USM Research Skills Tutorials: Introduction

USM ID CARD / LIBRARY CARD

Stop by the main desk at a USM Library and ask the library staff to check to see if your ID Card has been activated for library use. Once activated, you can access library resources from anywhere!

The Library Barcode is the number beginning with 25022... or 218.....

Note: If you are an online only student, you still need to contact Card Services to get a USM ID Card in order to use Library resources. Then the Library will activate your Card

"Information Literacy is the set of skills needed to find, retrieve, analyze, and use information" (ACRL). These skills lie at the heart of student success, which is highly valued by USM Libraries.

Best used in sequence, the units of instruction provided here for use in the classroom or online, can also be used individually, each including its own exercises, assignments, and quizzes. The generic design will support classes in any discipline, hopefully taking some of the mystery and confusion out of the research process.

This series of instruction will explain how to:

• Identify peer-reviewed sources
• Critically evaluate sources (websites, magazines, journals, and more)
• Avoid plagiarism or copyright infringement
• Find supporting facts, figures, and statistics
• Easily locate, obtain, and use peer-reviewed articles and books
• Cite sources using APA and MLA citation styles
• Use RefWorks citation manager and other citation tools
• Make optimal use of Interlibrary Loan

Ideally, librarians are happy to build on top of information provided here with instruction. Please schedule in-class or online instruction by a librarian anytime.

Other institutions are invited to use or adapt the content of this site upon permission.Thanks to all institutions whose work is presented here.

The Learning Commons was developed through a partnership between USM Libraries and the Division of Student Success. The Learning Commons is not designed as a quiet student space, rather one for active collaborative learning. Students can work with Reference Librarians, tutors, faculty and each other in this dynamic environment.