One of a series of publications to assist Australian secondary school instructors in teaching social studies skills, this booklet introduces students to methods of using the library, media, and local community for data collection. Ten chapters provide a wide variety of activities for using the library; studying the local community; using street directories, local maps, and the telephone directory; using atlases; making phone calls; writing letters; analyzing photographs; working with figures; and reading the local newspaper. A final chapter contains exercises to aid students in taking notes and organizing information. Each chapter is illustrated with numerous photographs, drawings, and charts. A list of useful resources concludes the publication. (LP)