Finding Sources
Introduction
Types of sources
Locating sources
Online card catalogues
Search engines
Online databases
Talk About It
Your Turn
Tech Tools in this presentation
• Google
• Answers.com
• Snap
• America’s Story
Introduction
How can you find the information you need?
You can find information from many
different sources if you know the right
places to look.
Types of sources
A source of information is anything that gives useful
information on your research topic. There are many
different types of sources available to you, such as:
• books
• magazines
• experts
• Web pages
• audio or video recordings
• newspapers
• maps
• photographs
Locating sources
As a researcher, you need to know where to look to find
good sources of information.
Your school library
or local public
library is a great
place to start.
Locating sources
• One way to locate sources of information at a library
is with a card catalogue.
A card catalogue is a
collection of cards with
information about every
resource that a library
system owns.
Many libraries also have an
online card catalogue that you
can search from any computer
connected to the Internet.
Locating sources
Online card catalogue
• When you use an online card catalogue, you can
search by author, title, or subject.
You’ll probably want
to begin your search
by subject, using
keywords from your
narrowed topic.
Then you can
continue your search
by author or title.
Locating sources
Online card catalogue
The online card catalogue will show a list of library
resources that relate to your search.
There is usually a link from each result to a description of
the resource so that you can decide whether it is
something you are interested in reading.
Locating sources
Search engines
Search engines are like card catalogues for the
Internet. They guide you to online
resources available for your topic.
When you use a search
engine, you type in
keywords about your topic.
The search engine then
locates Web pages that
contain your keywords
and lists the results along
with links to each page.
(Yahoo! Kids) Reproduced with permission of Yahoo! Inc. ©2008 by Yahoo! and the Yahoo! logo are trademarks of Yahoo! Inc.
Tech Tool: Google
Google is a popular and powerful search engine. You are
probably already familiar with how to use it.
There are many other search engines you should also be
familiar with. Each offers unique features.
Tech Tool: Answers.com
Answers.com might be a good place to begin your
research.
This search
engine displays
information
from almanacs,
dictionaries, and
encyclopedias.
Tech Tool: Snap
Snap has search results down the left side.
On the right, a preview window shows what each site
looks like. This preview may help you decide whether the
site contains the information you want.
Locating sources
Online databases
Online databases are collections of information found
on the Internet.
Databases work like
filing cabinets. By using
keywords related to
your topic, you can find
the information you
need.
Locating sources
Online databases
EBSCO is a database available to students. You can use
it to search for magazine articles, books, and more.
Tech Tool: America’s Story
America’s Story is a database provided by the Library
of Congress that is free to all users.
It tells the stories of
American people and
historical events using
features such as
• images
• audio clips
• video recordings
• maps
• historical documents
Tech Tool: America’s Story
You can search by selecting from listed categories or by
entering your own search terms.
Tech Tool: America’s Story
For example, by choosing “Meet Amazing Americans” or
entering “Abraham Lincoln,” you can find
• a page from one of Lincoln’s
grade-school notebooks
• images of Lincoln as a
teenager
• election posters
• the contents of Lincoln’s
pockets on the night of his
assassination
Locating sources
Online databases
Other online sources you might find helpful are:
• www.si.edu a collection
of information from the
Smithsonian Institution
• www.learner.org/
students exhibits on
information included in
the Annenberg Foundation
video resources
• www.whyfiles.org
scientific information on
a variety of topics that
are currently in the news
Talk About It
Discuss these questions with your classmates.
1. How have you searched for information in the
past? Why did you use that method? How
successful were you?
2. Have you ever used a card catalogue or online
card catalogue?
3. Do you usually use Google as your search engine?
If so, why?
4. What are some new ways you will look for sources
now that you have viewed this presentation?
Your Turn
On a computer or on paper, follow these directions.
1. Choose a narrow topic you would like to know
more about.
2. Create a list of five different sources you could
use to find information about your narrow
topic. You should include the following:
• at least one book
• at least one article
• no more than two Web sites
Your Turn
A narrow topic I would like to know more about is:
Sources I found:
•
•
•
•
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The End