Walter E. Helmke Library: #8 Explore Information Landscapes

After exploring some of the foraging tools and tips on this page, you will be better able to recognize the unique characteristics of the body of knowledge within a specific discipline by

distinguishing among primary, secondary, and tertiary sources and their use;

recognizing the relationship between currency and relevance;

analyzing and comprehending the organization and structure of the literature in a particular discipline;

being able to transfer skills from familiar resources to unfamiliar ones.

Services & Contacts

Service Desk / Reference & Information Services, Offering Appointments with Librarians for One-on-one Consultation

Our subject liaison librarians will help you explore the unique characteristics of information in a discipline.

Find Resources By...

Broaden your knowledge of the range of databases specific to your discipline. Choose a broad subject category, and explore the information landscape. Ask us for help if you would like a guided tour.

IPFW Writing Center

Get help writing in an appropriate style for your subject.

Guides & Tools

Course Guides

You can become more aware of the unique characteristics of a discipline's literature by browsing and reading the top journals. Can you find out which ones are the best? See if a course guide exists in an unfamiliar field of study.

Style Guides

Learn how to write and cite like an expert in a scholarly discipline.

Environments & Behaviors

Subject Pathfinders

Explore the core resources at Helmke Library in a wide number of scholarly disciplines and subjects. We try to collect the most useful and current reference materials in every field of study offered at IPFW.

Is Your Journal Scholarly? (PDF)

Review the contrast between scholarly and popular literature. How does it differ in your discipline? Some fields have many trade or professional periodicals. Does yours?

Is Your Web Site Credible?

Review these criteria before setting out to discover professional society Web sites. Some specialized databases, like GeoRef for geosciences or PsycINFO for psychology, include results that direct you to high-quality Web sites.

Crossing Boundaries: Library of Congress Classification

Learn where materials in your subject area are shelved in the library. The LC call numbers reflect subjects or scholarly disciplines, which lets you browse profitably in a broad or narrow area.

IIFE Insights

IIFE Insight #8: Disciplines in the sciences, social sciences, and humanities each have distinctive literatures and ways of communicating new knowledge. Recognize the features of your information environment and you can exploit the resources that you encounter in each habitat. Meet with a subject expert to learn how.

Congratulations! You've covered all eight Information Literacy Proficiencies.
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Information Literacy Tool Kits

#8 Explore Information Landscapes

Your trail of resources includes . . .

Services & Contacts

Guides & Tools

Environments & Behaviors

IIFE Insights