Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Information Literacy Textbooks for Undergraduates

I am in the process of proposing an experimental information-literacy course. Part of this process entails choosing a textbook. Following are some candidates for an information-literacy textbook:

   1. Badke, William B. 2008. Research Strategies: Finding Your Way Through the Information Fog. 3d. ed.  New York: iUniverse. Table of Contents: Welcome to the information fog -- Taking charge -- Database searching with keywords and hierarchies -- Metadata and the power of controlled vocabularies -- Library catalogs and journal databases -- Internet research -- Other resources and case studies in research -- Learning how to read for research -- Organizing your resources to write your paper -- Tips on research writing. (213 p.)
   2. George, Mary. 2008. The Elements of Library Research: What Every Student Needs to Know. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press. Table of Contents: Introduction to research as inquiry -- From research assignment to research plan -- Strategy and tools for discovery -- The fine art of finding sources -- Insight, evaluation, argument, and beyond. Description: xiv, 201 p. : ill. ; 22 cm.
   3. List, Carla. 2005. Information Literacy and Technology, 3d. ed. Dubuque, IA: Kendall/Hunt.
   4. Mann, Thomas. 2005. The Oxford Guide to Library Research, 3d. ed. New York: Oxford.
   5. Palmquist, Mike. 2003. The Bedford Researcher. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s.
   6. Quaratiello, Arlene Rodda. 2010. The College Student's Research Companion: Finding, Evaluating, and Citing the Resources You Need to Succeed. 5th. ed. New York: Neal-Schuman. Table of Contents from 4th edition: Mastering research basics -- Decoding database searches -- Locating books -- Finding periodicals -- Exploring reference sources -- Selecting electronic resources -- Navigating the World Wide Web -- Preparing a flawless bibliography. Description: xvi, 168 p. : ill. ; 23 cm.
   7. Taylor, Terry. 2007. 100% Information Literacy Success. Clifton Park, NY: Thomson Delmar.
   8. Tensen, Bonnie L. 2007. Research Strategies for a Digital Age, 2d. ed. Boston: Thomson Wadsworth.

Other information-literacy books that might be worth looking at, particularly for librarians and for those needing to understand legal research:
  • Susan E. Beck and Kate Manuel.  2008.  Practical Research Methods for Librarians and Information Professionals.  New York: Neal-Schuman Publishers.
  • Cohen, Morris L.  and Kent C. Olson.  2007. Legal Research in a Nutshell, 9th ed. St. Paul, MN: Thomson/West.

If you know of any other information-literacy books worth using, please share them in the comments box.  Do you use any of these titles?  Which ones?  Why?  Let me know what you think.


1 comment:

William Badke said...

Hi, Spencer. My book Research Strategies is going into a fourth edition sometime in April. It has been updated extensively though the basic pattern of the book remains similar.

Let me know if you'd like more information.