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You may read more about Connect for
Success or start
the tutorial now.
What
is Connect for Success?
CONNECT For Success
is a set of Web-based instructional modules designed by the
Carrier Library reference staff at James Madison University
and adapted by the Virginia Community College System (VCCS)
Library Automation Advisory Committee. The goal of CONNECT For
Success is to introduce students to the services and collections
in their college library and to teach students basic information-seeking
skills.
The VCCS Core Competencies
Initiative requires students to meet objectives relating to
information-seeking and technology skills and includes the following
skills:
- The information literate student determines the nature
and extent of the information needed.
- The information literate student accesses needed information
effectively and efficiently.
- The information literate student evaluates information
and its sources critically and incorporates selected information
into his or her knowledge base and value system.
- The information literate student understands many of
the economic, legal, and social issues surrounding the
use of
information and accesses and uses information ethically
and legally.
- (Developed primarily from the American
Library Association Information Literacy Competency
Standards
for Higher Education)
Assessment
A small group of selected
TCC students (those enrolled in PSY 202 and SOC 202) were
asked to participate in a statewide assessment of information
literacy skills in March 2003. Results from this online test
will help the Virginia Community College System determine
how
well the colleges are preparing students in these core competencies.
What do the modules
cover?
Module 1— Orientation
to the Libraries
- Reference
- Interlibrary Loan
- Periodicals
- Government Documents
- Media Resources
- Circulation
Module 2 — An
Introduction to the Information World
- Describe how information is organized in libraries
- Given a need for a particular type of information (i.e.
overview, research report, news), identify an appropriate
type of source (i.e. encyclopedia, scholarly journal, newspaper)
- Interpret a bibliographic citation
- Characterize the quality of information found on the
Internet vs. in libraries
Module 3 — Searching
an Electronic Database
- Define the terms database, record, and field
- Define three types of information databases: bibliographic,
full-text, numeric
- Determine the subject scope and years of coverage of
a given database
- Identify the main concepts of a research topic and generate
a list of search terms
- Build a search strategy using Boolean operators
- Compare and contrast a free text search with a controlled
terminology search
- Define truncation, nesting, field-specific searching,
and phrase searching
Module 4 — Finding
Information Resources
- Use VCCSLinc to locate materials held by the Library
(including books, nonprint media, and government documents)
- Find relevant background information on a topic
- Locate and effectively use the following types of information
- Periodical articles
- News sources
- Biographical information
- Primary sources
- Critical reviews
- Government information
- Statistical information
Module 5 — Using
Internet Sources
- Locate a specific web site given a URL
- Conduct an Internet search on a given topic
- Compare and contrast a database search with an Internet
search
Module 6 — Evaluating
Sources of Information
- Authority of the author or producer
- Appropriateness of the date of publication
- Supporting documentation
- Purpose of the work
- Review process
Module 7 — Information
Ethics: Citing Sources and Fair Use
- Identify the bibliographic elements essential for properly
citing an information source
- Define plagiarism
- Apply appropriate ethical guidelines to the use and citing
of information
Module 8 — A
Search Strategy for Research Papers and Speeches
- Choosing a topic and identifying its main concepts
- Narrowing the focus of the topic
- Identifying reference books, indexes, and Internet sites
appropriate for researching the topic
- Using a variety of sources
- Evaluating the sources found for
appropriateness and quality
What if I'm not a
student?
CONNECT For Success
can be used by students preparing to take the Competency Assessment,
or by anyone else who wants to learn how to find information
in the library, in databases, or on the Internet. If you are
not a registered student you may use your TCC email address
or login using "guest" as you email name and
as your last name.
You may start
the tutorial now.
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