Secondary How To >> Search Strategies >> Locating Reference Tools

Search Strategies Locating the Right Reference Tools Choose the best resource for your needs. By learning what each resource does best, you can save time and effort when doing research.

Almanacs Atlases Dictionaries Encyclopedias Oregon Blue Book Statistical Sources Literary Criticism Primary & Secondary Sources Video & Sound Recordings Interviews There are many reference tools you can use in your research. Use the navigation menu at the left or the link at the end of each section to move to the tools you want to learn to use. When doing research you need to pick the resource that will help you do the job getting the best results without wasting time and energy. Being a good researcher means you can select the best resources to meet your information needs. Knowing the strengths of each tool will help you get to the resource you need to do the best job. More Help with Search Strategies These sites will open in a new window. Close the window to return here. Which Information Source Should I Use? from Cole Junior High, Rhode Island <http://www.ri.net/schools/East_Greenwich/tools.html> How to Choose Library Resources from OSLIS (introductory) <http://www.oslis.k12.or.us/elementary/howto/chooselib/> How to Find Information from OSLIS (introductory) <http://www.oslis.k12.or.us/elementary/howto/findinfo/> Searching the Web from University of South Carolina <http://www.sc.edu/beaufort/library/bones.html> Choose the most helpful information tool. Would you use a kitchen fork to dig a six-foot hole in your back yard? It might work, but it would take a loooonnnnng time and you'd have to work harder than if you used a shovel or a backhoe. You say, "I don't need books and stuff. Why can't I just use the Internet? I can find it faster on the Internet. It's better." But, the Internet is not always faster or better. Remember: Anyone, and we do mean anyone with a computer and a Web site, can put stuff on the Web. There is no complete list of Web sites. There is no company or person who checks what's on the Web. New sites are put on every day and sites often disappear. You don't always know when it has been updated. Credit: Eugene School District 4J, Eugene, OR, and OSLIS Revision Committee 2002