Finding Sources Introduction Types of sources Locating sources

Finding Sources Introduction Types of sources Locating sources Online card catalogues Search engines Online databases Talk About It Your Turn Tech Tools in this presentation • Google • Answers. com • Snap • America’s Story

Introduction How can you find the information you need? You can find information from many different sources if you know the right places to look.

Types of sources A source of information is anything that gives useful information on your research topic. There are many different types of sources available to you, such as: • books • magazines • experts • Web pages • audio or video recordings • newspapers • maps • photographs

Locating sources As a researcher, you need to know where to look to find good sources of information. Your school library or local public library is a great place to start.

Locating sources • One way to locate sources of information at a library is with a card catalogue. A card catalogue is a collection of cards with information about every resource that a library system owns. Many libraries also have an online card catalogue that you can search from any computer connected to the Internet.

Locating sources Online card catalogue • When you use an online card catalogue, you can search by author, title, or subject. You’ll probably want to begin your search by subject, using keywords from your narrowed topic. Then you can continue your search by author or title.

Locating sources Online card catalogue The online card catalogue will show a list of library resources that relate to your search. There is usually a link from each result to a description of the resource so that you can decide whether it is something you are interested in reading.

Locating sources Search engines are like card catalogues for the Internet. They guide you to online resources available for your topic. When you use a search engine, you type in keywords about your topic. The search engine then locates Web pages that contain your keywords and lists the results along with links to each page. (Yahoo! Kids) Reproduced with permission of Yahoo! Inc. © 2008 by Yahoo! and the Yahoo! logo are trademarks of Yahoo! Inc.

Tech Tool: Google is a popular and powerful search engine. You are probably already familiar with how to use it. There are many other search engines you should also be familiar with. Each offers unique features.

Tech Tool: Answers. com might be a good place to begin your research. This search engine displays information from almanacs, dictionaries, and encyclopedias.

Tech Tool: Snap has search results down the left side. On the right, a preview window shows what each site looks like. This preview may help you decide whether the site contains the information you want.

Locating sources Online databases are collections of information found on the Internet. Databases work like filing cabinets. By using keywords related to your topic, you can find the information you need.

Locating sources Online databases EBSCO is a database available to students. You can use it to search for magazine articles, books, and more.

Tech Tool: America’s Story is a database provided by the Library of Congress that is free to all users. It tells the stories of American people and historical events using features such as • images • audio clips • video recordings • maps • historical documents

Tech Tool: America’s Story You can search by selecting from listed categories or by entering your own search terms.

Tech Tool: America’s Story For example, by choosing “Meet Amazing Americans” or entering “Abraham Lincoln, ” you can find • a page from one of Lincoln’s grade-school notebooks • images of Lincoln as a teenager • election posters • the contents of Lincoln’s pockets on the night of his assassination

Locating sources Online databases Other online sources you might find helpful are: • www. si. edu a collection of information from the Smithsonian Institution • www. learner. org/ students exhibits on information included in the Annenberg Foundation video resources • www. whyfiles. org scientific information on a variety of topics that are currently in the news

Talk About It Discuss these questions with your classmates. 1. How have you searched for information in the past? Why did you use that method? How successful were you? 2. Have you ever used a card catalogue or online card catalogue? 3. Do you usually use Google as your search engine? If so, why? 4. What are some new ways you will look for sources now that you have viewed this presentation?

Your Turn On a computer or on paper, follow these directions. 1. Choose a narrow topic you would like to know more about. 2. Create a list of five different sources you could use to find information about your narrow topic. You should include the following: • at least one book • at least one article • no more than two Web sites

Your Turn A narrow topic I would like to know more about is: Sources I found: • • •

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