How Do I Get Started?

Getting started with research in the modern academic library can be a daunting challenge. Confronted with a virtual tidal wave of information, students must learn to select the best information for the specific purpose. The basis for effectively using the library is to develop a research strategy.

The strategy that we recommend is called the "Big Six", a strategy for problem solving that was developed by Michael Eisenberg and Robert Berkowitz at the University of Syracuse. Often used in elementary and secondary schools to teach the fundamentals of research, it has also been adapted for use on the college level. This is the strategy that we use in our library instruction classes.

The following links will take you to tutorials that will help you to develop your research skills so that you can make effective use of resources within the library as well as on the Internet.

Merlin
Merlin is a tutorial with several components designed to help you become an effective user of information. It was developed by the University of Massachusetts

TILT
TILT (Texas Information Literacy Tutorial) is an interactive tutorial designed to assist first year students in developing good research skills.

The Seven Steps of the Research Process
A guide explaining how to identify and refine a topic, find information, evaluate what is found, and how to cite sources. Created by Cornell University Library.