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CNX 100 - Information Literacy Guide

Information Need

Where and how you search for information all depends on what kind of information you need. Looking for the actor's name in the latest blockbuster? No need for a deep dive in an academic database, you can find what you are looking for with a quick search on IMDB. For this class, you don't need to find scholarly articles, but you do need to find credible news articles or websites. That need will determine where you look and how you think about what you find. 

Before you start your research, ask yourself the following questions: 

  • What information do you need? (Define what your assignment is asking for)
  • What do you already know about your topic?
  • How much information do you need (Do you need a single fact? Enough to write a paragraph? Twenty pages?)
  • What type of information do you need (likely multiple)
    • Opinions
    • Statistics
    • Specific examples
    • Analysis
    • Definitions 
    • Theoretical Framework