Module 1: Starting Smart

This module covers types of information sources you can use for your topic. When you have completed this section of Searchpath you should be able to:

• identify a variety of information sources
• distinguish between popular and scholarly periodicals
• identify characteristics of information on the Web
• identify characteristics of library resources

Module 2: Choosing a Topic

This module covers topic selection and how to identify keywords to search your topic. When you have completed this module you should be able to:

• broaden or narrow a topic
• identify keywords for a topic
• use connectors and truncation in constructing a search
• understand the difference between keyword and subject searching

Module 3: Using the DCCCD OPAC

This module covers how to search the online DCCCD Library Catalog (OPAC). When you have completed this module you should be able to:

• recognize that the OPAC contains more than books
• find books on a topic using a Keyword search
• find books by title, author, or subject heading
• find journals by using a title search
• identify the location of books or journals
• read a call number and use it to find items in the library
• find an item placed on reserve using a Course Reserve search

Module 4: Finding Articles

This module covers how to use article indexes to identify articles on a subject. After completing this module you should be able to:

• choose an online database appropriate to your information need
• use it to identify an article on a topic
• distinguish between full-text, citation, and abstract
• use the email function to send an article to yourself
• search the OPAC to locate the periodical that contains your article when the article is not full-text

Module 5: Using the Web

When you have completed this section of Searchpath, you should be able to

• understand the organization of the Internet
• identify the major types of Web sites
• use search engines and metasearch engines to search the Web
• interpret and evaluate Web search engine results
• evaluate a website

Module 6: Citing Sources

This module covers citing sources, plagiarism, and copyright. When you have completed this module of Searchpath, you should be able to

• recognize different parts of a citation
• describe when to cite sources used in your work
• list ways to avoid plagiarism
• understand the reasons for copyright