In this module you will learn about:
After watching the video and reading the text, click on this tab on the left side of the page.
iLearningServices. "SMART: Types of Sources". YouTube. 16 May 2011. Web. 30 Aug. 2012. http://youtu.be/GILMFWqYlkY
The Library: Quality vs Quantity
Library resources go through a review process.
Librarians select books, magazines, journals, article resources, and Web sites. The library collects sources considered reliable, historically relevant, and valuable.
Library resources are free for your use.
Libraries are able to purchase one copy which can be shared by many people.
Library resources are organized.
Items are organized so you can find all the sources on a topic. For example, when you search for a book in the library catalog you will get a call number. The books and videos shelved near the same call number will cover a similar topic.
Library resources are meant to be kept for long periods of time.
A primary function of a library is to be an organized storehouse of information. As well as finding very current information, you can also find books that are no longer published and older issues of magazines.
Library resources come with personal assistance.
Libraries have staff who are trained to help you. They'll help you learn to use online resources and answer any questions that you have.
Although many people first go to the Internet for information, it is not always the best place for what you need.
Most information on the Internet does not go through a review process.
Anyone can publish on the Internet without passing the content through an editor. Pages might be written by an expert on the topic, a journalist, a disgruntled consumer or even a child.
Some information on the Internet is not free.
Many web pages are free to view, but some commercial sites will charge a fee to access their information.
Information on the Internet is not organized.
Some directory services, like Yahoo, provide links to sites in subject lists. But there are too many web pages for any single directory service to organize and index.
Most information on the Internet is not comprehensive.
Rarely will you be able to use a search engine on the web to collect information about your topic from earlier decades and different types of sources. Some well-maintained sites are updated with very current information, but other sites may become quickly dated or disappear altogether without much if any notice
The Internet can be a good research source for: