Library Research Competencies

During the course of their years at Reed, students should advance beyond basic library skills, eventually gaining a broad understanding of the nature and organization of information resources and the ability to formulate and carry out library research in their chosen disciplines. The following list of competencies suggests appropriate levels of knowledge about library services and collections, as well as other information resources, to be acquired during successive stages of a Reed education.

Collectively, these competencies build toward an understanding of library research as a process. In order to reach a sufficient proficiency of information resources to support thesis research, it is suggested that most research competencies be acquired prior to the senior year.

First-year level competencies

First-year level students are able to:

find and use the library's website, collections, and services
find and use library's print and electronic course reserves
distinguish between primary texts and critical works/secondary sources
discover books and journal articles using the catalog, databases, bibliographies, and other relevant resources
use citations found in databases, notes, bibliographies, and other resources to locate books and journal articles
understand concepts of authority in scholarship and critically evaluate sources

Sophomore & junior level competencies

Sophomore & junior level students are able to:

understand the nature of information resources in their major disciplines
understand and explore databases, bibliographies, and other resources in their major disciplines
locate and obtain books and journal articles from other libraries by borrowing directly and by using Summit and interlibrary loan services
locate and critically evaluate non scholarly resources, such as current or contemporary news accounts
locate and critically evaluate primary resources specific to the discipline, such as images, media, data, or legal information
collect, organize, and use citations, text, and/or data and manage this information using appropriate citation management software
track information resources used in the course of their research and create accurate notes and bibliographies according to a style manual appropriate to the discipline
understand issues relating to the ethical use of information, including concepts of intellectual property, copyright, proper citation, and attribution

Senior & thesis level competencies

Senior & thesis level students are able to:

understand specialized reference sources, including databases, and bibliographies, in support of thesis research
locate, obtain, and critically evaluate information resources to support thesis research
format the thesis according to Reed College requirements and appropriate style manuals