Ladders (Good)

1. Instead of using a simple keyword search, you use the Subject Headings in your research database which leads to a precise and relevant result list.

2. You ask a librarian for help.3. You give yourself time to “play” with your topic in a few article databases. When you realize not

much has been written on your topic, you have time to change your focus. 4. You attended a Cite It Right session so completing your Reference list takes no time at all. 5. (Continued from 3 Snake) You keep a research journal so you can find your sources again.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------6. You limit your Google search to urls ending in gc.ca (Canadian Government), which leads to

excellent supportive research for your argument.7. You give yourself lots of time for your research so when you find useful articles not available

electronically at OC, you are able to request them through Interlibrary Loan (ILL).8. You follow the LibGuide for your class step-by-step which leads you through researching for your

project.9. You find a good article and remember to check the bibliography where you find more useful

articles. 10. You book a group study room in myOkanagan so your project team is able to use the big screen

and whiteboard to easily communicate ideas.

Snakes (Bad)

1. You don’t evaluate your web research and end up relying heavily on a deceptive opinion site. 2. You look for 20 minutes in Kelowna for a book in Vernon.3. Your dog ate your memory stick. (matched with 5 Ladder).4. You find lots of relevant articles but most of them are not available electronically at OC. Since

your paper is due tomorrow, you do not have time to order them through Interlibrary Loan (ILL).5. You are not sure how to tell if a source is scholarly and consequently end up using non-academic

sources for your paper.----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

6. You copied portions of your paper from a website without citing your source. Your instructor discovers this and gives you a failing grade.

7. You forget to return a book on its due date and end up with a $10 fine.8. Instead of asking a librarian for help narrowing down your 5487 results in Academic Search

Premier, you give up and Google instead. 9. You can’t find a computer free in the library so you leave because you forgot that you could

borrow a laptop.10. You forgot to collect the citation information for half your sources.