, choose 1980s or 20th century)

For example, a paper about alcohol use by college students at the University of Michigan in 1984 might be too narrow of a focus.  But a paper about alcohol use by college students in the 1980s might be just right.

University Libraries

• Ohio University Libraries
• Library Guides
• Library Research Process

Research: An Overview

• Narrowing a Topic
• Doing Presearch
• Words and Synonyms
• Scholarly vs. Popular
• What's in a Scholarly Article?
• Finding Books
• Finding Articles
• Film & Video
• Subject Databases and Guides
• Spotting Fake News
• The Four Moves
• Quick Journal Article Evaluation
• Zotero: Tracking Sources
• Information In Real Life Tutorial
• Scholarship as a Conversation and Article Deep Dive
• UC 1900 Library Tutorial Covers six components to help new students understand what the library offers and how to use its resources. ArticlesPlus ALICE Digital collections Your Library Account Printing Get Help

The Library Research Process: What's On These Pages

A strategy for your project; where to start?

Finding a Topic  & Presearch

Start Big; narrow by aspect; start investigating

Search Techniques

How to find what you need in a database

Types of Resources  & Finding Them

Formats and characteristics of information

Evaluating Sources

Investigate or test the information for reliability

Citing Sources

Details of style and using Zotero

Information in Real Life Tutorial 

Finding and using information after college

Librarians can be especially helpful in two aspects of the information-gathering portion of the research process:

• WHERE to search: recommending appropriate databases and other research tools for your particular topic
• HOW to search: coming up with good terms to use when you use these research tools, and arranging those terms in ways that will give you the best results
• Next: Research: An Overview >>

Holman Library

Library Research: A Step-By-Step Guide

• Step 1: Develop a Topic
• Library Research: A Step-by-Step Guide
• 1a. Understand Your Assignment
• 1b. Select a Topic
• 1c. Develop Research Questions
• 1d. Identify Search Words
• 1e. Find Background Info
• 1f. Refine Your Topic
• 2a. Use Smart Search Strategies
• 2b. Find Books
• 2c. Find Audio and Video
• 2d. Find Articles
• 2e. Find Websites
• 2f. Find Info in Holman Library One Search
• 3a. Evaluate By Specific Criteria
• 3b. Distinguish Between Scholarly/Popular Sources
• Step 4: Write
• Step 5: Cite Your Sources

Step 1: Develop a topic

The research process has many steps..

The first step is identifying your topic.

This section of the guide will help you to learn how to do the following tasks:

Understand your assignment

Select a topic

Develop research questions

Identify search words

Find background info

Refine your topic

Follow these steps:

First, watch the video overview linked below that shows how to develop your topic.

Then, after you have viewed the clip, click the next tab to complete the following tasks.

Starting with a question

A part of the research process is asking the right questions, and then asking them again! 

Image Source:  "Key Questions"  by  Mohamed Hassan  is in the  Public Domain, CC0

• << Previous: Library Research: A Step-by-Step Guide
• Next: 1a. Understand Your Assignment >>
• Last Updated: May 11, 2024 7:55 PM
• URL: https://libguides.greenriver.edu/library-research

ChatGPT for Teachers

Trauma-informed practices in schools, teacher well-being, cultivating diversity, equity, & inclusion, integrating technology in the classroom, social-emotional development, covid-19 resources, invest in resilience: summer toolkit, civics & resilience, all toolkits, degree programs, trauma-informed professional development, teacher licensure & certification, how to become - career information, classroom management, instructional design, lifestyle & self-care, online higher ed teaching, current events, examples of library research assignments.

Every student must develop library research skills in order to complete academic work in most subjects throughout their academic careers. More specifically, they will apply these skills along with library support services when researching information for essays, reports and projects.

However, library research skills are applicable well beyond the classroom, as adults benefit from library research for work as well as for leisure. Students who complete assignments that develop their ability to conduct library research are establishing a lifelong knowledge on how to find, decipher, and interpret information.

There are many ways to develop good library research skills. Here are tips that will help students get started.

Lead with librarians

Librarians are key to the success of assignments for students related to library research abilities. Utilize the opportunity to involve librarians by asking them for ideas for creating assignments. Librarians can also evaluate an assignment to determine its effectiveness and offer advice for making assignments more relevant. Also, contacting a librarian ahead of time regarding an assignment will alert them that students will be in the library doing a particular activity. Creating a partnership with the librarian will be beneficial for students who are dealing with multiple instructors while learning about skills with library research.

Establish concrete objectives

The first step for conducting solid library research is to set concrete objectives. Also, the student must understand what the skill is that they are implementing in an assignment. For example, the student might be learning how to write citations in a bibliography or how to research databases. However, if the assignment makes assumptions that the student already understands the reason for learning these research skills, it will not be as conducive. The assignment must include clear goals, along with supplemental information, such as how the particular skill relates to the library or other academic subjects.

Application of the skill

Learning about any particular research skill can be a tedious chore if the assignment is not made interesting for the student. Integrate a library research activity in with other assignments to create a meaningful connection. For instance, if introducing how to search for scholarly sources, an assignment could be a part of a research project on a topic of interest to the student. Assignments that encourage students to put their new research skill into action have more staying power compared to a straightforward assignment that simply focuses on the skill.

Relevance is key

Making the research skill assignment relevant and exciting to the student is essential. When a new skill for library research is introduced, by incorporating it with other related activities, the student is more likely to recall the skill later on. For example, for an assignment that is focused on how to research primary resources, a trip to a museum or historical site would be highly relevant and interactive. The student would have the chance to see a skill put to use in the real world while learning how to conduct the appropriate steps for success.

Involve library support services

Given that library research skills involve the library, it is only natural to incorporate support services at the library. Involve the library research department and applicable services when creating assignments that teach research skills. For example, a librarian could visit a classroom to teach the students how to look for scholarly reference sources on the Internet. Additionally, librarians may be willing to work with students in groups or individually to conduct research in the classrooms.

Instructors who are tasked to teach skills related to library research, such as the difference in primary and secondary sources or how to conduct scholarly research, have an important job. With preparation and planning, these assignments can be beneficial for students. The most important things to remember when creating these assignments are relevance and application. By creating a partnership with a library and its librarian, instructors are more capable of assisting students with library research.

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• Research Guides

6 Stages of Research

• 1: Task Definition
• 2: Information Seeking
• 3: Location & Access
• 4: Use of Information
• 5: Synthesis
• 6: Evaluation

Ask a Librarian

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We are here to help!

Ask the Right Questions

The scope of an investigation determines how large or small your investigation will be. Determining the scope of an investigation is the critical first step in the research process because you will know how far and how deep to look for answers. This lesson will teach you how to develop a research question as a way to determine the scope of an investigation.

Click the image to open the tutorial in a new window.

Keyword(s):  5W Criteria, Ask the Right Questions, Guided Inquiry, Information Literacy, Library, New Literacies Alliance, Research as Inquiry, Research Question

Purpose of this guide

The purpose of this guide is to walk you through the 6 stages of writing an effective research paper. By breaking the process down into these 6 stages, your paper will be better and you will get more out of the research experience. 

The 6 stages are:

• Task Definition (developing a topic)
• Information Seeking (coming up with a research plan)
• Location & Access (finding good sources)
• Use of Information (Reading, taking notes, and generally making the writing process easier)
• Synthesis (coming up with your own ideas and presenting them well)
• Evaluation (reflection)

This research guide is based on the Big6 Information Literacy model from  https://thebig6.org/

Task Definition

The purpose of task definition is to help you develop an effective topic for your paper. .

Developing a topic is often one of the hardest and most important steps in writing a paper or doing a research project. But here are some tips:

• A research topic is a question, not a statement. You shouldn't already know the answer when you start researching.
• Research something you actually care about or find interesting. It turns the research process from a chore into something enjoyable and whoever reads your work can tell the difference. 
• Read the assignment before and after you think you have come up with your topic to make sure you are answering the prompt. 

Steps to Developing a Topic

• Assignment Requirements
• General Idea
• Background Research
• Ask Questions
• Topic Question

Read your assignment and note any requirements.

• Is there a required page length?
• How many sources do you need?
• Does the paper have to be in a specific format like APA?
• Are there any listed goals for the topic, such as synthesizing different opinions, or applying a theory to a real-life example?

Formulate a general idea.

• Look at your syllabus or course schedule for broad topic ideas.
• Think about reading assignments or class lectures that you found interesting.
• Talk with your professor or a librarian. 
• Check out social media and see what has been trending that is related to your course. 
• Think about ideas from popular videos, TV shows, and movies.
• Read The New York Times  (FHSU students have free access through the Library)
• Watch NBC Learn (FHSU students have free access through the Library)
• Search your library for relevant journals and publications related to your course and browse them for ideas
• Browse online discussion forums, news, and blogs for professional organizations for hot topics

Do some background research on your general idea.

• You have access to reference materials through the Library for background research.
• See what your course notes and textbook say about the subject.
• Google it. 

Reference e-books on a wide range of topics. Sources include dictionaries, encyclopedias, key concepts, key thinkers, handbooks, atlases, and more. Search by keyword or browse titles by topic.

Over 1200 cross-searchable reference e-books on a wide variety of subjects.

Mind map it.

A mind map is an effective way of organizing your thoughts and generating new questions as you learn about your topic. 

• Video  on how to do a mind map. 
• Coggle Free mind mapping software that is great for beginners and easy to use.
• MindMup Mindmup is a free, easy to use online software that allows you to publish and share your mind maps with others.

Ask Questions to focus on what interests you.

Who?   What?   When?   Where?   Why?

We can focus our ideas by brainstorming what interests us when asking who, what, when where, and why:

Research Question:  Does flexible seating in an elementary classroom improve student focus?

Write out your topic question & reread the assignment criteria.

• Can you answer your question well in the number of pages required? 
• Does your topic still meet the requirements of the paper? Ex: is the question still about the sociology of gender studies and women?
• Is the topic too narrow to find research? 

Developing a Topic Tutorial

The following tutorial from Forsyth Library will walk you through the process of defining your topic. 

• Next: 2: Information Seeking >>
• Last Updated: May 15, 2024 2:43 PM
• URL: https://fhsuguides.fhsu.edu/6stages

• All eBooks & Audiobooks
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• Opposing Viewpoints
• ProQuest Central
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• Citing Sources

Library Research

• Websites by Topic
• Book-a-Librarian
• Research Tutorials
• Use the Catalog
• Use Databases
• Use Films on Demand
• Use Home Grown eBooks
• Use NC LIVE
• Evaluating Sources
• Primary vs. Secondary
• Scholarly vs. Popular
• Make an Appointment
• Writing Tools
• Annotated Bibliographies
• Summaries, Reviews & Critiques
• Writing Center

Service Alert

• How to Research
• Determine a Topic
• Find Background Information
• Form a Research Question
• Develop a Research Strategy
• Find Articles
• Scholarly VS Popular Articles This link opens in a new window
• Cite Sources This link opens in a new window
• Research Tools
• About RCC Library
• About This Guide

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Links on this guide may go to external web sites not connected with Randolph Community College. Their inclusion is not an endorsement by Randolph Community College and the College is not responsible for the accuracy of their content or the security of their site.

Understand Your Assignment

Regardless of the assignment, department, or instructor, adopting these two habits will serve you well:

• Read the assignment carefully as soon as you receive it . Do not put this task off—reading the assignment at the beginning will save you time, stress, and problems later. An assignment can look pretty straightforward at first, particularly if the instructor has provided lots of information. That does not mean it will not take time and effort to complete; you may even have to learn a new skill to complete the assignment.
• Ask the instructor about anything you do not understand. Do not hesitate to approach your instructor. Instructors would prefer to set you straight before you hand the paper in. That’s also when you will find their feedback most useful.

From University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill - Writing Center

Explore Topics

• Gale In Context: Global Issues This link opens in a new window Provides news, global viewpoints, reference materials, country information, primary source documents, videos, statistics, and more in a single search; updated daily
• Idea Generator Use the idea generator to pick a topic that interests you. From Old Dominion University.
• Opposing Viewpoints in Context (Gale) This link opens in a new window Provides information on social issues; includes viewpoint articles, topic overviews, statistics, primary documents, links to websites, and full-text academic journal, magazine and newspaper articles
• Research Project Topic Idea Generator Use this site to lead you towards some subjects for your research project.
• << Previous: How to Research
• Next: Find Background Information >>
• Last Updated: Apr 4, 2024 1:51 PM
• URL: https://libguides.randolph.edu/research

How to Research

• Define a Topic

Library Resources

Web resources.

• Evaluate for Quality
• Research Tips & Search Strategies
• Academic Integrity
• Citation Styles
• Annotated Bibliography

Research Tips

   Research is a process  that takes time.  This page will give students research tips and tricks to make their research more effective and efficient. 

   Students will learn:

• How to get started with research by outlining and planning out the research process.
• Learn what resources are available.
• Common search strategies and ways to troubleshoot any issues encountered in the research process.

Getting Started with Research

• Research Systems
• Know Your Sources

Research is a process that takes time. Expect to spend 50% of your time researching and 50% writing.

The research process includes the following steps:

• Choose a topic. Select a topic that interests you. To help you come up with a research topic you may want to consult news articles for current events, read through your assignment description for background material, or select an area within your field of study that interests you. Check out our guide on how to define your topic  for more details.
• Get a good understanding of the subject. You may want to consult search engines, books or eBooks, or even Wikipedia. Reading about a subject will help you formulate a research question and create meaningful search terms.
• Research. This includes finding relevant sources, reading them, making notes, and creating citations. Check out our guides on how to use library and web resources for your research.
• Outline. With the knowledge you have gained from both your background reading and formal research, create an outline of your paper. Create an outline of your research paper by creating headings and sub-headings with introductory sentences. Develop your thesis statement and include it in your introductory paragraph. For tips on how to structure an APA style research paper, see our citation style guide .
• Write.   Now it is time to put all of the work that you have done so far with defining the topic, doing the research and outline together with your own ideas and analysis to complete the written requirements for the assignment.
• Review. Finally, do not forget to proofread your paper.  

Schedule Your Research

Now that we know all of the steps involved in writing a paper, we can plan out a schedule consisting of milestones to be accomplished by pre-determined dates.

• Email my professor with my research topic by October 5th.
• Conduct background research on my topic by October 7th.
• Find 10 scholarly resources about my topic by October 14th.
• Complete my research paper outline by October 21st.
• Finish writing my research paper by October 28th.

Find a Research System that Works for You

Before you begin researching, plan how you will collect and organize your notes .

Digital Notetaking

• If you are interested in taking your research notes digitally, consider creating a dedicated Google Doc or Word document . Alternatively, you may want to track your information using reference management software (e.g., Zotero , Mendeley, or EndNote Basic ).

Manual Notetaking

• If you are interested in tracking all of your research on paper, consider using a one-subject notebook or a folder .

Best Practices

• Give each resource its own dedicated page and at the top of each dedicated page, including the resource's citation , including a permalink  or a DOI (digital object identifier) to the original source. Below the citation is where you can make your notes. 
• Make sure to include any page numbers where you found your information or quotations from. This ties your notes back to the original source, which makes inserting references into your writing easier.
• When possible, paraphrase as much as possible rather than copy down direct quotations. Not only will this help you understand the topic or resource better, but it will also improve your writing.

Know Your Resources

Before you start researching, you need to know what resources are available to you.

The library contains a plethora of resources, including databases .

Getting Started with Library Databases

• Visit your program-specific subject guide  to find out which databases may be most relevant to you.
• Start with broad, multidisciplinary databases :
• Academic OneFile (Gale)
• Academic Search Premier (EBSCOhost)
• ScienceDirect College Edition (Elsevier)

The Internet also contains many resources you can access, often for free. There are search engines (e.g., Google , Duck Duck Go ), academic search engines (e.g., Google Scholar ), digital repositories, Wikis, social media, videos, and more. 

Search Strategies

Publication dates, mine bibliographies.

• Make Connections

Be attentive to when a source was published.

• Some professors will require students to only include sources that were published within the last 5 or 10 years . Always check your assignment description for clarification.
• While it is generally okay to use some older sources, make sure that the majority of the sources you include are more recent. Of course, this rule of thumb differs between academic disciplines.
• If when you are researching a topic and there appears to be no recent research (within the past decade), the field has likely moved on or evolved. This may indicate that you may need to rework your research question .

Leaders in the Field

A great starting place for research is to discover who the leaders are within your field of research . 

• Use a search engine to find out who the major researchers are within the field of research you are looking into. This is a great starting place, especially for annotated bibliographies and literature reviews .
• Consider searching through Wikipedia pages on relevant models or theories. Wikipedia is a useful tool because it gives a concise overview of the subject and provides useful links to sources. You may also come across the professional websites of researchers, which may contain their publications and professional or academic affiliations.

Once you have found the names, and perhaps major works, of a few leaders, you can:

• Attempt to search for either the author's name or the title of their research into your library's database(s) .
• You can also use tools like Google Scholar   to see what else the leader has published and where their articles have been cited .
• If you know what institution(s) a leader is affiliated with, you can check for their articles in institutional repositories (e.g.,  Scholarship@Western ) or in academic social networking sites, like ResearchGate .

Step 1: Skim Bibliographies

Once you have found a great source, whether it is a book or article, skim through the references/bibliography and make note of all the titles that interest you or may be relevant to your research. This is also a great time to see what authors  have contributed research to the subject. 

Step 2: Searching for Articles. 

Search for either the title , title and author , or full citation of each source you have made note of in your library's database.

If the library has the article, perfect! If not, well, not all is lost. You have a few options at your disposal:

• Search in an academic search engine, like Google Scholar , to retrieve an open access version of an article. The easiest way to do this is to copy and paste the full citation into Google Scholar.
• Ask a library technician if they can help you look for the article in other library databases.

Step 3:  Searching for Authors

To find an author's body of work, you can search the author's name:

• In a library database (or discovery service, if that is what you prefer).
• In a search engine, where you may be able to find a professional website containing an author's body of work.
• In an academic search engine, like Google Scholar's author search , particularly if they have created an author profile. It may be beneficial to include the author's professional affiliation (e.g., a college or university) in your search.
• In an academic social networking site, like ResearchGate .

Database Filters

Research can be long and tedious. Here are some tried-and-true tips to help you find sources more efficiently:

• Full-Text filter . Library databases index citations, abstracts, and full-length articles, book chapters, news reports, eBooks, etc. To ensure you only receive search results that contain full articles, select the full-text filter.
• Publication Date filter . By selecting a date range, this filter will help you find recent research.
• Scholarly (Peer-Reviewed) Journals filter . This filter will only retrieve scholarly articles that have been through a peer-review process. Some professors require students to only cite scholarly, or peer-reviewed, sources in assignments.
• Source Type filters. You can further narrow your search by selecting a specific source, such as academic journals, news, magazines, trade publications, books, reports reviews, etc. This is useful if you require a specific type of source, such as news articles.

Filtering Articles

• To determine if a resource may be useful for you, read the abstract , introductory paragraph , and concluding paragraph . If you like what you see, you can commit the time to read the full article.
• If you have large blocks of text or need to find specific words or phrases within an eBook or article, use the  "Find"  feature of your browser or program (Ctrl+F for Windows users or Cmd+F for MAC users).

Making Connections

You may have already come up with a research question, or at least a topic, to research. It is fairly likely that your research question or topic is multifaceted or complex. Fear not - we will provide you with a few tips to get you started with your research.

• Do some  background research on your topic. This will not only help you understand the topic in more depth but will also help you pick out key concepts.
• Do not try to tackle your topic all at once . You are not likely to find the perfect article that seeks to explain or answer all aspects of your research question. This is perfectly okay - you are researching, after all.
• Create an outline of all the key concepts of your topic. From here, research each individual piece on its own . See how to create keywords and search terms in our Define a Topic guide.
• It will not take long before you start finding connections between the key concepts of your topic. These connections will become the basis of your research.
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• Next: Citation >>
• Last Updated: May 7, 2024 10:01 AM
• URL: https://lambtoncollege.libguides.com/researching

How to Do Library Research

How to do library research? Many times instructors will recommend, or even require, that student researchers avoid the popular search engines and, instead, use a library, when doing their research. A visit to the library can transform your research efforts from simple look-ups into an educational experience that reveals many more resources that are open to you.

Not only is a library a source of countless texts, but it is also a place where you can seek the help of reference librarians who are schooled in using both print and digital resources to find reliable sources of information.Research librarians can also help you review and understand the requirements of an assignment, help you get started, and direct you in your search for information.

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Libraries also offer you the advantage of being able to access books, articles, and other documents that are off-limits to average users. Most public and university libraries are members of these database networks, and they allow you to access them through computers in the library or by entering information from your library card or student ID.Many libraries offer their own search engines for finding articles in specialized databases. Usually, they allow you to search by categories (such as the humanities, science, or business) and click on a journal to browse it or to enter keywords to search across databases, much like you do when using an online search engine.

How to Use a Library Catalog

An important part of your exploratory research is identifying the specific sources to use when you begin taking notes for your paper. The best place to start is the library catalog, which includes a list of all the books in your library. Assuming the catalog is online and you need help using it, ask the librarian to show you how. Check to see if you can access your library catalog on your home computer too.

You can search the library catalog in three ways—by subject, title, or author. A subject search shows the titles of books on your topic. To do a subject search, type in your topic. Then click on “subject.” You will get a list of all the books in the library on your topic, including the title, author, and call number for each book. The call number is important because the books are placed on the shelves in numerical order according to call number.

If you happen to know particular authors or titles of books that you might want to use, do an author or title search. Type in the author’s name to get a list of books by that author, or type in the title of a book to get information about that book.

In most online catalogs, you can get more information about a book by highlighting the title and clicking on “more information,” “expanded view,” or a similar phrase that appears on the screen. Then the catalog shows the name of the publisher, the place and date the book was published, whether or not the book is available, the call number, and where in the library it is located—the reference section, the adult nonfiction section, or the children’s section. You also may be able to click on helpful options such as “More by this author” or “More titles like this.”

All libraries use some form of cataloging or classification system to organize books. This allows library patrons to easily find the books on the shelves and tells librarians how to return them to their proper places when borrowers bring them back. Libraries use a variety of different classification schemes to index and shelve their books.The two most widely used are the Dewey Decimal Classification system (DDC) and the Library of Congress Classification system (LCC).

The Dewey Decimal Classification System (DDC) was developed by Melvil Dewey in 1876 to standardize the way in which books were organized within libraries. The Library of Congress Classification System (LCC) was developed in 1897 by the U.S. Library of Congress to meet the archival needs of the U.S. government. More than 95 percent of U.S. libraries use one or the other to provide a logical system for helping researchers and readers quickly locate titles about their topics. Most U.S. research and university libraries have moved to the LCC, while the DDC continues as the system most often found in public and school libraries. The categories in the two systems tend to reflect one another, although the precise alphanumeric system used by each is different. Both systems are constantly being expanded to keep up with the evergrowing body of published knowledge.

Researchers who lack a working knowledge of either system can always ask a librarian to point them in the right direction. However, it helps to have a basic understanding of how the systems work, particularly if you plan to browse the library shelves for books on your research paper topic.

Decoding Call Numbers

Both the DDC and the LCC use alphanumeric systems to identify titles according to topic. Each title is assigned an identification number, called a “call number,” according to how it is classified in the DDC or LCC.

Because it uses a system in which the categories and subcategories are divisible by 10, many researchers find DDC call numbers more logical and easier to use than the LCC’s alphanumeric codes. The DDC organizes topics under 10 general categories that are identified by number. Each category is further divided into subcategories, also identified by number. DDC codes continue with a decimal-based system that is relatively easy to decipher as you zero in on your subject. Many times, the decimal is followed by a letter which indicates the first letter of the last name of the author.

Dewey Decimal Classification System

The 10 general categories of the Dewey Decimal System include:

• 000 Generalities
• 100 Philosophy and psychology
• 200 Religion
• 300 Social sciences and anthropology
• 400 Language
• 500 Natural sciences and mathematics
• 600 Technology and applied sciences
• 700 The arts
• 800 Literature and rhetoric
• 900 Geography and history

For a list of the subclassifications under each category and more information about the DDC, visit the Dewey Services page of the Online Computer Library Center, Inc. (OCLC) at  http://www.oclc.org/dewey.en.html .

Library of Congress Classification System

LCC call numbers begin with a letter, designating the general category, followed by either another letter or a number that designates the subcategory. Deciphering LCC codes is trickier and may require the help of a librarian. The first letter in an LCC call number refers to one of the 21 categories represented in the system.The initial digit is followed by a letter or number combination that represents the subcategory. However, some categories in the LCC (including E and F which represent the history of the Americas) use numbers to indicate the subcategory and others (such as D which represents some areas of history, and K which represents Law) use three letters.The digits that follow the category and subcategory in the call number further define the subject. The final three letter-number combination in the call number is called the “cutter number.” It provides a code to the name of the author or the organization that sponsored the publication. The 21 general categories of the LCC include:

• A General works
• B Philosophy, psychology, religion
• C Auxiliary sciences of history, such as archaeology and genealogy
• D World history and the history of Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, New Zealand, and so on
• E–F History of the Americas
• G Geography, anthropology, recreation
• H Social sciences
• J Political science
• L Education
• M Music and books on music
• N Fine arts
• P Language and literature
• S Agriculture
• T Technology and engineering
• U Military science
• V Naval science
• Z Bibliography and library science, information resources

You will find a full list of LCC categories and subcategories in Appendix B of this book. More information about the LCC can be found online through the Library of Congress Cataloging Distribution Service at  http://www.loc.gov/cds/ .

No matter which system your library uses, your search for books at the library will begin with the library’s catalog. A library catalog is much like any other catalog. It is a record of everything that is available to you. Items within the library are indexed by their call numbers and arranged on the shelves according to their categories and subcategories.

Browsing for Information

Knowing the category and subcategory designations for your research paper topic also allows you to peruse the library shelves and browse titles in your subject area. Browsing is often useful in the early stages of your search for information because it allows you to open the books and scan the tables of contents, indexes, introductions, and chapter headings of books on your topic. These, in turn, can offer you a good idea of how helpful the work will be. Browsing, however, can be time-consuming.

To use your browsing time effectively, acquaint yourself with the categories under which you will likely find titles about your topic. Learn where the categories are shelved in the library. Typically, you will find topic labels or the range of call numbers for the topics in that aisle posted at the ends of individual aisles. After identifying the call numbers for your topic and subtopic, you will be able to go directly to the shelves where titles on your topic are located.

Keep in mind, however, that the best materials on your topic might not always be in the section where you are browsing. If a publication covers a variety of topics, it may be classified under one that is different from what you looked up.

Fortunately, subjects in card catalogs are cross-referenced so that you can search by title of the work,author’s name,and a variety of keywords, as well as by subject.Your search will produce a record of the books with a “call number,” or identification code. Libraries typically organize their shelves sequentially according to the system they use and label the ends of the aisles with the range of numbers to be found on the shelves in each aisle.

An Effective Browsing Strategy:

• Identify the main category in the DDC or LCC system (whichever one your library uses) under which you are likely to find your topic.
• Identify the logical subcategory under which your topic would fall.
• Make a notation of the category and subcategory identification codes.
• Use the first digit in the identification code to find your aisle.
• Use the second digit in the code to identify the range of shelves containing titles on the subcategory.
• Find titles that fit your topic.
• Review the chapter headings, introduction, index, relevant pages, illustrations, and captions in the volume to identify how helpful the title will be.
• As you browse through the shelves, remember that when the initial digits of the identification codes change, you’ll be leaving your topic and moving into another.

How to Use Books for Research Paper Writing

For many people, books are an indispensable part of research. For starters, they’re “user-friendly.” It’s easy to open a book and start reading. You don’t need any special equipment such as a computer terminal to read a book, either. Since it takes time to write and publish a book, they tend to be reliable sources. Right now, you’ll learn how to find the books you need to complete your research paper. Library collections are also limited by the physical capacity of the buildings. Fortunately, most of today’s libraries are connected through networks to other, affiliated libraries, allowing you to order titles that can be delivered locally. The library’s card catalog tells you what is in your library’s collection and what can be ordered through its network.

All libraries are repositories of recorded information, but not all libraries are alike. Their collections differ—both in the kinds of materials they offer and in how they categorize them. Public libraries, for instance, typically feature large sections of popular fiction, while research libraries may offer classical fiction but few titles that you would find on a current best-seller list. If you were looking for vampire novels, for instance, you are likely to find Bram Stoker’s 1897 Gothic classic,  Dracula , but do not expect it to share a shelf with the recent popular  Twilight  series by Stephanie Meyer.

The books you will use for your research paper fall into two main categories:  fiction  and nonfiction :

• Fiction is novels and short stories. Fiction is cataloged under the author’s last name.
• Nonfiction books, however, are classified in two different ways. Some libraries use the Dewey Decimal System; other libraries use the Library of Congress system. In general, elementary, junior high, high school, and community libraries use the Dewey Decimal System. University and academic libraries use the Library of Congress system.

Your research paper topic determines how you search for a book. Since most research papers deal with topics and issues, you’ll likely be searching by subject. However, it is often necessary to look under titles and authors as well. Consider all three avenues of finding information as you look through the card catalog.

Useful Books to Consider

A reference work is a compendium of information that you use to find a specific piece of information, rather than read cover to cover. Updated editions are published as needed, in some cases annually. In addition to specific books on your research paper topic,  here are some general reference sources to consider:

Encyclopedias . Some teachers will not let their students cite encyclopedias in their bibliographies, but that’s no reason not to use them for background information. An encyclopedia can be an excellent way to get a quick, authoritative overview of your topic. This can often help you get a handle on the issues. There are general encyclopedias ( World Books ,  Britannica ,  Colliers ,  Funk and Wagnalls ) as well as technical ones. The encyclopedias can be in print form or online.

Guide to Reference Sources . Published by the American Library Association, this useful guide has five main categories: general reference works; humanities; social and behavioral sciences; history and area studies; and science, technology, and medicine. The new editions include online sources as well as print ones. Another excellent reference guide is  Credo Reference  (formerly Xreferplus), an online product that accesses more than 200 reference books online.

Who’s Who in America . This reference work includes biographical entries on approximately 75,000 Americans and others linked to America.  Who Was Who  covers famous people who have died.

Almanacs . Almanacs are remarkably handy and easy-to-use reference guides. These one-volume books are a great source for statistics and facts.  The World Almanac  and  The Information ,  Please Almanac  are the two best known almanacs. They are updated every year.

Dictionaries . Complete dictionaries provide synonyms, antonyms, word histories, parts of speech, and pronunciation guides in addition to definitions and spelling. Depending on your topic, you may need to define all terms formally before you begin your research.

How to Use Articles in Periodicals

To get the most reliable, up-to-date, and useful information, you will want to use a variety of different reference sources. You will also likely use articles from magazines, newspapers, and journals as well as online sources and books to find information for your research paper.

Periodicals include all material that is published on a regular schedule, such as weekly, biweekly, monthly, bimonthly, four times a year, and so on. Newspapers, magazines, and journals are classified as periodicals.

• Newspapers and magazines are aimed at a general readership.
• Journals are aimed at a technical audience.

Finding articles in periodicals that are relevant to your topic can be a bit trickier because they tend to be indexed in separate databases organized by subject.

Electronic look-ups provide the fastest and easiest way of finding articles, allowing you to search on the subject and keywords to zero in on your topic. Frequently, you begin at the same search form that you would use to find book titles. However, articles are usually found through databases that require a bit more searching because you may have to access more than one database to find what you are looking for.

To find articles and essays on your subject:

• Review the list of databases and periodical indexes that are available at your library.
• Identify the databases that might address your topic, such as Business Source Premier, for business articles, or MEDLINE for biomedical literature.
• If you have difficulty finding an appropriate specialized database, use one such as Academic Search Premier or JSTOR which cuts across numerous categories.
• Go to the search screen for your database.
• Enter keywords to begin your search.
• Select logical titles from the results that you receive.
• Click on each title to retrieve the article citation.
• Read the abstract, or summary, to see whether that article contains the type of information you are seeking.
• Click to retrieve the full text if it is available electronically or use the citation information to order the article via email or through your library.

One useful way of identifying additional sources of information is to check the sources of quotations and citations in articles that were helpful to you. You then have the author’s name, the title of the article, or the publication in which an article of interest might have appeared and can look it up using the same database you used to find the original article.

How to Identify Appropriate Sources

Whether you found an article online or in print, you will need to evaluate the authority, or importance, of the research material you uncover.

As a general rule, reference texts, such as encyclopedias, dictionaries, and other standard reference sources like  Who’s Who  or  Bartlett’s Familiar Quotations  may meet the standard for high school research papers but they are generally not acceptable in college. The information in those volumes is considered “generic”—good for gathering general background but not unique or authoritative. Specialized dictionaries and compendiums, such as the Physicians’ Desk Reference , a listing of FDA-approved drugs, represent the exception.

University professors prefer “primary” and “secondary” sources. Primary sources are ones with unique discussions of ideas, concepts, trends, events, personalities, and discoveries. They report findings, set forth arguments, and provide unique insights and conclusions from the authors who wrote them. Secondary sources are materials that use or report on the work of others to provide summaries, analyses, or interpretations of primary sources.

An example of a secondary source would be a book review or an analysis of another work. For example,  The Rights of Man , Thomas Paine’s famous essay in defense of the French Revolution, is a primary work. It sets forth his original argument against the French monarchy. An article that mentions the essay in a discussion about the ideas of philosophers in the 1700s would be considered a secondary source.

This is not to say that you should abandon encyclopedias and other standard references. Such sources make great starting points in your research. Not only do they provide valuable background on the topic you plan to discuss, but they reveal the wealth of information that is commonly known about the subject.

Encyclopedias can also point you to other valuable sources. Encyclopedia articles often contain their own bibliographies that cite the primary and secondary research sources that the encyclopedia writers and editors used to develop the article. Not only will these citations direct you to primary sources that can be useful in your own research, but they come from sources that you know were deemed reliable by the editors of the encyclopedia.

How to Identify Reputable Print Sources

Finding information for your research paper in print sources can be equally as challenging as finding them online. Often the information you seek will be found in a small section of one article that appears in a very large volume. How do you find the information and know it will be useful unless you read the whole thing?

How to Find Good Print Resources:

• Look up your topic in the book’s index. Read those passages.
• Check journals and reports for an abstract, summary of findings, or executive summary at the beginning; these highlight the key information in the report.
• Review prefaces, introductions, and summaries on dust jackets for a quick overview.
• Read reviews, summaries, and commentaries about books.
• Check citations in a work to see how well-documented the work is.
• Read headlines, subheads, and call-outs in newspapers and magazines.
• Scan graphics and illustrations. Read the captions that accompany them.

How to Read Critically

You cannot write intelligently about a subject if you have not fully read and understood the material you found in your research. This requires “critical” reading. Critical reading means more than reviewing and recording the material. It means pausing to think about it. Ask yourself whether you found the research convincing.Then ask yourself: Why or why not?

There are strategies for critical reading, just as there are for writing research papers. Critical reading requires you to gain a complete and accurate understanding of the material you find in your research so that you can analyze it intelligently and interpret it for others. This means devoting more time to the reading than you normally do when you sit down to casually read a newspaper or curl up with a novel.

Expect to spend more time with a text than what it takes to simply understand what it says. Think about what you read; ask yourself questions about it. Evaluate its logic. Consider alternatives to the information the author presented. Be prepared to turn to other texts if you do not find answers to your questions or if the author’s arguments appear invalid. The more you can inform yourself about your topic and what other writers have said about it,the more you will equip yourself for the task ahead.

Critical reading is challenging so you will want to diminish noise and interferences. Turn off your radio, TV, iPod, and cell phone—anything that is likely to interrupt. Do not check your e-mail or read while socializing with friends. Reading in a quiet environment, and pursuing strategies for understanding eases the process and reduces the amount of time you will spend on research.

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The research process : a guide: research guides, research guides.

• Finding Books
• Reference Books in Print
• Reference Works Online
• Finding Articles
• Managing Citations

Style Manuals

Writing Handbooks

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• Last Updated: Jan 3, 2024 9:58 AM
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Information Literacy Instruction

• Exercises to Build Research Skills
• Formulate a research topic
• Find Information
• Evaluate Information
• Use Information
• Chicago/Turabian
• Citation Tools

Exercises Overview

Library instruction exercises.

The exercises below are designed for students learning to do research. They can be done in class or assigned as homework. They are in Word format so instructors who wish to use them can easily edit or adapt them. When appropriate, they contain an answer key, so instructors should look at the full handout and remove the answer key before sharing with students.

If you would like a librarian to come to your class to lead these exercises or if you would like an exercise customized for your subject area, contact your Library Liaison!

• Formulate a topic
• Find information
• Evaluate information
• Incorporate information
• Cite information
• Writing assignment formats
• Triangulating your research This exercise guides students with a broad topic to identify search terms and narrow their topic, arriving at a research question.
• Formulating a Research Question from a Broad Topic Students often begin their research (and writing) with a very broad topic. This means they waste a lot of time looking for resources that they will never use. Before they begin to research, it is ideal to have a focused question. This 10 minute assignment teaches them how to turn a very broad topic into a focused research question.
• Identifying and Refining a Research Topic Using Concept Maps This exercise is designed to help students think of words and concepts and see how they are related. They create a concept map of their topic, which may help them see ways to narrow their topic and arrive at a research question.
• Identifying and Refining a Research Topic Using Journalistic Questions Journalistic questions are a set of questions you can use to define your topic more clearly. This exercise will help student ask questions about their topic. Having specific questions to answer makes researching the topic easier when you get to that stage.
• Defining Search Terms Students will often try one or two search terms when using a database and assume there’s no information on their topic if it doesn’t work the first time. This exercise gets them thinking about synonyms and related words. This 15 minute exercise may seem simple, but I can almost guarantee that the next time they sit down at a database they will try multiple searches before giving up.
• Identifying Keywords In this exercise, students will practice identifying keywords that might be used to research their topic. The exercise has three parts. First, they will identify the keywords from sample research questions. Then they will brainstorm synonyms for those keywords, demonstrating the need to search using more than just one keyword. Finally, they will complete the exercise for their own research question.
• Information Source Comparison This activity helps students explore the strengths and weakness of Google, Google Scholar, Academic Search Complete and topic specific databases as information sources.
• Understanding Boolean Operators: AND, OR, NOT In order to apply your keywords to an effective search, you must be able to employ Boolean logic. Those operators are AND OR & NOT. The object of this exercise is to practice your use of those operators by looking at an everyday experience : Ordering food from a fast food restaurant.
• Creating Keyword Searches Using Boolean Operators In this exercise, students will practice selecting search terms and combining them using boolean operators in order to create an effective search.
• Popular, Trade or Peer Reviewed? Great hands-on exercise to teach students about the differences among the 3 types of publications. Students can read the differences in the provided example, but real learning takes place when they have to sift through the actual publications and write down differences. Can be tailored to use any three sources appropriate for your discipline.
• Analyze 4 types of sources This assignment does two things: 1) it makes students find 4 different types of sources rather than just search the Web; 2) it teaches students how to evaluate ALL information and compare and contrast different types of sources.
• Pin the News Source on the Fake News Continuum This activity asks students to research a variety of news sources and place them on a continuum to define their reliability.
• Evaluating Sources Process Cards This is a group activity in which students are given cards with a variety of sources on them. They evaluate the sources based on criteria such as "authority," "ease of creation," "time to creation" etc.
• Evaluating sources writing assignment Requires the student to answer a series of questions about a source they have found. These questions are also a good basis for writing the annotation for an annotated bibliography exercise.
• Article Analysis - upper level This exercise requires students to evaluate a scholarly article for not only its relevance to their research topic but also for its potential to help them find more sources via citation mining and keyword generation.
• Evaluating Web Resources Students choose one of three websites to evaluate. After evaluating the website they must make a judgment on whether it is good or bad for academic research and explain their decision. This assignment can be tailored to use websites related to your subject area. Just ask!

Introductory level - avoid plagiarism by properly using quotes, paraphrases and summaries.

• Evaluating quotes and paraphrases (100/200 level) Students are given a sample citation and 7 easy uses. They judge if the use is appropriate or plagiarism.
• Evaluating quotes, summaries and paraphrases Students are given a sample text and 4 summaries. They judge if the summary is legitimate or plagiarism.
• Quotes, Summaries and Paraphrases from the Purdue Owl This PDF from the Purdue Owl explains what each of these are, how to use them and concludes with a hands on exercise that requires students to summarize and paraphrase several sample original texts.
• Write your own quote, summary, paraphrase Given a single sample text, students are asked to write their own quote, summary, paraphrase for the instructor's evaluation. Can be tailored for any class.

Introductory level - how to integrate quotes, paraphrases and summaries

• Integrating quotes Given a single sample paragraph, students are asked to identify several key methods quotes are integrated into the paragraph.
• Analyzing how to integrate quotes and summaries This exercise has students analyze how and why scholarly authors have integrated quotes and summaries in order to help them learn smooth methods to use quotes and summaries in their own research.
• Analyzing supporting evidence An exercise that asks students to analyze how and why evidence is used in an existing scholarly article.

Introductory level - learning how and why to use sources

• Un-research Project This exercise helps students focus on why they choose sources to support their research.
• Is your paper well supported with evidence A quick, easy and visual exercise to help students determine if their paper arguments are well supported with evidence.

Upper level - synthesizing information

• Updating a literature review This exercise is appropriate to introduce the concept of a literature review and how to synthesize information in one.
• Mini-literature review assignment An introduction to literature reviews. Scaffolded instruction for how to approach your first literature review.
• Synthesis Matrix A beginner's matrix to help students begin thinking about synthesizing their sources.
• Advanced Synthesis Matrix A source synthesis matrix for advanced level writing assignments.

Create a list of sources with improper citations. Have the students attempt to locate the sources.  This should demonstrate to students how citations are used to track down sources and how frustrating it can be for their teachers and fellow researchers when they don’t provide adequate citations. Examples to use here could include books with multiple editions or books with very generic titles.

Breaking citations down: Develop a list of citations. Break these citations down (components: author, date, publisher, title, etc). Type or write them down on larger pieces of construction paper, cardboard, etc. You can utilize a variety of colors, shapes, sizes. Have students work as groups to assemble the parts (you can use pin boards, a wall and tape, magnetic boards, etc). This can easily be turned into a competitive game.

Selecting an Effective Writing Assignment Format

In addition to the standard essay, report or full research paper formats, several other formats exist that might give students a different slant on the course material or allow them to use slightly different writing skills. Here are some suggestions:

Journals. In-class journal entries can spark discussions and reveal gaps in students’ understanding of the material. Having students write an in-class entry summarizing the material covered that day can aid the learning process and also reveal concepts that require more elaboration. Out-of-class entries involve short summaries or analyses of texts, or are a testing ground for ideas for student papers and reports.

Letters. Students can define and defend a position on an issue in a letter written to someone in authority. They can also explain a concept or a process to someone in need of that particular information. They can write a letter to a friend explaining their concerns about an upcoming paper assignment or explaining their ideas for an upcoming paper assignment. If you wish to add a creative element to the writing assignment, you might have students adopt the persona of an important person discussed in your course (e.g., an historical figure) and write a letter explaining his/her actions, process, or theory to an interested person (e.g., “pretend that you are John Wilkes Booth and write a letter to the Congress justifying your assassination of Abraham Lincoln,” or “pretend you are Henry VIII writing to Thomas More explaining your break from the Catholic Church”).

Editorials . Students can define and defend a position on a controversial issue in the format of an editorial for the campus or local newspaper or for a national journal.

Cases . Students might create a case study particular to the course’s subject matter.

Position Papers . These projects ask students to research a topic from a variety of viewpoints, and then use that research to support their own perspective. Students can define and defend a position, perhaps as a preliminary step in the creation of a formal research paper or essay.

Imitation of a Text . Students can create a new document “in the style of” a particular writer (e.g., “Create a government document the way Woody Allen might write it” or “Write your own ‘Modest Proposal’ about a modern issue”).

Instruction Manuals . Students write a step-by-step explanation of a process.

Dialogues . Students create a dialogue between two major figures studied in which they not only reveal those people’s theories or thoughts but also explore areas of possible disagreement (e.g., “Write a dialogue between Claude Monet and Jackson Pollock about the nature and uses of art”).

Collaborative projects . Students work together to create such works as reports, questions, and critiques.

Summary papers These assignments ask students to summarize a key concept from the course, or a reading or set of readings.

Compare/contrast papers Students are asked to compare/contrast theoretical positions from key scholars, reading, methods, or procedures for completing a task, etc.

Reading responses Students are asked to respond to specific questions about course readings. These can take place in reading journals that you occasionally collect, or reading responses on a discussion forum (on Moodle or elsewhere).

Position response papers Students are provided with a position that they must then defend or refute using course concepts and outside research.

Disciplinary problem papers These projects ask students to make an argument for the best solution to a disciplinary problem.

Data analysis papers Students are provided with raw data (or asked to collect raw data themselves) that they must then analyze using a particular methodology from the course.

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• Last Updated: Nov 15, 2023 2:28 PM
• Subjects: For Faculty/Staff , Library Orientation
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Library Research Centers

Why a Research Center in the Library?

Many of our school libraries have become hubs of active learning. No longer is it just … Here a book! There a book! Everywhere a book! Libraries are now far more reflective of the very best tenets of education! Now it is more like … Here a book! There a makerspace! Everywhere a learning opportunity! The possibilities for creating educational experiences are endless and, at times, can feel REALLY overwhelming for a librarian. Where do I even begin? I believe that library centers can be the answer!!

Library centers can provide library learners with multiple opportunities all at the same time and in the exact same space. Centers can form a solid foundation for an excellent library program by incorporating bite-size bits of STEM activities, technology, makererspaces, literature, book promotion, and research. I firmly believe that NO library program is complete without some sort of a research center!

4 Steps to Ensure a Successful Research Center

#1 – keep your research tasks short and sweet..

Research projects do NOT need to be long, drawn out, or take days upon days to complete. Often, teachers and librarians balk at research projects because it feels as if they take an eternity to finish! That isn’t the case for a research center in the library! Your center should contain a quick and easy task. It could be a single weekly trivia question, a holiday themed question, or a series of research questions. This is NOT the time for depth and complexity. It’s an opportunity for students to practice their “location and access” skills. Short and sweet research questions can be just as effective, and teach similar skills, as an extended question. Students are still required to think through the following questions …. What resource am I going to use? What keyword should I choose? How did I know which page/website link to go to?

#2 – Provide the students with the resources that they need to be able to independently find success with the research task.

Research is hard work! I often compare it to a treasure hunt: You can do a whole lot of digging for just one gold nugget. I don’t know about you, but I love myself a good old fashioned treasure hunt. However, treasure hunts are NEVER fun if you are digging in the wrong spot. They are simply too hard and too discouraging, and they will lead you to NEVER want to pick up another shovel. Don’t do that to your students.

If you are asking them to identify the four chambers of the heart, then be sure that you provide them with great resources that will have lots of facts about the human heart. Give them a variety of resources, printed and digital so that they have to CHOOSE which resource may be the most efficient. Just take the time to be sure that the resources really do hold all of the answers. Success is key here!

#3 – Be sure that your chosen research task has strong, clear keywords.

Okay … admit it! Research MAY not be the most exciting thing for some kiddos. Sure you and I think that it is awesomesauce, but our kids … not so much. Try to keep your topics as engaging as possible. Kids love animals, sports figures, and truly weird facts. When creating research tasks, choose topics and questions that your population of students can truly connect with!

Isn’t today the PERFECT time to try and incorporate a Research Center in  your library?? If you think so too, head on over to my TpT store. You can grab this SAMPLER set of 12 research task cards for FREE. Yes … free!

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Kristina Clement is outreach librarian at Kennesaw State University, email: [email protected] .

Chelsee Dickson is scholarly communications librarian at Kennesaw State University, email: [email protected] .

Karen Doster-Greenleaf is director of research and instructional services at Kennesaw State University, email: [email protected] .

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Kristina Clement, Chelsee Dickson, and Karen Doster-Greenleaf

Inclusive Hiring Should Be Standard in My Library

So Why Isn’t It and What Can We Do About It?

Kristina Clement is outreach librarian at Kennesaw State University, email: [email protected] . Chelsee Dickson is scholarly communications librarian at Kennesaw State University, email: [email protected] . Karen Doster-Greenleaf is director of research and instructional services at Kennesaw State University, email: [email protected] .

© 2024 Kristina Clement, Chelsee Dickson, and Karen Doster-Greenleaf

I nclusive hiring practices should be standard in academic libraries. Some libraries do it incredibly well, and others—not so much. Currently, Kennesaw State University (KSU) Library System falls closer to the “not so much” category. Some years ago, the KSU Library System had system-wide guidance, support, and documentation for search procedures, but in recent years, hiring practices became siloed into departments and units. Of late, there was very little cross-departmental or cross-unit discussion about how each search chair ran their committees, which led to vastly different candidate experiences throughout the search process. To reunite and standardize our search practices, we developed the KSU Libraries Recruitment and Retention Task Force. The purpose of this task force is to develop a candidate-focused approach to talent recruitment and establish employee-focused, consistent onboarding practices through efforts that demonstrate empathy throughout the application, hiring, and orientation processes.

As we investigated the literature to inform the creation of the task force, we realized we are not alone in our missteps, nor are we alone in trying to rectify the situation. 1 A prominent issue is the subjective nature of seeking the “best fit.” While this should pertain to a candidate’s competence and suitability for the role, it often hinges on subjective feelings of the hiring entities. This subjectivity is exacerbated by the recognition that hiring extends beyond task completion to incorporating a new presence into our library’s ecosystem. The term “fit” is contentious. It’s ambiguous yet integral, posing questions about its definition, quantification, and relevance in hiring. Kathryn Houk and Jordan Nielsen’s 2023 survey underscored this ambiguity, revealing a widespread lack of clarity about the qualities sought and their evaluation metrics. 2 Sojourna Cunningham, Samantha Guss, and Jennifer Stout took it a step further with their research on library directors who were asked about recruiting for diversity, specifically asking the directors to address the concept of fit. Highlighting the use of terms such as “collegial,” “confident,” and “friendly” or phrases like “hitting it off” to define fit, these findings showed that “fit”’ in hiring is often “undefinable, intangible, and thus allows for libraries to stay within their comfort zones and replicate the status quo.” 3 This ambiguity can perpetuate comfort zones and the status quo, undermining diversity and inclusivity in hiring processes.

This article will share the perspectives from three KSU librarians who had recent experiences with search committees that led to the formation of the task force.

Kristina Clement, Outreach Librarian

In the fall of 2022, I co-chaired a faculty search with my colleague, Chelsee Dickson. Though not my first time chairing a faculty search or serving on search committees, this was my first experience with a search committee for the KSU Library System. As we prepared for the search, we received some guidance and previous documentation from the unit director overseeing the position for which we were hiring, but unfortunately, our library administration provided us with little else. With outdated files on our intranet and unclear procedures, we found ourselves navigating the process independently, uncertain about our library’s best practices and guidelines for conducting the search.

As a firm believer in inclusive searches that prioritize kindness and equity toward candidates, the lack of clear direction made things challenging. I wanted to create an empathetic and supportive environment for the candidates, understanding the anxiety that accompanies the job search process. However, I felt unsure about whether certain actions were allowed or if I needed permission to implement them. The constant uncertainty weighed heavily on me, as I wanted to ensure a fair and inclusive search while avoiding potential repercussions for breaking established norms.

Together, Chelsee and I decided to forge ahead and implement the practices we believed would provide a positive candidate experience, adhering to the adage “ask for forgiveness, not permission.” We collaborated with our search committee to establish a set of guiding principles based on kindness and inclusivity. These principles included:

• Maintaining regular communication with candidates at appropriate intervals
• Providing five out of the six interview questions to candidates before the first- and second-round interviews 4
• Not requiring cameras for the first interview and sharing the questions virtually using a PowerPoint slide deck for the candidates to read
• Putting together a detailed presentation scenario for finalists that guided them through the requirements for the presentation
• Including a list of what we expected from them during their presentation (e.g., to provide graphic design samples since the position was responsible for some graphic design) and what we did not expect from them (e.g., to have their entire presentation memorized)
• Creating a comprehensive daily schedule for finalists, outlining the purpose and topics of discussion for each meeting

Although we wished to incorporate more initiatives, these were the practices that we felt comfortable implementing without explicit permission. In truth, these actions were not revolutionary, nor were they uncommon in modern hiring practices.

By prioritizing kindness, empathy, and equity, we aimed to exemplify the values that represent the best of our institution and provide a positive candidate experience throughout the search process. We hope that these efforts will continue to create a more inclusive and supportive standard for search committees in the KSU Library System through the Recruitment and Retention Task Force.

Chelsee Dickson, Scholarly Communications Librarian

As a newly minted college graduate embarking on the journey through library school in 2012, I applied for a position in a public library with trepidation—was I meant to personally visit the branch manager, smile, and mildly beg to be hired? Were thank-you letters appropriate or too “old school”? What was expected of me as a candidate with no experience? After ruminating on these mysteries, I took it upon myself to walk into the public library, shakily hand my résumé to the branch manager, and promptly flee—I was hired a month later. Throughout the years, I’ve reflected on how daunting the search and interview process can be for any candidate. The underlying question of “What is expected of me in the search process?” is one that I still contemplate. Luckily, I’ve since gained confidence through my work as a public library employee, a technical college librarian, and a university librarian with faculty status, meaning I’ve survived a plethora of interviews.

We now live in a new era of hiring, one that is beginning to embrace the kindness, consideration, and patience I longed for when beginning my career. In 2021 I was contacted by a university and asked to apply for a librarian position. The search committee exhibited some kindness practices, such as providing the interview questions beforehand. Being sufficiently prepared is of great importance to someone suffering from imposter syndrome and anxiety, so having the ability to read through the questions before interviewing removed the sense of dread and fear of the unknown. This meant the world to me. I ultimately declined the opportunity for a second interview, but the experience struck me as significant.

Later that year, I applied for a librarian position at a different university. I was offered a phone interview and a subsequent virtual interview. In both instances, I was provided with the questions so that I could prepare. When invited to the virtual interview, I was given a set of questions that were identical to the first set—I thought, this must be a mistake . The search committee chair explained that it was in fact an opportunity: the committee wanted to provide space for me to tweak my responses, add overlooked details, and enhance my anecdotes. They did not want to scare me; they simply wanted me to display my best self. Had this been communicated when the questions were sent for the virtual interview, the intentions would have been clearer.

These experiences would later inform my work with Kristina as we co-chaired a search at KSU in 2022. As Kristina mentioned above, we provided five out of six questions to our candidates three days before their interview date. We devised a list of items we expected and items we did not, and we emphasized that we wanted the best candidate for the position, with an understanding that all-day academic interviews can be grueling and stressful. Our presentation prompt was designed to showcase the strengths of the candidate and provide them with a taste of the work in which they would be involved, rather than a throwaway presentation that engages neither the presenter nor the audience.

The work Kristina and I undertook to create an equitable, kind experience for our candidates should not be lost but expanded. Currently, KSU hiring committees start from scratch each time a new search is conducted. Why reinvent the wheel? Instead, our committees should build upon the advancements of previous searches. As a scholarly communications librarian and proponent of open access, I believe a digital repository of search committee materials would be fitting. Our institutional repository, which prides itself on the inclusion of nontraditional works, is an ideal host. Equitable hiring is not enough—we must standardize and sustain our practices, providing open and free access to our materials so that others may follow our lead.

Karen Doster-Greenleaf, Director of Research and Instructional Services

With nearly 15 years as an academic librarian, I regularly see both sides of the hiring process, and, until recently, found myself compliant to the status quo of standard hiring practices. It wasn’t until I began working at KSU that I began to question the disparity of experiences candidates endure despite established, albeit vague, hiring procedures. Although KSU’s faculty handbook and HR policies outline basic procedures, they lack depth and consideration for the candidate experience, focusing on administrative structure rather than inclusivity and accessibility. This approach, which is common in many academic libraries, 5 prioritizes procedural adherence over individual needs, underscoring a broader need for a more humane, candidate-centered shift in hiring practices.

While observing state and institutional hiring requirements is crucial, integrating the library’s identity and vision is equally important. However, inconsistencies in our practices have obscured this integration. My conversations with colleagues revealed varied experiences and pinpointed areas for improvement. I was curious to learn more about where we could improve and what parts of the hiring process were potentially the most difficult or important to the candidate. I also wanted to identify where the managers or hiring committees found difficulty. Many colleagues expressed general concerns with how interviews were conducted, but more specifically, the concerns focused on how interview questions were selected, the structure of the interviews, and why interviews varied as much as they did. For example, a faculty librarian who was hired in August had an experience that was different from another hired in March. The common thread was that each search committee and its chair had different directives and resources to conduct the search. After further inquiry, it became clear that similar systemic problems existed for staff searches.

Issues have emerged in faculty librarian searches as well, particularly during on-campus interviews. A recurring concern is the handling of the presentation portion of the interview. Candidates often face uncertainty due to inconsistent communication about the search committee’s expectations. Houk and Nielsen note that “harm is created when the process is set up so that candidates do not know what they are being evaluated on, or when there are parts of the process that are intentionally included to be traps or stumbling areas for candidates,” 6 which, based on my discussions with recently hired colleagues, holds true, as several of our new librarians related to this sentiment. Even though they were the successful candidates, the new librarians expressed feelings of uncertainty, anxiety, and a general overwhelming sensation that they were “missing something” when preparing for their presentations.

Additionally, the standard interview structure often lacks clarity about the attendees and purpose of various meetings. We discovered that certain pertinent information was provided during some interviews but not uniformly across all interviews, such as faculty or staff hiring expectations. I’m a firm believer that a candidate is interviewing the employer just as much as we are interviewing them. Therefore, it is crucial to offer every candidate consistent and comprehensive information that provides the opportunity to make their own informed decision as to whether they wish to work for us.

I take comfort in acknowledging that all the missteps made thus far were by-products of disconnect and complacency rather than ill intentions or malice. We know we can and should do better. Aligning our desire to be more consistent with hiring practices across the whole library requires a comprehensive examination of recruitment procedures and documentation that have been in use over the past five years. The realization prompted more formal open discussions with library administration and unit directors about what our goals for the hiring process could be. We intend to take a bottom-up approach that puts some of the reform process into the hands of those who experienced the process firsthand.

As we move forward with our task force’s charge to reform and update the interview process, we aim to proceed intentionally with inclusion at the core. While the tenuous nature of the hiring process is what sparked this project, we understand that a new librarian’s hiring experience does not end with the job offer. Our next challenge is to evaluate, improve, and standardize our onboarding procedures. The next phase will center on the candidate’s and new hire’s needs rather than the institutional status quo. We hope to shift the current intimidating power dynamic and build a more welcoming, empowering, and supporting working environment for our future colleagues.

• Sojourna Cunningham, Samantha Guss, and Jennifer Stout, “Challenging the ‘Good Fit’ Narrative: Creating Inclusive Recruitment Practices in Academic Libraries,” 2019, 12–21, https://alair.ala.org/bitstream/handle/11213/17632/ChallengingtheGoodFitNarrative.pdf ; Kathryn Houk and Jordan Nielsen, “Inclusive Hiring in Academic Libraries: A Qualitative Analysis of Attitudes and Reflections of Search Committee Members,” College & Research Libraries 84, no. 7 (July 2023): 568–88, https://doi.org/10.5860/crl.84.4.568 ; Mimosa Shah and Dustin Fife, “Obstacles and Barriers in Hiring: Rethinking the Process to Open Doors,” College & Research Libraries News 84, no. 2 (February 2023): 55–58, https://doi.org/10.5860/crln.84.2.55 ; Annie Bélanger et al., “Building Inclusive Libraries: Kindness, Equity, and Candidate Experiences in Hiring & Onboarding Toolkit,” Library Reports and Communication , 2023, 1–62.
• Houk and Nielsen, “Inclusive Hiring in Academic Libraries.”
• Cunningham, Guss, and Stout, “Challenging the ‘Good Fit’ Narrative,” 17.
• Normally we advocate for sending all interview questions in advance. However, the position we were screening for did involve being able to speak off-the-cuff, and because of this the committee decided to withhold a single question from the question set sent to candidates. Candidates were informed of this choice and given the reason why when they were sent the questions.
• Shah and Fife, “Obstacles and Barriers in Hiring.”
• Houk and Nielsen, “Inclusive Hiring in Academic Libraries,” 580.

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