man in library stacks

In the previous lesson, we worked on identifying a topic to focus on for your analysis and critique essay. For this lesson, we will continue our research so that we may begin to understand the circumstances, history, challenges, or political/social/economic circumstances that shape the place that we've chosen.

Researching for the assignment. For this lesson, then, let's take some time to research, read, and reflect in order to learn more about our topics, you'll need to locate sources--both online and in the college's library's databases.

When engaging with sources, you want to take some time to consider the timeliness, legitimacy, relevance, and accuracy of the sources. Your goal is to engage with your research and become an information literate person. The American Library Association notes that an information literate person:

Determines the nature and extent of information needed.
Accesses the needed information effectively and efficiently.
Evaluates information and its sources critically and incorporates selected information into his or her knowledge base and value system.
Uses information effectively to accomplish a specific purpose.
Understands many of the economic, legal, and social issues surrounding the use of information, and accesses and uses information ethically and legally.

Information literacy, therefore, is defined by the American Library Association (ALA) as a set of skills that require you to "recognize when information is needed and have the ability to locate, evaluate, and use effectively the needed information."

As you engage with your research in this lesson, these are the objectives that we'll also be working toward.