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Library Instruction & Information Literacy

Frequently Asked Questions

  1. How can I show my students the difference between a popular and a scholarly journal?
  2. How can I help my students find information on the research process and writing a paper using library resources?
  3. In the past, I've made assignments to my students using the U.S. Census. Is the 2000 Census being published in print format? If not, how can my students do Census work on the Web?
  4. I don't want my students doing research "on the Internet." How can I teach them to distinguish between "out there" Internet sources and "library evaluated and purchased" materials?
  5. Where can I get information about citing electronic information? Is this information on the web?
  1. How can I show my students the difference between a popular and a scholarly journal?

    2. Take a few examples to your class and point out salient differences, which are also described in a chart on the Library Web Pages. It may also be useful to do a demonstration. For example, try showing your students differences between American Demographics and Demography, both in our print periodicals collection, second floor, McIntyre Library. You may also do a virtual demonstration of these two titles, from the McIntyre Periodicals List.

  2. How can I help my students find information on the research process and writing a paper using library resources?

    3. Send students to the "Need Help? Guides & More" section of the library web site. In Research Rescue your students will find the Research Process described, see a graphical Research Map, and access guides on popular and research topics. Your students can do a research Tutorial, in our Tutorials & McIntyre Guide section. Also in the "Need Help?" section of the library web site is our Library User's Manual, with information about finding materials and using library services.

  3. In the past, I've made assignments to my students using the U.S. Census. Is the 2000 Census being published in print format? If not, how can my students do Census work on the Web and in the library?

    4. It's probably best to first look yourself at what's available on the Census 2000 web site, and try a few sample searches using the new American FactFinder software so you know the data you want your students to find and use is actually there, in a usable format in sufficient detail.

    Do you want students to use comparative census data? They might start with the United States Statistical Abstract. Online, there are 4 years together and the library has 100 years of print Abstracts in C 3.223: in the first floor U.S. Documents stacks.

    You may always request that a reference librarian give your class a census data overview or work with a librarian to design an assignment with which your students will succeed.

    Our library is downloading, printing and binding some of the most frequently used Wisconsin 2000 population Census reports. These are kept at the Library Reference Desk. Other print census products will be listed in the Voyager online catalog. For Wisconsin data, search: +census +2000 +Wisconsin in the Basic Search, Keyword Relevance.

  4. I don't want my students doing research "on the Internet". How can I teach them to distinguish between "out there" Internet sources and "library evaluated and purchased" materials?

    5. Try to help students discriminate between web pages and books, articles and other materials that we access using the web. You may want to discourage the use of web search engines as search tools for journal articles and books because web search engines do not do this effectively with proprietary databases, such as the Library databases. It is also helpful to teach students to evaluate web resources.

  5. Where can I get information about citing electronic information? Is this information on the Web?

    6. Some citation information is available online. An online library guide, Citing Online Sources provides background and links to the MLA and APA web pages for citing electronic resources. We also have additional examples in our Formatting Citations guide. Additional information is available at the Reference Desk (836-3858); email: library.reference@uwec.edu


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