Finding Information
	Exercises

Exercises for Finding Books | Exercises for Finding Articles | Exercises for Searching the Web

Exercises for Finding Books

We recommend that you do these exercises in pairs, so that you can take turns with the searches, brainstorm, and coach one another.

1. Use each of the search modes in the HSU Library Catalog (Fast Search, Basic Search, and Advanced Search) to find a book called The Sixties by Richard Avedon and Doon Arbus. (There may be more than one way to do the search in each mode.) Which do you like the best? Why?






2. Generate a list of all the videos in the Library using the HSU Library Catalog. (The Video & DVD Collection tells how.) How many are there? Who is the publisher of the first one on the list? What is the title of the twentieth one on the third results screen?






3. Assume that you are researching a speech on the role of biological elements in romantic attraction between people, and perform the Keyword Anywhere (Relevance Ranked) search +biology +love. In the search results is a recent book by Arthur Janov entitled The Biology of Love. Look at the Library ("Brief") Record for this book. Can you decide from this information whether this book is likely to be useful for your speech? How can you tell?






4. Does the Library have any CDs of reggae music? If so, how many are there? (The Audio Recordings Collection will help with this exercise.)






5. Search for the book in exercise 1 in the CSU Catalog. How many CSU campuses have this book?

Exercises for Finding Articles

You may do these exercise alone, in pairs, or in small groups.

1. In this exercise, you will explore some of the Library's databases.

   Answer the questions on this Databases Worksheet for each of three databases. Your instructor may ask you to turn in the worksheets, either in print or via email, or you may use them as the basis for a report to your class.

   If no databases are assigned for you to review, these are recommended:

   • Academic Search Elite
   • Accunet/AP Photo Archive
   • CQ Researcher
   • Or you may choose databases that cover an area of interest to you.




2. In this exercise, you will focus on finding articles on a particular subject and determining if they are in print or fulltext.

   Either:

   Go to the Library's Databases page, click on one of the subjects listed there, and choose one or more of the databases listed under the subject for this exercise

   Or
   

   Choose one or more of the broad subject areas below and practice using the database listed. A practice topic is suggested for each. A different topic may be assigned to you, or you may use your own. The practice topic terms given may not be exactly what you need to look under in each index.

   
   Remember, use the onscreen instructions to help you search effectively. For each database, answer the questions on the Finding Articles Worksheet. As in Exercise 1, you may print out the worksheet or use it electronically.

    

   • Art (suggested topic: Henri Matisse)
     ArtIndex
   • Business (suggested topic: corporate culture)
     ABI Inform
   • Education (suggested topic: home schooling)
     ERIC
   • Forestry (suggested topic: reforestation)
     Biological and Agricultural Index
   • Music (suggested topic: rock music)
     Music Index Online
   • Sociology (suggested topic: stereotypes )
     Sociological Abstracts
   • Wildlife Biology (suggested topic: squirrels)
     Wildlife & Ecology Studies Worldwide

    

Exercises for Searching the Web

You may do these exercises alone, in pairs, or in small groups. Your instructor may assign directories and search engines to evaluate, or you may be permitted to choose. Your instructor may want you to turn in your worksheets, or you may be asked to make oral reports to the class.

1. Choose two Internet directories from the list in OWL 3 and fill out an Internet Directory Evaluation Sheet for each one. You may also evaluate one or more of the directories associated with search engines, instead of or in addition to those listed in OWL 3. If your group has more than 4 people in it, evaluate three directories.






2. Choose two Internet search engines from the list on the Internet Search Tools page, and fill out an Internet Search Engine Evaluation Sheet for each one. If your group has more than 4 people in it, evaluate three search engines.






3. Write a short paper in which you compare your experience of using a directory and a search engine. What strengths and weaknesses did you find for each? What new things did you learn? Do you prefer directories over search engines, or vice versa?