Critical Thinking & Information Literacy Across the Curriculum

Reference Materials Activity

Goals for the Class:
• Students will practice Question Analysis through finding synonyms and broader subject areas for their topics.
• Students will know that reference books are a good place to begin any project.
• Students will have practice using several different types of reference resources.
• Students will know that reference books often contain bibiliographies for further resources.
• Students will be able to use indexes to use multiple volume sets.
• Student will be able to articulate the difference between general and subject oriented reference books.
• Students will have practice citing reference works.
• Students will know how to limit a search in the LMC catalog to reference books.

CLASS SESSION

1. What we will do today: learning about ref resources

Reference slideshow

Demo catalog - limiting to ref books

Exercise instructions return for debriefing

Assignment:

Name: _______________________________
Topic: _______________________

1. (2) List 2 synonyms for your topic area.

2. (3) List 3 broader subject areas for your topic.

3. Find the Encyclopedia Britannica in the reference section (Ref AE5.E363 1997). Look up your topic in the "micropedia" (volumes 1-12). Using the Index volumes, find a reference to your subject in the "macropedia" (volumes 13-29).

a. (2) Write the volume and page number where you found your topic in both the "micropedia" and the "macropedia".

b. (2) Review the entries from the "micropedia" and "macropedia". Briefly describe what is covered in each and explain the difference between the "micropedia" and the "macropedia".

4. Find the McGraw-Hill Encyclopedia of Science & Technology Ref Q121.M3 1997. Look up your topic using both the alphabetical organization of the volumes and the index. Choose one article.

a. (1) Find the bibliography or reference list in the Encyclopedia article. List the citation information for a book that would give you more information on the topic.

b. (3) Write a citation for the article. Make sure you include all the elements your reader needs to find the resource.

c. (2) Find, photocopy and attach to this worksheet a graph that you could use in a poster presentation on your topic. Write a citation on the photocopy of where the graph came from.

5. Search the LMC catalog for subject reference books that would include information on your topic. Limit your search to reference books. Type in your topic. If you don't retrieve any records, try the synonyms and broader subject areas you brainstormed in questions1 and 2.

a. (2) Print out and attach to this worksheet the catalog records for 2 reference books that you found in your search.

b. (1) Find the books in the reference collection. Browse to see if you can find additional subject encyclopedias or dictionaries that include information on your topic. List the title and call number of one here.

c. (1) If an Internet shutdown prevented you from using the LMC Catalog, what would help you browse for reference materials on your topic?

6. Using the LMC Catalog or by browsing, find an atlas that includes information relevant to your topic.

a. (1) Write the title and call number of the atlas.

7. Using the Dictionary of Scientific Biography, Q141.D5find a scientist who has done work related to your topic.

a. (1) Explain how you went about finding the scientist in the set.

b. (1) Write the name of the scientist and the volume and page number of the article.

8. (3)Why are reference resources useful when doing a research project? List 3 reasons.

9. Extra Credit. Find information about your topic in a science reference resource (encyclopedia, dictionary, atlas, statistical resource) on the Web.

a. (1) Explain the steps you took to find the resource.

b. (1) List the url (address) and name of the Web site.

Library Media Center
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provided complete acknowledgement is included.

Updated August 25, 2003