You’re Looking for Information—So Where Would You Look? Knowing which sources to use and how to use them is the first step to finding information.

Fiction or Nonfiction? Fiction = Narrative writing = Stories (USUALLY!—Nonfiction can sometimes be written in story form too.) These are stories from the author’s imagination, lots of fun, but not much good for finding facts.

Fiction or Nonfiction? Nonfiction = Expository writing = Facts (USUALLY!—Nonfiction can sometimes be written in story form too.) These books have true facts, which is great when you are trying to answer questions or write a report.

Dictionary or Thesaurus A dictionary tells word meanings. A thesaurus gives synonyms and antonyms. Like a lot of reference books, these are in ABC order.

Encyclopedias Print encyclopedias always come in sets. They contain articles about people, places, things, events, and ideas. Some are a couple of sentences, some several pages long. There are lots of pictures and graphics.

Online Encyclopedias Several encyclopedias has been transcribed completely to the Internet. They contain the same information as the print sets. Some were never in print but always just online. We have a subscription to the online version of World Book. Access it here:

Atlas Atlases are books of maps. To use them you will have to use the index. The maps aren’t in ABC order, but the index is.

Almanacs An almanac is a periodical that comes out once a year and contains up-to-date facts and statistics (lots of lists!) It is not arranged alphabetically.

Magazines and Newspapers Magazines are full of all kinds of different forms of writing—stories, jokes, letters, pictures, and articles about real things. An article is just one self-contained piece of a magazine or newspaper. It has an author, a main idea, and a beginning, middle, and end. Read closely to identify all those things.

Magazines and Newspapers Newspapers are published every day or maybe just once a week. Magazines are published every month or maybe every other month. They are a kind of literature called periodicals—they are published at definite intervals, or periods of time.

Periodicals All periodicals (magazines, newspapers, scientific journals) have a Table of Contents to help you find your way through the publication.

Graphics No matter what format your reference source takes, you will find lots of information not just in the words, but in the graphics— the pictures, drawings, maps, charts, timelines, and other visual helps.

Timelines Timelines come in lots of forms. Each one lets you know the sequence of events. (This one is for Davy Crockett’s life.)

Timelines This timeline shows important events in the American Revolution.

Graphic Organizers Graphic organizers are a visual way to organize and understand information. They come in many, many different forms. This is a Venn diagram.

Graphic Organizers Graphic organizers (or graphic sources) show relationships and connections between different items of information. This one is a web diagram.

Put your knowledge to use-- Question: If I needed to know true facts for a report, I would look for this kind of information. a.Fiction b.Nonfiction c.Narrative d.Expository

Put your knowledge to use-- Question: If I needed to know true facts for a report, I would look for this kind of information. a.Fiction b.Nonfiction(Always true facts!) c.Narrative d.Expository

Put your knowledge to use-- Question: Which reference book gives the meanings of words? a.Encyclopedia b.Atlas c.Dictionary d.Almanac

Put your knowledge to use-- Question: Which reference book gives the meanings of words? a.Encyclopedia b.Atlas c.Dictionary(In alphabetical order) d.Almanac

Put your knowledge to use-- Question: Which statement is NOT true? a.All reference books are in ABC order. b.A Thesaurus tells synonyms and antonyms. c.Encyclopedias come in sets of books and also online. d.An Almanac has lists of measurable facts.

Put your knowledge to use-- Question: Which statement is NOT true? a.All reference books are in ABC order. (Almanacs and Atlases are not in ABC order.) b. A Thesaurus tells synonyms and antonyms. c. Encyclopedias come in sets of books and also online. d. An Almanac has lists of measurable facts.

Put your knowledge to use-- Question: If we find a piece of writing in a nonfiction source that is presented in the form of several paragraphs or pages, it is probably NOT in a— Magazine Newspaper Encyclopedia Dictionary

Put your knowledge to use-- Question: If we find a piece of writing in a nonfiction source that is presented in the form of several paragraphs or pages, it is probably NOT in a— Magazine Newspaper Encyclopedia Dictionary (Usually just a few lines)

Put your knowledge to use-- Question: Which one of these reference sources is NOT a periodical? Nonfiction book Magazine Scientific journal Newspaper

Put your knowledge to use-- Question: Which one of these reference sources is NOT a periodical? Nonfiction book (Books are not published at specific intervals, or periods.) Magazine Scientific journal Newspaper

Put your knowledge to use-- Question: Graphic organizers (or graphic sources) show __________________ between different items of information. Similarities and differences Synonyms Relationships and connections True facts

Put your knowledge to use-- Question: Graphic organizers (or graphic sources) show __________________ between different items of information. Similarities and differences Synonyms Relationships and connections True facts

Put your knowledge to use-- Question: If you were trying to compare 2 things, which graphic organizer would help most? Flow chart Time line Web Venn diagram

Put your knowledge to use-- Question: If you were trying to compare 2 things, which graphic organizer would help most? Flow chart Time line Web Venn diagram

Put your knowledge to use-- Question: If you wanted to show the main events in World War II, which graphic source would help most? Flow chart Time line Web Venn diagram

Put your knowledge to use-- Question: If you wanted to show the main events in World War II, which graphic source would help most? Flow chart Time line Web Venn diagram World War II begins in Europe Japan bombs Pearl Harbor Bombs are dropped on Japan War officially ends

Composed by: Joy Branham Library Media Specialist John F. Kennedy Elementary School Kingsport, Tennessee 2011