Competency 6: Search 1 Building Block Strategy in ERIC

Building Block Strategy
Database: ERIC /FirstSearch

Query: I am a first year elementary school librarian and I would like to learn how to teach elementary school students how to research information. What resources can I use that would help me teach research skills in an elementary school library?

facets from query
Facet 1: Teach
Facet 2: research skills
Facet 3: elementary school library

Synonyms for facets
Facet 1: teaching, instruction, lessons
Facet 2: research skills, library skills, information literacy
facet 3: school library media center

Subject terms
facet 1: teaching methods, teaching models, intructional materials,
facet 2: research skills, information skills, student research
facet 3: elementary school library-no subject terms available
school library media center-no subject terms available

I decided to separate elementary school library and search for subject terms for library and elementary school separately.

facet 4: library-library instruction, information literacy, library skills
facet 5: elementary school, elementary education

Boolean Search Statement
search statement 1
su=(teaching methods OR teaching models OR instructional materials) AND (research skills OR information skills OR student research) AND (library instruction OR information literacy OR library skills) AND (elementary school OR elementary education)

results: 52 records

Citations:
Milam, P. (2002). InfoQuest: A New Twist on Information Literacy. Worthington, OH: Linworth Publishing.

Eisenberg M. and Berkowitz R. (1999) Teaching Information and Technology Skills: The Big 6(TM) in Elementary Schools. Professional Growth Series. Worthington, OH: Linworth Publishing.

Reflection:
ERIC/FirstSearch was an excellent database to use for this query. ERIC stands for Education Resources Information Center. Since the query has to do with teaching elementary school students I felt this database would be definitely have information that would answer the query. This database had many records that provide information and resources about teaching elementary school students research skill in a school library.

The building block strategy is getting easier to use each time I use it. I just need to make sure to include all possible synonyms for each facet. There were a lot of subject terms to use after I added synonyms and searched for subject headings for those synonyms. After I identified synonyms and subject terms for "teach" it made a HUGE difference in the retrieval set. There were so many more pertinent records to the query.