Use of Library Collections Finding Value in Course Syllabi: Using NVivo to Assess Use of Library Collections Jeremy Whitt Pepperdine University June 26, 2016
Text Mining & Qualitative Analysis
Why Syllabi? “[Syllabus content establishes] the foundation for the yet to be negotiated, unwritten rules for the ways in which the class will function” (Eberly, Newton, and Wiggins 2001).
109 Syllabi Top Five Majors Project Scope Fall 2014 - Spring 2015 Business (48), Psychology (27), English (19), Sports Medicine (9), Advertising (6)
Valid library reference 43% of syllabi: Valid library reference Institutional access?
Results Specific terms appearing in syllabi: “SPSS” “Business Source Premier” “EBSCO” “Mintel” “ProQuest” “SRDS” “PsycINFO”
Results General terms appearing in syllabi: “Database” “E-book” “Scholarly journal articles” “Electronic resources”
General or Specific? Sports Medicine & English: 95% - 100% general terms Advertising: 95% specific terms \Business & Psychology: Mix of general & specific terms
Conclusion & Future Steps Value of library resources in syllabi Limitations of method Future opportunities
Thanks! jeremy.whitt@pepperdine.edu Project Members: Colleen Mullally, Paul Stenis (Pepperdine) Casey Ann Mitchell (Margaret Herrick Library) Kevin Miller (UC Davis)
Works Cited Eberly, Mary B., Sarah E. Newton, and Robert A. Wiggins. “The Syllabus as a Tool for Student-Centered Learning.” The Journal of General Education 50, no.1 (2001): 56-74. Accessed June 6, 2016. http://muse.jhu.edu/article/14787. Association of College and Research Libraries. Value of Academic Libraries: A Comprehensive Research Review and Report. Researched by Megan Oakleaf. Chicago: Association of College and Research Libraries, 2010. www.acrl.ala.org/value. Image credits: Slide 1: Jeremy Thomas, https://unsplash.com/photos/rMmibFe4czY Slide 2: Patric Tomasso, https://unsplash.com/photos/Oaqk7qqNh_c Slide 3: Samuel Scrimshaw, https://unsplash.com/photos/DMcI0cmYJYk Slide 4: Luca Zanon, https://unsplash.com/photos/X0OoHrPvgXE Slide 5: Patric Tomasso, https://unsplash.com/photos/Oaqk7qqNh_c Slide 6: John Hult, https://unsplash.com/photos/b6g5G7XLSlw Slide 8: Tobias van Schneider, https://unsplash.com/photos/44t1AZNIMIE Slide 9: Joe Beck, https://unsplash.com/photos/NbUokuw0BQI.