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Information Literacy

Welcome to the JSTOR ‘Research Basics’ Modules! The materials on these pages have been designed to give you a foundation in information literacy and critical thinking.

What's in the Research Basics Course

Information skills ― critical thinking and problem-solving ― are essential to success in the workplace and in everyday life. Decisions ranging from purchases to healthcare rely on sound information literacy skills. Being conscious of the variety of information available and basing your decisions on sound evaluation and reasoning will significantly impact your life.

You can use the JSTOR Research Basics course to identify the steps in the research process:

  • Choose a research topic, identify keywords, create a thesis statement;student at library desk with pencil and paper
  • Learn about types of resources and how to read scholarly material;
  • Determine the best database and effectively use search techniques;
  • Evaluate sources to determine their purpose, validity, and accuracy;
  • Present research and data with appropriate citations to avoid plagiarism.

 

How to Use the Online Tutorial

Topics have been divided among three modules; each includes videos, tutorials, and quizzes.

  • You can read and watch each module in order;
  • Or jump to the one that meets your immediate needs, like this module on Effective Searching, or this one on gauging scholarly credibility;
  • Or watch a single short video, like this one about tracking your sources for citation.