LIT Objectives

Module 1: Starting Smart

This module covers types of information sources you can use for your topic. When you have completed this section of LIT you should be able to:

• identify a variety of information sources
• identify characteristics of information on the Web
• identify characteristics of library resources

Module 2: Choosing a Topic

This module covers topic selection and how to identify keywords to search your topic. When you have completed this module you should be able to:

• broaden or narrow a topic
• identify keywords for a topic
• understand the broad scope of keyword terms
• use connectors and truncation in constructing a search

Module 3: Using the Catalog

This module covers how to search the Library Catalog. When you have completed this module you should be able to:

• recognize that the Library Catalog contains more than books
• find books on a topic using a Keyword search
• find books by title or Subject heading
• identify the location of books
• read a call number and use it to find items in the library
• find an item placed on reserve using a Course Reserves search

Module 4: Finding Articles

This module covers how to use article indexes to identify articles on a subject. After completing this module you should be able to:

• distinguish between popular and scholarly periodicals
• choose an online database appropriate to your information need
• use it to identify an article on a topic
• use Find it! to locate the journal or magazine that contains your article

Module 5: Using the Web

When you have completed this section of LIT, you should be able to

• understand the organization of the Internet
• identify the major types of Web sites
• use search engines and metasearch engines to search the Web to find resources your professors will love
• interpret and evaluate Web search engine results

Module 6: Citing Sources

This module covers citing sources, plagiarism, and copyright. When you have completed this module of LIT, you should be able to

• grasp the concept of intellectual property
• realize how ideas are transmitted
• list ways to avoid plagiarism
• understand the reasons for copyright
• describe when to cite sources used in your work
• recognize different parts of a citation
• learn about citation styles and how to cite sources