Library Instruction & Information Literacy @ St. Thomas: Framework 6: Searching as Strategic Exploration

Searching is a nonlinear process that involves inquiry, discovery, and serendipity. Learners who understand this will evaluate a wide range of sources to meet their information needs, and will display the persistence and mental flexibility to pursue different routes as their understanding develops. They will have the ability to broaden their search resources and strategies.

Learning Outcomes

Students can:

• Determine the scope of their information need
• Match search tools and resources to their information need
• Identify the broad range of information sources on a particular topic and how to locate them
• Use different search strategies effectively

Students will:

• Conduct a comprehensive search of resources within their area of inquiry
• Recognize that the relevance and value of resources will vary depending on the needs and nature of their research
• Design and refine their search language and strategies based on search results
• Exhibit mental flexibility and creativity
• Seek guidance from librarians, faculty and other experts

(Adapted from MacPhaidin Library/Stonehill college)

• Ask students to brainstorm possible sources that might have relevant information. What tools will they need to locate those resources?
• Students must identify one or two important databases for the project they are working on and analyze why they consider them to be an effective resource for their research.
• Ask students to choose a topic, develop key search terms, and use two different search engines to locate information on their topic. Have them compare the results  in terms of quantity, types of sources (e.g., government, educational, scholarly, and commercial), order/sequence of results, and relevance. Pair students who used the same search engine with different topics to compare results.
• Ask students to write an I-Search paper, whereby they journal their searching processes, including key terms, tools used, and resources/results at each step. They should note how they evaluated their resources, and what information was extracted. Their journal should also reflect their feelings: success, concern, frustration, pride, etc. Pair up students, and ask them to read and comment on each other's journal, and then draw up conclusions and recommendations for their peers.

(Adapted from Emory Libraries & Info Technology)