In this lesson, the students will learn about the different types of resources available and identify the appropriate resource for their research needs.

This lesson plan was originally created to be used in conjunction with Library Online Basic Orientation (LOBO) at North Carolina State University: http://www.lib.ncsu.edu/lobo2/.

Submitted with permission of Dr. Megan Oakleaf.

Adapted from:
Bolner, Myrtle S., and Gayle A. Poierier. The Research Process. Dubuque, Iowa: Kendall/Hunt Publishing Co., 2002. p. 34, 36, 55, 61.

Gradowski, Gail, Loanne Snavely, and Paula Dempsey. Designs for Active Learning. Chicago: Association of College and Research Libraries, 1998. p. 32, 34, 36.

Information Literacy Objective

 

• The student will identify the different types of research resources available.
• The student will evaluate the appropriateness of each resource for his/her research.
• The student will identify appropriate finding aids for each type of resource.

Student Objective

 

• The student will determine the research resources most appropriate for his/her individual research.

Materials—Teacher:

 

• 2-sided handout (“Selecting and Finding Research Resources”)
• Instructor’s version of handout (“Selecting and Finding Research Resources”)
• Whiteboard/markers or PowerPoint

 

Materials—Student:

 

• Pen/Pencil
• Research assignment instructions
• Preliminary topic for research (Students may only have a broad topic in mind.)

 Preparation

 

• Assign students to complete LOBO section(s):  Differences Between Resource Types
• Prepare handouts (optionally – you may just want students to take notes)
• Review applicable section in LOBO: http://www.lib.ncsu.edu/tutorials/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=17&Itemid=40
• Read lesson plan.           
• Assign students to think about and write down any possible research ideas in the previous class.

Introduction (Time = 5 min.)

 

• Have students take out their research assignment instructions and any ideas they have written down for possible research topics.
• (If students are having difficulty deciding on a topic, remember to point them to the LOBO module for defining a topic.)
• Tell students, “Today, you will be looking at the options you have for research resources. You will also decide which sources are best for your topic and the requirements of the assignment.”
• Ask students, “What were the general types of resources you looked at in the LOBO module for Differences Between Resource Types?”  Make a list on the board (e.g., books, scholarly journals, magazines, Internet).

 

TRANSITION:  Explain that these are all different types of resources; however, there are many different types within these basic categories.

 

·        Briefly ask students to brainstorm some of the different types of books that could serve as research resources. Explain that different types of books often serve very different purposes in the research process. (Tell students that you are not looking for book titles, but for the different book formats; for example, an encyclopedia vs. a specialized book on a narrow topic). Ask why each would be useful for different types of research.

 

·        Briefly go through the other general categories (journals, magazines, and Internet sites).

 

·        Tell students they are now going to use some of the ideas they just thought of in order to match research resources with a specific type of information need.

 

Procedure (Time = 25 min)

1.      Pass out and complete “Selecting and Finding Research Resources” handout.

 

• Divide class into pairs or small groups, and assign each group a “type of information” from the worksheet. Ask students to think in their groups about what specific types of sources would be best to consult, and where in the library they might be able to look for these sources (e.g., library catalog, Internet, article databases, etc.). 

 

• (If students do not know the name of a finding aid or what it is, have them think about the process they would go through in order to find that particular resource and explain that the class will go through the finding aids when they fill in the chart together.)

 

• Go over chart and fill in together.  Have each group tell the class their findings and ask for additional input from the class.
  • When going over resources, highlight the ones that are especially pertinent to students’ assignments. You may want to explain the importance of the certain databases and the library’s catalog when looking for articles etc.).

 

2.      If possible, briefly show the students how to access a database that is important for their research.

 

3.      Emphasize the importance of speaking with a reference librarian if students are having difficulty finding or using one of the finding aids or resources. Note the Ask-a-Librarian chat service where students can ask from home.

 

4.      After determining the types of resources available, ask students what they think is important when deciding whether or not to use these sources in their research papers. Brainstorm some ideas and write on the board, such as the assignment instructions, the currency of the resource, and its reliability. Students will later learn how to evaluate their sources in LOBO.

 

5.      Have students consider their individual topics and begin to determine the type of information and resources they need.

 

·        Ask students to think about one aspect of their topic that they may write about for their assignments. (Again, direct students to the LOBO Module for "Defining Your Topic" if students are having trouble).

·        Allow students time to work individually and fill out the “What do you need to know?” chart on the other side of their handouts. 

 

 

Closure (Time = 5 min.)

·        Remind students that although they may not be able to answer all the questions in this chart until they have determined a specific, narrow topic, answering these preliminary questions will help students figure out exactly what types of resources they need to answer their research question.

 

·        Ask students what questions they have.

 

·        Remind students to ask a librarian if they are having trouble with the research process: www.lib.ncsu.edu/libref

 

Wrap Up

Ask students to think about all the various sources of information when researching for their assignments. Ask, “What sources do you think will be the most helpful in the beginning, middle, and stages of your research? Why?”

 

Lesson Evaluation

• What worked well for you?
• What will you do differently next time?

 

Student Assessment
There is no formal assessment in this lesson.

Written by Jillian Robinson, North Carolina State University. See description for full list of credits.