 Think Like a Researcher! A Library/Faculty Collaboration to Improve Student Success Heather DevrickSusan Mikkelsen LecturerInstruction & Scholarly Communications Librarian Merritt Writing ProgramUC Merced LibraryUniversity of California, Merced

University of California Merced

The Collaboration Begins…  Summer 2013  Modeled after program at NMSU  UC Merced Library/Merritt Writing Program  Center for Research & Teaching Excellence Grant Students in freshman composition courses struggle with academic research. Can curricular changes focused on the addition of information literacy lessons and activities help students be more successful researchers?

TRAIL  Program Name: TRAIL - Teaching Research And Information Literacy  Mantra: Think Like a Researcher!  Train-the Trainer model

TRAIL Goals  Improve integration of information literacy skills in Writing 10 (College Reading & Composition)  Teach research as a recursive process  Refocus the content of one-shot library instruction sessions  Raise the quality of argument papers (source selection, use of supporting evidence, multiple viewpoints)  Teach transferable research skills

Collaboration : Developing the Curriculum  Fall 2013  Faculty recruited  Writing assignments standardized  Information Literacy lessons and activities developed  Information Literacy course themes

Faculty-to-Faculty Collaboration  Assignments/Assignment Weight  Grading  Schedule  Readings  Course Themes  Course Text

Librarian Role  Meeting organizer and facilitator  Tutorial development  Information literacy assignment development  Input on research journal prompts

Collaboration : Implementing the Curriculum  Spring 2014  Piloted new curriculum in 6 sections of Writing 10  Embedded Librarian in Writing 10  Regular meetings and check-ins  TRAIL sections have two library instruction sessions

Embedded Librarian Perspective  Students struggle to read the academic texts they are asked to use in their research assignments  Students struggle to distinguish between opinion and fact (evidence)  Students struggle to identify the problem that underlies their research topic or question  Students struggle to recognize bias in the articles they use for research as well as their own personal bias

Collaboration: Developing the Curriculum (round 2)  Summer 2014  Revised and added assignments to TRAIL curriculum based on what we learned in the pilot  Changed course text  Changed course theme

Collaboration : Implementing the Curriculum (round 2)  Fall 2014  9 Writing 10 sections implemented curriculum  Biweekly meetings with TRAIL faculty to debrief and prepare for upcoming lessons and activities  In-person library sessions restructured to focus on critical thinking and information literacy threshold concepts  TRAIL sections have one library instruction session

Information Literacy Assignments/Activities  Think Like A Researcher!  How to Read a Scholarly Article  Using Google for Academic Research  Reading for Keywords  Understanding the Knowledge/Information Cycle Tutorial  Guide on the Side Database Tutorials (Credo, Opposing Viewpoints, ASC)  Avoiding Research Bias  Developing Successful Research Topics/Questions  Research Reflection Journals  Information Literacy Course Readings 

Restructured One-Shot  How Do Databases Work?  Fields, Tags, Keywords  Match.com example  Sharing Research Questions  Google Spreadsheet  Effective Search Strategies  Students Searching in Front of Class

Assessment  ACRL Assessment in Action (2014)  Student Final Reflections – TRAIL only (Rubric)  Compare Writing 10 Final Papers (Rubric)  TRAIL sections  Traditional one-shot library instruction sections  No library instruction sections  Post-semester Faculty Survey

4=Advanced3=Developing2=Emerging1=MarginalNo Score Changes in Research Process 20%31%34%13%2% Evaluating and Selecting Sources 23%32%33%11%1% Overcoming Research Challenges 4%11%66%15%4% Changes in Attitude and Confidence Level 17%29%33%17%4% Transferability of Research Skills 17%43%26%11%3% Understanding of “Think Like a Researcher” 23%30%33%9%5% Final Reflection Rubric Scores

Final Reflections: Coded Response Analysis  88.5% indicate being more confident researchers  32.5% of these students indicate a BIG change in confidence level  ~80% anticipate using what they learned in future classes  Upper Division Writing, CORE, Biology mentioned most often  72% made source changes between their annotated bibliographies and final papers

Student Comments  “…now I read more effectively by reading the abstract, introduction, and the ending to determine if the article is suitable for reading fully and determining if it can be used as evidence.”  “Just because a source is academic does not always make it appropriate to use in a paper.”  “Not only do I feel more confident now but also I believe I will enjoy writing another research paper.”

Student Comments  “…I hated doing research because it was a slow, a really long and very involved process. However, by taking this class, I realize that research provides a firsthand opportunity to learn new information and also see and appreciate the diversity of the opinions which exist on my research topic.”  “Thinking like a researcher means thinking critically, seeing multiple sides and perspectives.”

Student Comments  “I believe learning more about the research process did help me in my other classes because the research process was more than just searching for sources. The most vital part of the process is actually the critical reading and analyzing which is something than can be used in any class.”  “…I believe thinking like a researcher means to question everything and tackle a problem from as many different angles as you can which is a skill we will always be able to use in future classes and even in life.”

Final Paper Rubric Scores  Compare papers from TRAIL sections with:  Papers from sections that received traditional one-shot library instruction  Papers from sections that received no library instruction  Random selection  40 papers from each group  Scored by MWP faculty  Two scoring sessions

Rubric Criteria  Source Suitability  Argument & Evidence  Citation Style  Source Integration

Preliminary Results Source Suitability  To what extent have students used suitable sources (credible, relevant) in their papers for evidence?  TRAIL students performed at more advanced levels than both other cohorts.

Preliminary Results Argument & Evidence  Are students presenting arguments and counter arguments supported with evidence?  TRAIL students performed at more advanced levels than both other cohorts.

Preliminary Results Citation Style  Do students cite source sources accurately? TRAIL students performed at more advanced levels than both other cohorts.  Only TRAIL students scored at the advanced level.

Preliminary Results Source Integration  Do students successfully incorporate sources in their papers?  TRAIL students performed at lower levels than both other cohorts.

Based on your own observations did your students Yes, more so than previous students No discernable differences No, less so than previous students …engage with research as an ongoing process? 50 0 …select suitable resources for their assignments? 41 0 …write strong research questions? 41 0 …incorporate evidence from multiple viewpoints? 32 0 …demonstrate persistence in information-finding? 41 0 Based on your experience, Would you promote this model of integrating research and writing skills to other faculty? 4 out of 5 TRAIL faculty responded Yes or Definitely TRAIL Faculty Questionnaire Responses

 “By the end of the semester, the students in my TRAIL sections were more adept at working through the processes that researchers go through: examining assumptions, reviewing literature and analyzing it, finding gaps in the existing research, conducting primary research, etc.”  “…Throughout the semester I heard things like ‘Oh, you probably are using the wrong database or need new keywords’ or ‘dude you don't have to start over, just jump back into the research cycle’ or ‘I think you're being biased here’. This level of conversation about research is not typical.”

TRAIL Faculty Questionnaire Responses  Challenges with the TRAIL curriculum  “…not forgetting to emphasize other WRI 10 skills, like rhetorical analysis.”  “…The assignments have a lot of potential, and with some reworking, I think they could be very useful for students; however, the existing order of assignments, requirements, and parameters for the assignment were again not realistic models of the kind of research or process that researchers follow in their work.”

Faculty Perspectives  Quality of Research vs. Quality of Writing  Multiple Skills Integration  Scaffolding Research Assignments is Essential  Topic Proposal  Annotated Bibliography  Final Argument Paper  Emphasize Research as Process  Flexibility and Creativity are Important

Assessment: Next Steps  AIA Assessment  Short term  MWP score second batch of student papers (rubric)  Compare final paper grades and course grades with rubric scores  Long term  Focus groups in upper division writing classes to determine which skills transfer

Institutionalizing the Curriculum  Potential to be more broadly adopted throughout Writing 10  Selected Activities: 1 hour Train-the-Trainer Workshops  Full TRAIL curriculum training: 2 day training + semester-long support  Add an Information Literacy Lab to Writing 10 for 1 credit hour?  Seeking Undergraduate Council support

Questions?