Welcome to Retrieving and Evaluating Information

Welcome to the chapter on retrieving and evaluation information. In this chapter, we'll practice our skills in searching and assessing the information that's available to us through two types of information resources: the web and the academic library.

In our first section on Web Information Retrieval, we'll learn how the internet/web is organized and how we can use this organization to our advantage. Specifically, knowing how the internet/web is organized will aid us in creating effective search queries and sessions, where effective means finding the right information quickly and efficiently.

Next, we'll cover Database Information Retrieval as an information resource. In this section, we'll first learn the the basics of bibliographic records. These are structured documents that describe information sources using metadata. We'll learn how to use these structured documents to search these types of database using tools like controlled terminology, Boolean operators, and more. These tools help us find the specific information we need for our research or projects.

Finally, we'll focus on Evaluating Information Sources. We live in an age of information abundance; therefore, it's crucial we develop the ability to critically assess the reliability and quality of information. We'll discuss evaluation techniques like narrative probability and lateral reading. These techniques help us develop a keen eye for credible sources.

This section is about equipping you with the tools and know-how to efficiently retrieve and critically evaluate information. These skills that are indispensable in our information-rich world.