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Information Literacy

To be information literate, a person must be able to recognize when information is needed and have the ability to locate, evaluate, and use effectively the needed information. Information literate people are those who have learned how to learn.

Searching the Library Catalog

The library catalog is used in two ways:

  1. As a discovery tool to search across many databases and libraries at one time to see a more comprehensive list of books and articles published on your topic. (Use the search box on the Library Home Page to do a Basic Search)
  2. As a catalog to search for books and other holdings in the HIU Library only. (Use the Advanced search)

To find just those items held by the HIU Library, you must use the Advanced search screen and select the WorldCat.org database only and choose to search Hope International University holdings only using the dropdown list next to Library.

Search the library catalog if you need:

  • A lengthy or comprehensive treatment of your topic or focused information on a topic placed in a broader context. You will get this information from books that you find using the library catalog.
  • Background information or an overview of your topic to help you understand it before searching for more in-depth or focused information. You will get this information from Reference resources that you find using the library catalog.

 

Searching a Library Research Database

Library research databases are of several types:

  1. General or broad topic databases, like ProQuest, that search across many disciplines at once (history, business, science, literature, psychology, etc.)
  2. Subject specific databases, like PsycINFO or JSTOR Language & Literature Collection, that search across a specific discipline only.
  3. Special collection databases, like Oxford Reference Online, that help you find Reference works (encyclopedias, dictionaries, handbooks, etc.)

Search a library research database if you need ...

  • Scholarly research. You will get this information from scholarly journal articles, conference proceedings, chapters in books, and dissertations found using a research database.
  • News. You will get this information from newspaper and magazine articles found using a research database.
  • Business reports. You will get this information from a business research database.
  • Professional trade information and best practices. You will get this information from trade journal articles and book chapters found using a research database.

This tutorial was created for picking the right database and then searching for a topic by using Subject Headings.