Research

Information literacy:

Is the ability to locate, evaluate, and effectively use information in its various formats to communicate clearly, make informed decisions, and construct new knowledge.

Information:

• It comes to us in many ways, from many resources, for diverse purposes, and in increasingly different formats.
• It provides us with unprecedented opportunities but threatens to overwhelm us as well.
• Since we are dependent on this information to make decisions which guide our actions, managing information or becoming information literate is one of education’s most critical challenges.

• Use Eisenhower's Online Databases, click here for website links and login information (Must be logged into eisenhowerme.org)
• Click into each of the databases and briefly summarize what types of information and subjects can be found in each in a chart

BOOLEAN OPERATORS

• Boolean Logic - What is it and where did it come from?
• Boolean Machine - The Boolean Machine is a tool for visualizing the effects of Boolean operators on keyword searches. It was created to teach the importance of Boolean operators in effective search strategies.

USE THESE QUESTIONS TO HELP YOU

Authority

• Who is the author of the piece?
• Is the author the original creator of the information?
• Does the author list his or her occupation, years of experience, position, education, or other credentials?

Affiliation

• What company, organization, government, university, or company supports this information?
• Does the author appear to have any connection with a larger institution?
• Does the author's affiliation with this particular institution appear to bias the information?

Link to the site

• Are there at least 4 ways to locate a link to the site?
• Use the google search technic - link to: (paste the link here)

Links from the site

• Are there at least 4 links that the sites directs you to?
• What types of information do these links give?

Currency

• Is the site up to date?
• What ways do you know that the site is up to date?

Purpose/Audience

• What is the reason the site exist?
• Does it seem inform, explain, persuade, sell, or request information?
• Why?
• Who does the site seem to be directed at?
• Why?

Comparable sites

• Are there other sites with similar subjects?
  • List some examples
• What types of information do they have?
  • Is it similar or different?
• How does the information on those sites compare to yours?