Information Needs Checklist

You need to think about the kind of information you need for your topic. There are several types of information sources in the library. Each type is more useful in certain ways.

Do you need background on your topic or do you already know it and only need specific information to fill in gaps?

Sam filled in his checklist for his paper on whether using cell phones while driving should be illegal. How do you think he did?

  1.     Need background  X  Only need specifics

  2. Do you need hard facts, such as statistics, definitions, formulas?

     X  Yes     No

  3. Does your topic emphasize historical information or recent events more?

        Historical  X  Recent     Need both

  4. Does your topic relate more to:

     X  Science and technology?

        Humanities (the arts, literature, philosophy, etc.)?

        Social sciences (government, business, psychology, social issues, history)?

        Personal interests (hobbies, sports, etc.)

How do you think he did?

Sam did OK, but he'll probably need some background and some historical information to show how things got the way they are. He'll definitely want statistics to back up his points. Even though he's talking about cell phones, which sounds like science and technology, the focus is really on law, so he'll need to look at social sciences and government resources.

Now it's your turn! Now go to your worksheet and do the information needs checklist for your topic.

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