nformation Competency Module
Kinesiology 492

The Information Competency Module for Kinesiology 492 is two-fold. The primary focus is to familiarize Kinesiology majors with advanced level research at the HSU Library and provide them with an understanding of the resources available to successfully complete assignments for this course. In addition, students will also learn the overall importance of information literacy and how to utilize the many resources which will remain accessible upon graduation.

Developing a Research Topic

Developing a research topic is the first and foremost important decision to be made. Determining the specifics of your topic will contribute to the success of your research. Whether you are establishing a thesis statement or simply selecting a topic of interest it is important to make this your first step toward the completion of a research paper.

Searching for Articles, Conference Proceedings and other Reports

Articles and education documents from journals, newspapers, conferences and various agencies are indexed in databases. Click on Articles and Databases on the library’s homepage to view the list. Not every database is a full-text database which provides instant access to a complete article. Some databases provide only an abstract of an article. The researcher must then find the full-text of the article in another database or in a print version of the journal, if available.

Information Literacy Module for Kinesiology 492 will focus on the following databases: Academic Search Elite, Omnifile, SPORTDiscus, Medline, PsycInfo, Dissertations, and PE Index.

Each database will have the following in common:

• Clicking on the  next to the database name will provide detailed information on the database itself including: date coverage; journals indexed; and other such parameters

• Every database uses a variety of access terms such as keywords, author name, title, audience type, date, journal title, etc. The options vary from one database to another.

• Every database allows searchers to choose simple or more advanced search screens.

• Additionally, some databases are produced by a variety of vendors and contain value-added search components.

• Every database provides “help” screens to help refine and improve searching

• Peer-reviewed or "refereed" articles are read by subject experts prior to publication in a journal. The purpose of peer review is to ensure that the highest quality articles are published.

• Before searching indexes and catalogs, you should clarify the information you are seeking by developing a search strategy. Every database utilizes the concept of Boolean searching (the logical relationship among search terms, specifically: and, or, not)

Searching for a Specific Journal

• Once an article has been identified in a database the full-text may be directly linked and immediately available. This will be evident by links such as:

  HTML Full Text
   PDF Full Text 

• Often, however, as is the case with SPORTdiscus, Medline, and the journals indexed in ERIC, it will be necessary to locate the full-text in another database or in the periodical stacks located on the second floor of the library, or through Interlibrary Loan. This will be indicated by    or   
• By clicking on the “SFX” link above you will be immediately taken to another database or a list of databases (including the HSU online catalog) where you may locate the journal or referred to Interlibrary Loan.

• If you are not using a database and already know the name of a journal you may search for that journal title to determine its availability online or in print at the library.

• If a journal is unavailable at the HSU library you may obtain a copy of the article you need by requesting it through Interlibrary Loan, as may any book or other resource not held at HSU.

• Another option for document delivery is available solely to faculty and graduate students through Ingenta. The Library offers unmediated, fully subsidized document delivery from the Ingenta database. Students in capstone senior classes may also be eligible. Ingenta contains 11 million journal articles from 20,000 journals and is updated daily.

Locate Theses and Dissertations

Useful information, methodology and exemplary works are available as theses or dissertations. Many theses which have been completed at HSU are cataloged and available in the Library. Theses and dissertations completed at other universities may be located using Dissertations. The majority must then be requested through Interlibrary Loan.

Locate Government Documents

The Federal and State Governments publish extensively. All California Standards and Frameworks are published by the State. The Federal Government, in addition to discipline-specific professional organizations, also publishes many National Standards and Frameworks. Researchers can find information on any topic and statistical data on nearly every subject. 

Searching Pre-Selected Sites on the Internet

Librarians serve as bibliographers for specific disciplines and, as such, review and recommend books, journals, web sites and other resources for research.

Cold Searching on the Internet

Although “cold searching” on the Internet is one of the least effect means of obtaining scholarly, authoritative research, it is one of the most popular. Yet there is no denying that “web searches” can be meaningful and produce useful results.

Federated Searching

A Federated Search is a search system that allows you to search for documents from multiple collections, instead of having to search each one separately. Federated searching can combine abstracting and indexing databases, web search engines, and a variety of other databases at the same time. Usually duplicated results are eliminated.

Who Needs a Librarian?

Confucius said, "You know what you know and you don't know what you don't know.  That is knowledge” …and that is where librarians can be helpful. Whether you are just beginning your research or you think you’ve exhausted all resources available, a librarian can advise you of the many options beyond the obvious. Librarians are information specialists, trained to educate, illuminate, and disseminate ~ and, best of all, the service is free!