Many students enter college not knowing how to use an academic library or how to research. For example, did you know that the classification system in an academic library is different than that of a public library? Did you know that when researching a paper there are many more (and better!) strategies than searching Google?
If not, that’s ok! CMC’s Greenleaf Library is here to help!
Knowing how to research is a skill. This is important for getting a good grade or to be prepared for a four-year college, however, it reaches far beyond that. Later in life it may translate into knowing how to locate the manual to fix your car, being able to think critically about political news sources, or being able to decipher if someone is trying to sell you a false “miracle cure.” Being able to “find the answer” is a critical thinking skill that is useful as a student, a citizen, a consumer, and in the job market.
These skills all fall under the umbrella of information literacy skills. Information literacy is defined (briefly!) as the ability to locate, evaluate, use, and communicate information. The use and communication of information literacy is heavily stressed in the classroom. The locate and evaluate, however, is often not as developed in a student’s repertoire, and that is where the Greenleaf Library comes in.
The best way to amplify your information literacy skills is through the the library workshops. Here is a full list:
- Library Orientation will teach you what the library offers in terms of books, online resources, and services, and where and how to find these resources.
- Search Strategies offers advanced techniques to searching databases to efficiently find the locate the best sources.
- Evaluation Sources will give you the tools to understand and identity what is a good source.
- APA Workshop will teach you how to cite using APA format.
- MLA Workshop you learn MLA, 8th ed., citation style.
You can view the full schedule on the library’s website. If you have a hectic schedule, and can’t make it to campus for the dates offered, you can take any of the workshops online.
Additional Links
How college students conduct research: https://www.ebsco.com/apps/assets-benefits/teaser-image/LibraryEse_Infographic_final_72dpi.jpg?v=1449854529996
Library research and statistics: https://www.lrs.org/2016/02/24/in-ebsco-survey-nearly-two-thirds-of-college-students-use-library-resources-in-their-research/
