Going beyond how-to demonstrations that segregate subject-matter learning from research skills, Virginia Tech's Information Skills Modules lead users through the thinking processes required for effective, efficient research in today's complex worlds of information. The flexible, modular design means that you can work with just one segment, any topical module, or the whole package.
Six steps of information research
- Choosing and focusing a topic
- Selecting information sources
- Developing search strategies
- Retrieving information
- Evaluating information
- Using information appropriately
Faculty can use ISM
- As a point of departure for small assignments. For example, one might ask a group of students to conduct an online discussion applying the segment on assessing the reliability of sources (in Module 5) to a course reading.
- To provide the mile-markers students must pass in order to make progress in a term-long research project.
- As a text to complement what they and/or instructional librarians teach in class about finding, retrieving, assessing, and applying information from traditional and electronic sources.