Professor Jennifer RansomGill Library CNRjransom@cnr.eduMonday 6pm – 7:30pmCo-op City

RESEARCH AND

INFORMATION LITERACY

ENG 216A

• Go to the Library Homepage• Select Quick Links – RIL

http://library.cnr.edu/home/library

• This will take you to the RIL Faculty Directory• Find me there and click on the

link to my RIL Web page.

http://libraryguides.cnr.edu/RILSA

Session 1: Introduction

Class Introductions

• About Me

• Tell us about yourself• Your Name?• SNR Area of Interest?• Graduation date?• Future Goals?• Special Interests?

In-Class Assignment

Write a two paragraph essay answering:

1) What do you hope to learn in this course? 2) What are your interests and concerns about doing research?

Why Information Literacy?

• -Increasing need for information • School, Work, Home, Health, and Lifelong Learning

• Rapidly Changing Technology to create, access, manipulate, distribute

• Technology continues to grow: Internet and the World Wide Web, Social Networks, blogs, wikis,

• A Vast Amount of Information = Increasing Amount of information = Information Overload???

• Formats: Journals, Books, e-books,

• Types of Information : Popular, Scholarly, Trade…

• Types of Research: Primary, Secondary, Tertiary

• Reliability: Not all information is reliable, authoritative , or even correct! Information can be biased, misinformed,

• How do you know what is an opinion vs fact?

• How do you find what you need?• How do you insure that the information you find is reliable?

An information literate individual is able to:

• -Determine the extent of information needed• -Access the needed information effectively and

efficiently• -Evaluate information and its sources critically• -Incorporate selected information into one’s

knowledge base• -Use information effectively to accomplish a

specific purpose• -Understand the economic, legal, and social

issues surrounding the use of information, and access and use information ethically and legally.

Statement excerpted from the American Library Association

http://tinyurl.com/6r7vqf2

•Knowledge is power. •Information is liberating.

• Kofi Annan

•…Know how to find it, verify it, and use it properly...

Format of this Course: RIL Eng 216A

-RIL coordinates with LTCA and SNR Core Courses

• 2 projects: Literature and Social Sciences• Select a topic, • create a thesis statement, • develop a reference question,

• identify and select appropriate resources, evaluate and

• cite your findings, • create a bibliography in MLA and APA.

• -Bringing the Library to the classroom

• -Virtual Services supplement onsite Library experience

• -Discussion/Labwork/Homework/Portfolio

Types and Formats of Information Primary Sources

• Primary sources are firsthand materials• They can be in the form of words, images, or artifacts created by an individual or group of individuals on a particular topic, or related to a particular event.• This includes original information before anyone has analyzed, criticized, commented, restructured, managed or repackaged it in any way.

• This is direct, immediate, personal evidence of someone’s ideas or experience.

Examples of Primary Sources• ORIGINAL DOCUMENTS • Diaries, Journals, Memoirs, Autobiography Speeches, manuscripts, • letters, interviews, News film footage, Official Records

• CREATIVE WORKS: Poetry, drama, novels, music, art,

• ARTIFACTS: Pottery, Sculpture, Artwork, furniture, clothing, buildings

• Events: Meetings, Conference presentations, proceedings of historical events

• Examples of primary sources include: 1. -Birth Certificate

2. -Diary of Anne Frank

3. -U.S. constitution

4. -A painting by Picasso

5. -An audio tape of an oral history project

6. -A journal article reporting NEW research or findings

Secondary Sources

Secondary Sources Interpret, Comment, Criticize, Analyze, Summarize Primary Sources

They interpret primary information-Are often written after an event or publication

-Written by individuals with no direct involvement

-Who may be specialists, experts

-Provide critical, historical, psychological.

Examples: scholarly books and text books, journals, magazines, literary or social criticism, analyses and interpretations

Tertiary Sources

• Tertiary sources compile, index, abstract, manipulate, aggregate, organize and make available other sources.

• -abstracts, • -bibliographies, • -handbooks, • -encyclopedias, • -indexes, • -chronologies, etc.

• Tertiary sources can contain references to primary or secondary sources.

Formats of Information• -Print - books, magazines, journals, documents, manuscripts, correspondence

• -Digital - Electronic resources available through a computer such as• -e-books, e-magazines, e-journals, web-based, e-mail, blogs

-Interpersonal – Conversations, interviews, phone calls

-Media – Audio visual materials, film, television, DVD, CD, tape recordings…

-Multimedia – Materials that use multiple formats such as a Powerpoint presentation with links and visuals, or an interactive game or web-site.

Types of Research

• Popular Published mostly for recreational and entertainment purposes, popular publications target a general audience • and contain informal discussions of topics, opinions, and news• Example: People Magazine or General Advice Books

News Publications

• Like Popular publications News resources• -May be general or topic based• Intended for particular or general audience

• - Usually contain current information• - Often written by several authors, editors, columnists, free-

lance writers

Sensational Publications

• -Related to popular and News publication types• Often in newspaper or magazine formats

• - Often Provocative, Inflammatory• - Simple Writing• - Can be Flamboyant, Lurid, Loud, • - Feed on Morbid Curiosity, Gossip

Scholarly Publications• -May be primary or secondary-Have been evaluated by scholarly peer and experts in a particular field of study.• -Intended for scholars, academics, or educated public• -Provide “in-depth” study, analysis, investigation, description, evaluation of the topic• -Disseminate research and challenge ideas• -Promote academic and professional discussion • Often have references and bibliographies• Also referred to as academic• 0r peer-reviewed publications.• Examples:

Trade Publications• - Intended for members of a particular vocation

• Business, Organization, or Industry

• -Focus exclusively on articles, information, and advertisements related to that business, organization or Industry

• Advertisements usually focus on topics related to the trade

• http://lib.colostate.edu/howto/poplr.html

Reviewing the Syllabus

• Syllabus• Detailed Session pages• All available at my RIL Web site:

Grading Criteria, Format, ExpectationsGrading Criteria• In-class and homework assignments: 30%• Class and Lab participation: 20%• Research portfolio and presentation: 50%

Grading will be based on attached rubrics provided in Workbook

Class Format:• Discussion• Hands-on Labwork• Readings• Homework• Portfolio

Expectations:• Attendance is taken at each session• Prompt arrival - A lot to cover in a little time.• Absences Please email me if you are unable to attend

a class• All papers must be typed, double-spaced, with one-inch

margins, 12-point Times New Roman font, in 4-black ink.

• Academic Integrity - Code of Conduct

Policies: Plagiairism•Plagiarism includes, but is not limited to, using copyrighted published information without in-text citation; paraphrasing deliberately without citing; incorrectly listing references or works cited pages; purchasing papers online or from other individuals; passing off the writing and/or research concepts of others as your own; and paying a ghostwriter for doing a student's paper. Plagiarism also includes neglecting to adhere to all MLA or APA format rules governing plagiarism. The commission of any form of plagiarism will be reviewed by faculty and staff and can result in serious disciplinary action which may lead to dismissal. Refer to the Student Code of Conduct.

SNR Student Handbook page 74http://www.cnr.edu/Media_Library/SNR_Catalog_2010.pdf

Course Description• In this course, students will develop the research skills necessary for both completing college assignments and sustaining life-long learning.

• Working hands-on through Gill Library and completing in-class and weekly assignments, students will cultivate the information literacy skills essential for success in a college setting.  

• The goals of this course are to assist students in acquiring confidence and proficiency in seeking, evaluating, and managing the wealth of information currently available in print, media and online.

• The Research and Information Literacy course is designed to work in conjunction with Language, Thought and Critical Analysis and Core Seminars such as Urban Community and Human Body to assist students in the successful completion of their research assignments.

Course Objectives

• -Construct a reference question.

• -Develop an appropriate research strategy, select appropriate resources and evaluate their validity.

• -Utilize appropriate search tools and search methods (such as Boolean Logic, thesauri, keyword vs. subject searching and truncation, etc.)

• -Access needed information effectively and efficiently.• -Cite resources appropriately using APA and MLA.

• -Understand plagiarism and its consequences.

Course objectives continued:• -Navigate Gill Library Web site http://www.cnr.edu/home/library

-Use Library systems and services such as:• interlibrary loan, • electronic reserves, • specialized subject guides, • request forms, • off-campus access, • virtual services, • citation managers, • workshops and tutorial options, • and other research assistance tools and advanced database tools.

More about the Syllabus

• Required Texts:Lester, J., & Lester J Jr., (2012). Writing research papers: A complete guide. (14th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson. (Ambassador.com)

• Reserve Readings and Exercises:• Some readings will be on reserve.

• Rubrics• A rubric is a guide, often in the form of a checklist that

lists specific criteria for grading or scoring academic papers, projects, or tests, or projects.• The rubric used for this class will be provided to you.

Final Project: Portfolio and Presentation

• The Presentation• 8-10 minutes• Describing a successful research process

• The Portfolio • Is the final product of the class • Contains two parts • Compilation of homework throughout the

semester

• Two brief bibliographies: MLA and APA

Checklists for the contents of the final project are in the syllabus. A grading rubric will be provided.

• 50 percent of your grade

LET’S GET STARTED!....LAB:

• Library Web site

• ERes • ILLiad• Virtual

Services

Review of The Gill Library Website

• Getting to the Website• Go to http://www.cnr.edu

• -Academics – Library - Library Web Site

• Or Intranet.cnr.edu • - Quick Links

• Basic Sections:• General

• Resources

• Services

• Help

• Search Boxes

• News

• Virtual Services• Virtual Helpdesk• Ask a Librarian• Ask Us 24/7 Chat

Let’s take a look at ILLiadILLiad is the Library’s automated Interlibrary Loan system• Go to the Library homepage: www.cnr.edu/home/library• Go to the Services Section• Click on Interlibrary Loan

Set up an ILLiad Account

• Click on the ILLiad link.• Create an ILLiad account as directed.

Reserve Materials Using EResERes is the Library’s Electronic Reserves System• Go to the Library Home page• Select ERes under Resources section• Search under Ransom

Find your class LIBRILJR – Click on it

Virtual Reference Services

Ask Us 24/7 Chat

Email a Librarian