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  • Standish Library
    515 Loudon Road
    Siena College
    Loudonville, NY 12211
    (518) 783-2545

 

Library Skills Test Answers

Part II: See if you can answer these questions about Siena’s Library –

Answers in CAPS and RED
To check out a book in the Siena College Library, you need:
a.      A pin number
b.      A network account
c.       AN ID CARD
d.      A name and address
 
To log onto a public PC in the Library, you need:
a.      A pin number
b.      A name and address
c.       A NETWORK NAME AND PASSWORD
d.      An ID card
  
To study in the Library, you need:
a.      Your name and address
b.      Your ID card
c.       Your network account
d.      Your computer
e.      YOUR BRAIN
  
To enter the 24x7 Computer Lab in the Library entrance, you need:
a.      Your name and address
b.      YOUR ID CARD
c.       Your residence hall key
d.      Your pin number
 
In a college library, the term “reserves” means:
a.      Way to book group study rooms
b.      Hold on a book
c.       Way to get a book from another library
d.      BOOK OR ARTICLE FOR USE BY STUDENTS ENROLLED IN A CLASS
e.      Number to call for help
 
Reference help for classroom assignments is available:
a.      By coming to the Library
b.      By calling in
c.       By emailing
d.      By appointment
e.      ALL OF THE ABOVE
 
You may borrow a book from the Siena College Library for:
a.      One week
b.      28 DAYS
c.       A Year
d.      4 years
  
The Siena College Library has the following types of materials to borrow:
a.      Books (one or more)
b.      Videos and Music compact discs
c.       Art works
d.      Pens and pencils
e.      A AND B
 
How many seats are there in the Standish Library?
a.      100
b.      2000
c.       700
d.      1000
  
Which kinds of questions listed may you ask a reference librarian?
a.      Where do I find a book on a subject?
b.      How do I cite this web site?
c.       Can you help me to find materials for my assignment?
d.      ALL OF THE ABOVE
e.      None of the above
 
How many group study rooms are there in Standish Library?
a.      3
b.      5
c.       11
d.      20
e.      100
 
How late is the Library open on school nights?
a.      9 pm
b.      11 pm
c.       1 AM
d.      3 am
e.      24 hours a day
 
PART C:   Test of Library Skills       ANSWERS IN BOLD AND RED
 
1. A citation:
a.   Is the list of index words in the back of a book
            b.   Is the name of author(s) and date of publication of a book or article cited in the text of another article or book
            c.   Is the detailed description of a chapter in a book
            d.   Is the university affiliation of the author of a book or scientific article
 
2. An abstract is:
            a.    An excerpt from the full text of a book or article
            b.   An MP3 file
            c.     A summary of the content of a journal article or dissertation or book
            d.   A concept of concrete existence
 
3. A scholarly, peer-reviewed journal:
            a.   Is a scholar's diary
            b.   Includes advertising for consumer products, such as toothpaste or laundry detergent
            c.   Publishes articles written by scholars that are reviewed before publication by  experts in a field of study
            d.   Is located in the reference section of the library
 

4. A magazine:
            a.    Publishes articles of interest to a non-academic audience
            b.     Normally includes advertising
            c.     May be published weekly, monthly, or bi-monthly
            d.     All of the above  
 
5. The call number of a book:
            a.     Is the number bookstores use to identify a book
            b.    Is the phone number of the author
            c.    Is used to locate the book on the library's shelves
            d.    Allows you to order the book online
 
6. To find the latest baseball scores, you use: (choose 2)
a.    Journal
b.     Magazine
c.     Newspaper
d.     The Web
 
7. To write a college level research paper for your psychology class, you consult: (Choose 2)
a.       Journal
b.       Magazines
c.        Newspaper
d.       Periodical indexes/databases
 
8.  Magazine articles often have extensive bibliographies.
a.       True
b.       False
 
9. You search periodical indexes/databases to find: (Choose 2)
a.       Citations to articles on a topic
b.       Full text of articles
c.        Books available in a library
d.       Web sites
e.       None of the above
 
10. A call number helps you:  (Choose 2)
a.       To locate a book in the library
b.       To checkout a book
c.        Browse the shelves for similar books
d.       To verify the accuracy of a classification number
 
11. You have to get permission from the Web Screening Organization to publish on the Web.
a.       True
b.       False
 
12. Which one of the following cannot be found using the library catalog, CYRIL?
a.       Books
b.       Journal articles
c.        Reserve materials
d.       Videos
 
 
13. Performing a subject search in the library catalog on global warming will likely give you the same results as a keyword search. 
a.      True
b.      False
 
14. If I am looking for journal articles for a term paper on Saint Francis, which of these statements reflects the BEST course of action? 
a.      I can use a Web search engine like Yahoo or Google
b.      I need to use an index that searches for scholarly periodical articles
c.       I should use the library’s catalog
d.      Any of the above
 
15. Is using a periodical database, like EBSCO, the same as using the Internet?
a.        Yes, the articles are duplicated in the Internet
b.        Yes, generally speaking, all databases are the same
c.         No, material on EBSCO are taken from published magazines and journals
d.        Yes, like articles on EBSCO, the Internet works with publishers to create content.
16.  Which source would likely provide you with the most objective information?
       a.       A personal interview with an influential lobbyist
b.       A web site that advocates clean air
c.        The latest annual report from a major automobile manufacturer
d.       A study featured in a peer-reviewed periodical
17. Witze, A.. (2011). Shuttle’ end spells change at NASA. Nature, 473(7347), 262-263. Retrieved August 9, 2011, from ProQuest Research Library. (Document ID: 2358641371).       This reference is a bibliographic citation for a/an:
a.       Online newspaper article
b.       Professional web page
c.        Subscription database article
d.       Email discussion list posting
18.  You are required to locate peer-reviewed articles on a topic that was assigned to you in class. Where would you find this information?
       a.  Magazines
       b.  Compendiums
       c.  Journals
       d.  Newspapers

19.  Read the following quotation and choose the one answer that is
NOT an example of plagiarism. "The reason why so few good books are written is that so few people who can write know anything." -- Walter Bagehot
       a.  Few good books are written because many who write don't know anything.
       b.  According to Walter Bagehot, one possibility for the number of poorly written books is that "few people who can write know anything."
       c.  "The reason why so few good books are written is that so few people who write can know anything."
       d.  A reason why so few top quality books are written is that not many folks who write know anything. (Bagehot)
 
20.  You need to locate a brief introductory article to acquaint yourself on trends in nursing education. You should look in a/an:
a.    Library catalog
b.    Encyclopedia
c.    Search engine
d.    Periodical index
e.    Don’t know
 
21. Scholarly articles generally contain:
a.    An abstract to the contents of the article.
b.    The author’s affiliation or credentials.
c.    A bibliography or a list of works cited.
d.    All of the above.
e.    Don’t know
 
22. What is the best place to find a scholarly article?
a.  In general interest magazines
b.  In an online research database
c.  On the Internet
d.  In reference books
e.   Don’t know
 
23. A KEYWORD search will:
a.  Search only titles
b.  Work even if you spell a word wrong
c.   Search title, contents, and subject areas
d.   Search reference material only
e.  Don’t know
 
24. When you utilize books or periodical articles for a paper, you should evaluate:
a.   Number of pictures
b.   Number of references  
c.  Number of pages
d.   Author and source  
e.   Don’t know
 
25. You should include references in your research paper because:
a.   References allow you to locate and read the sources yourself
b.   References give credit to authors
c.    References allow readers to determine the credibility of your sources
d.   All of the above
e.  Don’t know
 
26. An example of a biased Web site would be:
a.  A drug company promoting a particular drug
b.   A national news site giving weather reports
c.   A college library allowing access to its reference material
d.   An airline listing future flights for advance reservations
e.  Don’t know
 
27. Plagiarism is:
a.  Failing to use the correct format when citing your sources
b.   Using the idea of another person in your work instead of using only your own ideas
c.   Improperly interpreting the authors in your source
d.   Including the ideas of another person in your writing and failing to cite them properly
e.   Don’t know
 
28 The call number of a book you have been looking for is PE 1625.C29. Between which of the following two call numbers would you find this book?
            a.    PE 1625.C4 and PE 1625.C43
            b.   PE 29.C54 and PE 1625.C3
            c.    PE 164.C33 and PE 1625.A54
            d.    P 28.C29 and PE 28.C3
            e.    Don't know
29. The most efficient way to find academic or scholarly journal articles on the topic of climate change is to:
            a.   Look through print or electronic encyclopedias
            b.   Search the library’s online journal article databases
            c.   Use an internet search engine, such as Google or Bing
            d.   Search the Library of Congress website
            e.   Don't know
30. If you are searching for scholarly journal articles on “The effect of eating disorders on college students’ academic achievement”, which of the following databases below would help you find the most appropriate articles?
            a.   Psychology databases
            b.   Education databases
            c.   Sociology databases
            d.   Psychology, Education,and Sociology Databases
            e.   Don't know
 
31. Which criteria are the most important to consider when evaluating a website to use as a reference for an academic research paper?
a.   Navigation of the website
b.   Authority and currency of the website
c.   Layout of the website
d.   Cost of the website
e.   Don't know
 
32.  Steinbeck, John. "How, under the most adverse circumstances, love came to Big Joe Portagee." Tortilla Flat. New York: Viking Press, 1962. 104-109.   This reference above is a bibliographic citation for a:
             a.    Journal article
             b.    Personal interview
             c.    World Wide Web site
             d.    Book Chapter
  
Some questions have been borrowed, with permission whenever possible, from the following institutions: University of LaVerne, Bellevue College, Texas Lutheran , and DeSales University. I thank these institutions for their assistance with developing this instrument.   8/10/11
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