Research and Information Literacy

• Consider your content type (media format) needs based upon the scope and focus of the assignment
• Use keywords (creative keyword combinations) and synonyms to search in catalogs and databases
• Set field filters such as: publication date, content type, full text, peer-reviewed...
• Look for relevant related results/similar items offered after searches  
• Look for linked subject headings in the details of your selected item
• Consult and track a specific resource's citations/references
• Cite- to save time and stress, keep bibliographic notes (citations) as you find and consider your resources. 
• Use Boolean Operators to search (AND, OR, NOT, "", *)

Note: Use these capitalized words to direct search engine logic. AND will combine ideas and refine your searches. OR will parse out ideas and expand your searches. NOT will exclude a designated idea. An asterisk * placed after a root word will include all derivatives. Ideas featuring more than one word should be “phrase-searched” with quotation marks as such.

Examples: "distance education" OR "virtual learning"; rainforests AND “biological diversity”; rituals OR rites; lute AND music; therapy NOT physical; “law enforcement” OR police; “media bias” OR “fake news”; literacy AND misinformation; chaos AND quantum; wetlands AND swamp* NOT marsh*; archiv* (includes archive, archives, archival, archiving, archivist, archivistics, etc.)