This guide covers the various steps of the research process and incorporates the Association of College & Research Libraries (ACRL) Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education. Your research should not be limited to the scope of this guide.  Please feel free to check with a reference librarian for more focused resources on your specific topic.

1. Topics:

• a. Find topic ideas & overviews
• b. Refine a Topic

2. Types of information:

• a. Information needs & sources
• b. Information sources comparison table
• c. Journals vs. magazines

3. Find books:

• a. Search the library catalog
• b. Locate print books by call number
• c. Find & use digital books
• d. Obtain books from other libraries

4. Find articles:

• a. Search the library databases
• b. Use online search strategies
• c. Locate full-text articles
• d. Off-campus access

5. Use the Internet 

• a. Use search engines
• b. Library databases vs. search engines

6. Evaluate sources:

• a. Criteria for evaluating sources
• b. Wikipedia

7. Cite sources:

• a. Avoid plagiarism
• b. Interpret citations
• c. Cite Sources

Library Services Handout

Library Services Worksheet