This study investigated the benefits of online research methods over manual methods for novice researchers. It was hypothesized that novice researchers who conduct online searches submit better research projects than those who use manual methods. Undergraduate students in two classes of a journalism course on "Law and Mass…

Currently available World Wide Web search engines determine a site's qualification as a response to a search request by matching keywords in the request to keywords representing the site. The returned sites are given a score and ranked according to the match on keywords. Many of these retrieved sites can be irrelevant to the user's true…

Describes the development of a curriculum page by preservice teachers at the University of Central Florida that uses the Internet's interactive potential to organize and create online information. Explains the organization of the Web page, and discusses outcomes of the assignment, including transfer of learning and real-life applications.…

Asserts that one of the increasingly critical skills that undergraduates must master is electronic information retrieval. Maintains that sociologists can readily integrate library instruction into undergraduate courses and help develop student awareness of and ability to use the ever-growing body of library resources and information. (CFR)

This document is a guide to library resources in the I. D. Weeks Library at the University of South Dakota, Vermillion. The guide was designed to accompany an academic library instruction course, "Use of Library Resources, A & S 111." The purpose of the course is to familiarize students with the facilities of the I. D. Weeks Library;…

In an effort to promote computer literacy among advertising students, an assignment was devised that required the use of online database search techniques to find secondary research materials. The search program, chosen for economical reasons, was "Classroom Instruction Program" offered by Dialog Information Services. Available for a…

A college level, one-unit library research skills course is required of all students as part of a general education program at the State University College at Plattsburgh, New York. The course emphasizes the presentation of learning experiences within the context of two conceptual structures: principles that underlie information access systems,…

Describes and evaluates the success of a chemistry course for nonscience majors that examines a variety of contemporary science-based issues and includes online retrieval of chemical information. Explains how course instructor and librarian work together to plan assignments and provide instruction to groups of students. Includes sample assignments…

This practicum was designed to help doctoral education students entering the Child and Youth Studies (CYS) program at Nova Southeastern University (NSU) feel more confident about accessing online resources and more comfortable about using online information technologies for their research. A method was developed for integrating bibliographic…

Describes the inclusion of critical thinking and information retrieval in an undergraduate business program utilizing active learning techniques. Presents a model assignment, outlines a library workshop, offers an evaluation of the project, and discusses librarian-faculty collaboration in creating an appropriate assignment. (Author/LRW)

This paper describes the rationale behind and the development and utilization of a bibliographic instruction course which incorporates formal abstract reasoning skills. The limitations of the search strategy technique of bibliographic instruction are discussed as well as the fact that many college students have not developed sophisticated…

This paper briefly describes an assignment designed to improve teachers' attitudes toward technology through basic instruction. A group of teachers who were taking graduate level courses were introduced to computer technology in a non-threatening manner starting with learning the basic computer skills, such as e-mail, word processing, and…

Faculty often overestimate the scholarly communication experiences, critical-thinking abilities, and information-seeking skills of the undergraduates to whom they assign papers. A stratified methodology is suggested for teaching information retrieval skills in the classroom. A strong curriculum-integrated approach could ease the burden on students…