Research by Subject: Faculty Guide to Using Credo Core Information Literacy Tutorials: Preview Information Literacy–Core

Starter Kit

InfoLit – Core Starter Kit

To hit the ground running, try the following material with students. It will give them a solid start on IL basics without being overwhelming.

Video: The Research Process Part 1 (Pre-Research) and Part 2 (In-Depth Research, Outlining, and Writing Use this video to demonstrate the value of pre-research. Students will learn how to align their initial exploration to their assignment requirements.
Video: Beginning Research with Wikipedia/Google Part 1 (Getting Started with Wikipedia/Google) and Part 2 (Transitioning from Google/Wikipedia to Databases) This video will help students understand the process of background research by introducing techniques for gathering background information using Google and Wikipedia.
Video: Thesis Statements Use this video to help students identify the purpose of their research efforts and construct evidence-based statements. Students will learn how to narrow in on a topic, conduct background research, and synthesize the existing body of evidence in order to craft a compelling argument.

Searching for Information

Video: Searching as Exploration Part 1 (Exploration Strategies) and Part 2 (The Searching Mindset) This video digs deeper into exploratory search strategies. Learn how to craft a search statement and the importance of neutral language.
Tutorial: Choosing and Using Keywords This tutorial will walk you through the process of selecting, refining, and expanding their collection of search keywords in order to locate the most relevant information to your research topic.
Quiz: Choosing and Using Keywords This quiz corresponds with the multiemdia on keywords.
Tutorial: Search Techniques, Part 1 Use this tutorial to become familiar with strategic searching. Learn the purpose and uses of natural language and Boolean operators to broaden and narrow the scope of your search.
Tutorial: Search Techniques, Part 2 Learn strategic search approaches to navigate scholarly databases. Learn advanced search techniques for broadening and narrowing the scope of a search.
Video: Refining Search Results Use this video to help you navigate the search process. Learn techniques to conduct effective background research using multiple keywords in order to narrow in on a research focus.
Quiz: Search Techniques This quiz corresponds with the multimedia on searching techniques.

Research Strategies

Video: Creating a Research Plan Information overload can be a major roadblock in the research process. This video will help you conceptualize a research pathway and consider solutions to common research challenges.
Video: Framing a Problem Having trouble formulating a research question for assignments? Start with this video to help you frame a problem. Learn the importance of asking open-ended questions and how to approach research as a process.
Quiz: Research Strategies Quiz This quiz corresponds with the "Creating a Research Plan" and "Framing a Problem" vidoes.

Scholarly & Peer Reviewed Articles

*Tutorial: Source Types An introduction to a variety of source types that you may encounter during your research. Use this tutorial to help you locate and evaluate relevant sources to meet your research needs.
Video: Peer Review This video will provide an understanding of what peer review means, how the process works, why it is an indicator of quality, and how to locate peer-reviewed sources during your research process.
Video: How to Read Scholarly Materials Do you feel intimidated by scholarly materials? Use this video to help you get familiar with these valuable resources and learn tips for approaching, analyzing, and integrating scholarly materials into your projects.
Tutorial: How to Read Scholarly Materials Do you feel intimidated by scholarly materials? This tutorial will walk you through the types and components of scholarly materials as well as strategies for strategic reading.
Quiz: Peer Review This quiz corresponds with the multimedia on peer review.

Understanding Bias

Video: Introduction to Bias This video introduces the idea of bias and prejudice and the importance of awareness of one’s own bias and the bias of others when evaluating sources and situations, and responding to arguments.
Video: Types of Bias This video builds on the introduction to bias video by discussing specific types of bias such as social bias, confirmation bias, and communal reinforcement.
Quiz: Bias This quiz corresponds with the video on bias.

Sources of Information

Tutorial: Information has Value An introduction to the ACRL Frame: Information Has Value. Learn about your role as information creators and consumers and learn how issues like copyright and the digital divide affect your academic and personal lives.
Video: Data, Information, and Knowledge This video defines and explains the differences and relationships between data, information, and knowledge, and how each might be used or encountered in research.
Tutorial: Source Types An introduction to a variety of source types that you may encounter during your research. Use this tutorial to help learn how to locate and evaluate relevant sources to meet your research needs.
Quiz: Primary and Secondary Sources This quiz corresponds with the multimedia on primary, secondary, and tertiary resources.
Video: Types of Sources This video provides a helpful overview of the wide variety of source types you may encounter during research. In addition to defining and describing different source types, it also addresses how to select the appropriate source for your information need, analyzing the capabilities and constraints of different source types, and how to determine source quality.
Video: Primary Sources An introduction to the purpose and characteristics of primary sources in order to help you identify the most appropriate type of source for your research needs.
Video: Secondary Sources This video will introduce you to the purpose and characteristics of secondary sources in order to help you identify the most appropriate type of source for your research needs.
Video: Tertiary Sources This video will introduce you to the purpose and characteristics of tertiary sources in order to help you identify the most appropriate type of source for your research needs.
Quiz: Types of Sources This quiz corresponds with the multimedia on source types.
Video: How to Read Scholarly Materials Do you feel intimidated by scholarly materials? Use this video to help you get familiar with these valuable resources and learn tips for approaching, analyzing, and integrating scholarly materials into your projects.
Tutorial: Selecting Appropriate Digital Sources This tutorial will help you identify your information need in order to locate and assess relevant resources. Using the techniques in this tutorial, you will also be able to distinguish among types of online sources in order to select those most appropriate for your information need.

Thesis Statements

Video: Thesis Statements Use this video to help you identify the purpose of their research efforts and construct evidence-based statements. Learn how to narrow in on a topic, conduct background research, and synthesize the existing body of evidence in order to craft a compelling argument.
Quiz: Thesis Statements This quiz corresponds with the Thesis Statements video.

Statistics & Quantitative Literacy

Video: Using Quantitative Data Use this video to help you incorporate quantitative data in your research and evaluate available sources for currency, accuracy, authority, relevance, and objectivity
Video: Evaluating Statistics Statistics are widely used to support arguments and positions. Use this video to learn how to think critically about how the statistics you encounter were created and used to convey information.
Quiz: Quantitative Reasoning This quiz corresponds with the multimedia on quantitative reasoning.

Using Information in Your Work

Tutorial: Information has Value An introduction to the ACRL Frame- Information Has Value. Realize your role as information creators and consumers and learn how issues like copyright and the digital divide affect your academic and personal lives.
Video: Data, Information, and Knowledge This video defines and explains the differences and relationships between data, information, and knowledge, and how each might be used or encountered in research.
Tutorial: Source Types An introduction to a variety of source types that you may encounter during your research. Use this tutorial to help you locate and evaluate relevant sources to meet your research needs.
Tutorial: Why Citations Matter This tutorial provides an overview of why it is important to cite sources, and an explanation for why different citation formats and citation styles exist.
Video: Academic Integrity Use this video to provide students with an introduction to the concept that information has value, and that acting with academic integrity and ethical behavior is essential to success as a student and as a participant in the scholarly conversation.
Video: Plagiarism This video provides examples and explanations of specific types of plagiarism, such as cloning, aggregation, and self-plagiarism, as well as strategies to prevent plagiarizing and a reminder of the possible consequences of academic dishonesty.
Quiz: Academic Integrity
This quiz corresponds with the multimedia on academic integrity and plagiarism.
Video: Copyright Use this video to gain an understanding of intellectual property and copyright, including exceptions to copyright restrictions such as fair use, and guidance on the ethical use of others’ intellectual property.

Conducting Research

Video: The Research Process Part 1 (Pre-Research) and Part 2 (In-Depth Research, Outlining, and Writing This video demonstrates the value of pre-research. Learn how to align your initial exploration to your assignment requirements.
Tutorial: Choosing a Topic Background research is an essential component of the research process. In this tutorial, you will learn how to differentiate between background and in-depth research, and locate and use background research to refine your research focus.
Video: How to Narrow Your Topic Do your students have trouble selecting a topic for a research assignment? This video will outline the process to help students hone in on a compelling research topic with appropriate scope using strategies like strategic searching. Students will also understand the importance of open mindedness and flexibility in the research process.
Tutorial: Search Techniques, Part 1 Familiarize yourself with strategic searching. Learn the purpose and uses of natural language and Boolean operators to broaden and narrow the scope of your search.
Tutorial: Search Techniques, Part 2 Learn strategic search approaches to navigate scholarly databases. Use this tutorial to explore advanced search techniques for broadening and narrowing the scope of a search.
Tutorial: Annotated Bibliography Become familiar with annotated bibliographies and the role annotations play in research and scholarship. Use this tutorial to help identify the purpose, structure, and content of annotated bibliographies and create your own annotations.
Video: Anatomy of a Research Paper This video provides an overview of the basic structure of a research paper.
Quiz: Anatomy of a Research Paper This quiz corresponds with the multimedia on writing research papers.

Locating Images & Visual Literacy

Video: Why Does Visual Literacy Matter? This video will introduce you to the role visual materials play in your daily lives and the skills you will need to communicate quickly and universally using images and media.
Video: Searching for Images To be an effective communicator using visual information, you first need to develop the skills necessary for locating images. Use this video to learn strategies for locating images and get familiar with image databases or subject-specific collections accessible through the library.
Video: Interpreting Images Interpreting visual information is a critical skill you will use beyond your academic career. Use this video to learn how to ask questions and consider context when interpreting visuals.
Quiz: Visual Literacy This quiz corresponds with the multimedia on visual literacy.

Presenting Research and Data

Video: Synthesis This video focuses on strategies for writing a strong paper that brings together ideas from multiple sources, including identifying main ideas, and paraphrasing and summarizing techniques.
Tutorial: Synthesizing Information for Academic Writing This tutorial defines and explores information synthesis, including strategies for bringing together ideas and facts from multiple different sources at various stages in the research process, including background research and note taking, annotated bibliographies, and outlines. It also reviews different examples of final products of synthesis, such as literature reviews, persuasive essays, and research papers.
Tutorial: Paraphrasing, Quoting, and Summarizing This tutorial provides students with an overview of paraphrasing, quoting, and summarizing depending on the goal of their writing, plus how to accurately represent your sources.
Quiz: Synthesizing Information for Academic Writing This quiz corresponds with the multimedia on synthesizing information.

Faculty Guide to Using Credo Core Information Literacy Tutorials

Library Hours

e-Resource Problem Report

Starter Kit

Searching for Information

Research Strategies

Scholarly & Peer Reviewed Articles

Understanding Bias

Sources of Information

Thesis Statements

Statistics & Quantitative Literacy

Using Information in Your Work

Conducting Research

Locating Images & Visual Literacy

Presenting Research and Data