ENC 1101 (Online)

“Understanding Library Resources” Notes Worksheet

Tip: Use this worksheet as a learning material. For example, you can use it as a fill-in-the-blank
worksheet for taking notes while you read the article. Review this worksheet at the end of the
week as well.

Author of Article: _____Amy Coughenour__________

Main Points of Article:

1. The introduction of this article explains that “Conducting research for papers, reports,
and other assignments involves more than just typing a word or phrase into a search box.
Understanding both the ___Systems___and the __sources___sets a foundation for
retrieving relevant research. Before you jump into a search, take the time to think about
where you should start and what types of sources you see.

2. Evaluating Search Systems

A. Search systems contain the information, data, and search interfaces used to locate
sources. Some examples of search systems include search ____engines___, databases,
_wikis_, institutional __repositories__, and other information collections.

B. Search interfaces are the entry points for databases, search engines, and other
systems. They can be simple (such as most databases’ basic searches or Google’s
standard search), or more detailed (such as most databases’ advanced searches or
Google’s advanced search).

C. Ask yourself these questions before you choose a database or other system:
a. Am I researching an __interdisciplinary__topic? Does my topic fall under one
specific subject?
b. Am I researching a controversial issue? Do I need historical information? Do I
need international information? Does my assignment focus on pro/con
comparisons that require subjective points of view?
c. Has my professor required specific types of sources, such as books, scholarly
journals, or newspapers?

D. Choose a database or other system (or two or three) and perform some _searches__.
When you locate a source that fits your topic, review the subject terms and __abstract___.
Adjust your search terms to incorporate this information. Remember to take advantage of
limiters, such as source type (scholarly, full-text, etc.), publication date range, geographic
location, language, etc.
3. EVALUATING SOURCES

A. Evaluate the sources themselves to determine their usefulness for your research. A
source’s _abstract___will usually give you everything you need to evaluate the
source.
B. Decide whether you need popular or ___scholarly___sources. Popular articles
generally haven’t been as fully researched and reviewed as scholarly articles. Verify
whether a source is popular or scholarly by considering its purpose,
____author________, audience, and characteristics. For example, one characteristic
of a scholarly source is that it is a peer-reviewed source. Peer-reviewed articles have
been ____reviewed________and accepted for publication by a selected panel of
recognized experts in the field of study covered by the journal.
C. Beyond a source’s popular or scholarly nature, consider the importance of these
characteristics: authority_, currency, objectivity_, coverage, accuracy, and
relevance__. In the space below, write some brief notes about each of these
characteristics.

 Authority- Focuses on the author’s background to determine if the author is an

expert or has conducted sufficient research.
 Currency- It is important to know when the article is published as some
information is okay to be older, but other topics require recent information. Think
about how the age of the information affects the research and conclusions.
 Objectivity- What is the author’s objective, or main goal, with writing this article.
How does their opinion or viewpoint affect your research?
 Coverage- Does the source cover the entirety of the topic? If it only covers part of
it, is it enough for your research? Does it cover too much, or does it only
summarize?
 Accuracy- Is the source accurate? You can look at the reference list and where the
source got its information to help determine this.
 Relevance- Confirm that the source is actually relevant to your topic an not just
something that you deem interesting.