Template for Creating Pathfinders

A pathfinder is a guide for researchers. Pathfinders have been used in libraries for many years to save researchers time, and to help them avoid frustrating dead ends. By creating a web-based pathfinder, in addition to learning about the particular resources for the topic you are exploring, you are also performing a service to your fellow students and our library.  Creating a pathfinder will demonstrate your searching skills and your ability to discern quality information sources.  Your annotations should justify the placement of a resource on the pathfinder. 

We hope to use the best pathfinders as reference tools. Do a thorough job, be creative, find the best possible resources, think outside the research box, and publish your pathfinder appropriately and attractively. Consider copyright friendly icons for media formats and subject headings. 

You may paste this template into an html editor to guide you as you work. Remember to create appropriate Web links as you compose. This year we are experimenting with pathfinders in blog format.  If you prefer this option, please use LearnerBlogs to set up your pathfinder blog.  If you need help, please see Mrs. Valenza.

Example of an appropriate topic for a pathfinder:

Mr. Brown's class studies the North American Colonies every year. Select one of the regions he assigns (perhaps, the MidAtlantic colonies) and prepare a tool to help researchers find maps, primary source documents, books, web sites, articles in historical journals, videos, etc.

• Click here to see model pathfinders

• Click here for rubric

• Student pathfinder blogs

• Examples of our student pathfinders

• Examples of our curricular pathfinders

Title, Introduction, and Scope: Introduce the topic/thesis/question/hypothesis and discuss the scope you will cover. For whom is this guide designed? Will it be focused on a particular time period? Region? How comprehensive is this tool?

General Advice for Researchers: Are there truly important specific starting places any researcher must see before doing further research?

Essential and Supplementary Questions: What are the big issues or questions people in the area are pondering? What supplementary questions will help researchers understand the bigger questions?

Operational Definitions / New Vocabulary: Describe any variables or critical terms in your research process.  How will you be using these terms in your paper? Are there words and terms associated with your research that are unfamiliar to the general public?  (Glossarist collects subject specific glossaries and topical dictionaries.)

Dewey/Library of Congress Numbers:  List these numbers and the subtopics with which they are associated.

Books:  Annotate any titles that are critically important. If a work is truly not-to-be-missed, you might consider linking to reviews from the New York Times, Amazon, or other online sources.

Print Indexes: Does the library offer any print indexes that lead to journals or other media on the topic? (Examples might be Readers’ Guide, especially for events prior to 1990, Book Review Digest, American Heritage Index)

Subscription Databases: Which subscription services would be best for this research? (For instance, specific Galenet or EBSCOhost databases, elibrary, Congressional Quarterly Researcher, etc.)

Gateway or Portal Sites on the Internet: Are there any major guide sites (Web subject directories) about your subject on the Web? If so, annotate the best so users will know why they should be visited first. You might find these gateway sites by searching directories of specialized search engines. Try LII.org  and look for directories in your results.

Specific Web Sites: List any specific Web sites that may be important. Annotate the very best. If you are dealing with a controversial topics select a balanced group of sites. If you have a good number of sites to suggest, consider arranging them into categories. Include reference and glossary-type Web sites. (Use http://glossarist.com)

Primary Sources: Are there key documents--letters, speeches, legislation, etc--that are important or lead to a better understanding of the topic?

Image Resources: Are there particular sites that will provide researchers subject-specific images? For instance, you might recommend one of NASA's image databases for researchers in aeronautics.

Online Journals: List any accessible, full-text journals that would be helpful to researchers. For instance, for a pathfinder on "training", might link to Runner's World Online.

Organizations, Associations: When appropriate, list the official sites and phone numbers of any major organizations, support groups, etc. involved in the topic. If you have chosen a controversial topic, attempt balance by including representative groups on all sides of the issue.

Experts/Scholars: Are there noted individuals whose names just keep popping up in your best resources? Who are they and why should people researching this topic refer to them?

Blogs: Who is talking about this issue? Are there well-established blogs that offer reliable voices behind an issue or question?  (For instance, a soldier's blog might give in-the-field perspective relating to the war in Iraq.)  Some of these sites will help you search the blogosphere.

Mailing Lists: Communities of practice or interest may have online threaded discussions offering clues relating to  trends and identifying key players.

Video/Streaming Video Resources: Does the library have any films or film series that will add understanding of the topic? Have you discovered any videos that should be rented or purchased and viewed?  Are there relevant Web-based videos available from reliable, stable archives?

Keywords/Phrases/Subject Headings: Suggest particular keywords or related terms that would be helpful to use in searching. Consider synonyms, names of noted experts, organizations, etc. When appropriate demonstrate use of searching syntax, for instance, include phrases in quotation marks. Did you discover any surprising subject headings as you browsed through database results?

Reflection / Additional Advice to Researchers: Here you may evaluate and summarize. Remind students of strategies and offer your best advice.

Additional Categories: What else is important to know for the topic of study? For instance, for a topic relating to travel, you might add categories like currency converters, airfare, hotel directories, or translating services.

Date your pathfinder.

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updated 4/22/06