Research Instruction Services: Tutorials & Modules

Developing a Topic & Research Question

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• identify resources to explore a topic
• recognize the value of reference sources
• recognize the purpose of research
• narrow a topic into a research question
• distinguish between good and developing research questions

• may be more suitable for ENGL 13, tail-end of ENGL 01A
• the library also has another version of this in a Canvas module with a KWL chart assignment and discussion board (librarians would participate in the discussion board)

Recognizing Primary, Secondary, & Tertiary Sources

• differentiate between primary, secondary, & tertiary sources
• recognize that format alone doesn't determine whether a source is primary, secondary, or tertiary
• recognize that what is considered primary, secondary, & tertiary may be different between disciplines

• The library faculty has an assignment in Canvas ready to go--just add a rubric!
• While this tutorial may be more relevant for history, we have found that students need some help when determining primary sources between disciplines.

• differentiate between popular, trade, and scholarly articles
• read scholarly journal articles more efficiently
• understand how the information cycle determines the kinds of sources available on a topic

• The library faculty has an assignment in Canvas ready to go--just add a rubric!
• This tutorial helps students recognize some of the types of sources that they can find in the library's databases. It's important to recognize that the library also subscribes to popular sources from conservative and liberal magazines, etc.
• It also provides students with information about how to research "new" topics that don't have much scholarly literature.
• We recommend that students learn about source types before searching in databases.

• differentiate between popular and scholarly articles
• read scholarly journal articles more efficiently
• identify recommended science-related databases

• The library faculty has an assignment in Canvas ready to go--just add a rubric!
• We recommend that students complete this tutorial with either the CINAHL Complete or Science Full Text Select tutorials. The library faculty can create a module for you that has multiple assignments in one place--you would just need to add points and the rubrics.

• recognize how the library provides access to scholarly and other subscription content
• identify how library databases can help you refine your search for information
• find databases provided by the Merced College Library
• select relevant subject databases

• The library faculty has an assignment in Canvas ready to go--just add a rubric!
• We recommend that students complete this before the Using Basic Search Strategies and / or one of the specific database tutorials. Providing students with this foundational knowledge empowers their research process as we have 70+ databases; learning to decide where to look is important for information literacy development.
• We recommend pairing this tutorial with Using Basic Search Strategies and one of the specific database tutorials.
• It may also be beneficial for students to have an understanding of the kinds of materials that can be found in databases as there is a mixture of source types, including magazines from liberal and conservative perspectives.
• The library faculty can create a module for you that has multiple assignments in one place--you would just need to add  points and the rubrics.

• identify keywords
• use quotation marks
• use words that expand or limit searches
• use parentheses

• The library faculty has an assignment in Canvas ready to go--just add a rubric!
• We recommend that students complete this tutorial after the Finding & Selecting Databases tutorial and / or before one of the specific database tutorials. The library faculty can create a module for you that has multiple assignments in one place--you would just need to add points and the rubrics.

• access Academic Search Complete
• find the Advanced Search interface
• narrow results by source type, publication date, and full-text access
• scan article titles and abstracts for relevance
• open PDFs
• use database tools to save, email, cite, and link articles

• The library faculty has an assignment in Canvas ready to go--just add a rubric!
• We recommend that students complete this tutorial after the Finding & Selecting Databases tutorial and the Using Basic Search Strategies tutorial. The library faculty can create a module for you that has multiple assignments in one place--you would just need to add points and the rubrics.

Using CINAHL Complete

• access CINAHL Complete
• find the Advanced Search interface
• narrow results by source type, publication date, and full-text access
• scan article titles and abstracts for relevance
• open PDFs
• use database tools to save, email, cite, and link articles

• The library faculty has an assignment in Canvas ready to go--just add a rubric!
• We recommend that students complete this tutorial after the Finding & Selecting Databases tutorial and the Using Basic Search Strategies tutorial. The library faculty can create a module for you that has multiple assignments in one place--you would just need to add points and the rubrics.

• access JSTOR Essential
• locate the Advanced Search interface
• enter search terms
• narrow results by content type, publication date, and subject
• use database tools to cite, email, download, and save items

• The library faculty has an assignment in Canvas ready to go--just add a rubric!
• We recommend that students complete this tutorial after the Finding & Selecting Databases tutorial and the Using Basic Search Strategies tutorial. The library faculty can create a module for you that has multiple assignments in one place--you would just need to add points and the rubrics.

Using OneSearch

• access OneSearch
• use filters to specify the kind of source you are interested in
• find locations for physical items, including books and textbooks
• sign into your OneSearch account to place holds on physical items, such as regular books, CDs, and DVDs, & renew items
• find & access full-text articles
• describe the advantages and disadvantages of using OneSearch vs. a subject-specific database

• The library faculty has an assignment in Canvas ready to go--just add a rubric!
• This tutorial pairs well with the Virtual Library Orientation tutorial at the beginning of the semester. The library faculty can create a module for you that has both assignments in one place--you would just need to add  points and the rubrics.

• access Science Full Text Select
• find the Advanced Search interface
• narrow results by source type, publication date, and full-text access
• scan article titles and abstracts for relevance
• open PDFs
• use database tools to save, email, cite, and link articles

• The library faculty has an assignment in Canvas ready to go--just add a rubric!
• We recommend that students complete this tutorial after the Finding & Selecting Databases tutorial and the Using Basic Search Strategies tutorial. The library faculty can create a module for you that has multiple assignments in one place--you would just need to add points and the rubrics.

• identify common checklist approaches for evaluating information
• recognize how checklist approaches can fall short when used on their own
• use Caulfield's techniques for evaluating information
• use media bias tools
• identify fact-checking tools
• articulate components of the PROVEN method

• Best for ENGL 13 / courses in which ENGL 01A is a prerequisite.
• Students should know about differences between sources prior to completing this tutorial
• Pairs well with an exercise that has students select the "best" source based on circumstance.

Evaluating Health Information

• evaluate consumer health websites
• distinguish between original and review articles
• compare news articles to original sources
• determine the strength of scientific evidence
• identify search tools to find health information

• The library faculty has an assignment in Canvas ready to go--just add a rubric!
• This tutorial is most useful for nutrition, health, and biology courses in which ENGL 01A is a prerequisite.
• Students should know what peer-reviewed scholarly articles are prior to completing this tutorial as it takes scholarly research a step further.

Citing & Formatting in MLA (8th ed.)

• recognize the purposes of citing sources
• identify the key characteristics of a properly formatted paper in MLA style
• create in-text citations in MLA style
• identify the core elements of Works Cited citations in MLA style
• identify the key characteristics of a properly formatted Works Cited list in MLA style

• The library faculty has an assignment in Canvas ready to go--just add a rubric!
• We recommend that students complete this assignment when they are actively citing sources.

Citing & Formatting in APA (7th ed.)

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