1. Inspiring Digital Scholars: Getting Beyond Just Information Seeking and Gathering
Donna Ziegenfuss, Ed.D.
Associate Librarian
Assistant Head of Scholarship and Education Services

2. By the end of this one hour session you will have:
Reflected on the information behaviors of your own students
Become aware of some research findings about how students, especially undergraduate students, use technology and the challenges they encounter as they “do” research
Compiled ideas, strategies, resources, and models for empowering inquiry-driven learners who conduct research in the digital age

3. Reflecting on your own students’ information behaviors
What do you know or suspect about the research information seeking behaviors of your students?
Where do you believe your students begin their research? Where do they go to get information?
What do you think your students find most difficult during the research process?

4. Why is research difficult for students?
The research states that students find that the research process:
Is a daunting and frustrating experience
Involves information overload and takes too much time
Is too difficult and they just try to get through it as quickly as possible – see research as related to a particular course, not something they will do over and over again in the future
Involves the use of overwhelming tools
McClure & Purdy, Eds., 2013

5. Why is research difficult for students? (cont.)
The research finds a disconnect between student and faculty/ librarian expectations:
They expect the library databases to work like Google
They do not understand why they have to learn how to search in scholarly databases
They have an unclear understanding of the recursive nature of the research process
They do not understand how electronic information is organized
McClure & Purdy, Eds., 2013

6. Information Behaviors/ Process
Research
Process
Writing
Process
Information Behaviors/ Process

7. Information Behaviors/ Process
Research
Process
Writing
Process
Information Behaviors/ Process
Digital
Tools
(Technology)

8. What the literature says about students’ needs for research/writing
Help with generating search keywords
Understanding the limitations of databases
Good criteria for source evaluation of disciplinary resources, not just generic resources
Nurturing of their “scholarliness” to become active participants in research
To stop thinking of writing and research as two separate processes
Getting beyond basic digital skills, to useful academic skills

9. Types of Searches Content driven – knowledge reporting
Less time and effort
Most efficient fact finding method used by more inexperienced researchers
Issue driven – knowledge creating
Use an angle to uncover information and report on that, used by more experienced researchers
Harder for students to just use the search once and done approach

10. 4 Different Approaches to Research Writing (Nelson, 1994)
Compiling information Approach
just collecting and presenting information (75%)
Premature Thesis Approach
predetermined ideas – no discovery (10%)
Linear Research Approach
students access information once and write based on what they find (10%)
Recursive Research Approach
Includes prelim research, more than one visit to the library, production of a tentative viewpoint, then conducting research to refine the viewpoint (5%)

11. Other Findings in the Research Literature
Student Strategies for Searching
Heavy use of the internet, not scholarly resources
Students value scholarly resources but don’t always recognize them
Evidence of “Power Browsing” Skills – quick scanning of sources for information
Most common strategy – The Hub and Spoke Method – back and forth to search page
Reference Mining – focusing on deep analysis of one article
This has been found to be a successful method

12. Why is it important to help developing scholars acquire digital skills for research?
To prepare students for 21st century research
Engage students in the process of research
Improve information organizational skills
Develop skills needed to collect, and understand data that can be transferable to other problems
Improve informational analytical skills
To prepare students for changing research models, strategies, and tools
Adjust to new emerging research models (MIT convergence model)
Tools are continually changing and students need to understand how tools work so they can transfer skills

13. Broad Strategies/Concepts for Integrating Digital Skills
Research Process
Information Behaviors
Writing Process
Articulate and encourage a recursive research process (McClure & Purdy, eds. 2013)
Think of research as conversation around topics (McMillian & Hill, 2005)
Help to develop a culture of research (undergraduate/research) and share what researchers do
Build on students’ prior experiences with the research process (meet them where they are)
Develop collaborative relationships around the process of research/writing
Ask your students how they work with information to leverage prior experience
Use Google, Wikipedia, blogs and wikis as pre-search tools (McClure, 2011)
Focus teaching on the why of scholarly research not just how to use the scholarly resources
Incorporate web 2.0 strategies to build on digital behaviors they already have
Use collaborative digital technologies to engage discussion and sharing
Intervene early – the topics and sources students use impact the final product
Consider other projects such as primary research projects, I-Search papers, research logs
Think about creating knowledge not just demonstrating acquired knowledge
Look for ways to exploit digital technologies to make explicit connections between research and writing
Writing can include collaboration and learning to critique is an important aspect of writing

14. Specific Ideas for Using Digital Strategies and Tools
Research Process
Information Behaviors
Writing Process
Use “googlepedia sources” to find out about the conversation around topics
Use concept mapping and other visual strategies for brainstorming research topics
Teach students how to “mine references” for clues to keywords, other subtopics, other authors
Use citation sharing tools for collaborative writing projects (zotero, endnote web, delicious)
Set up Google Scholar settings - “Get it t the U”
Teach how to organize the research process using bookmarks and collaborative tools like zotero or endnote web
Teach the special database features that will make finding resources easier (faceted searching, filters, subject indexes, folders)
Use “find” features to search for keywords in articles
Mine keywords in articles
Check out Youtube for possible lectures on topics (esp. TED talks)
Use Google Docs for collaborative writing Include multi-media/multi-genre options for research
Use the Dragon speaking app on phone or tablet to talk out your paper ideas
Plan out writing sessions (set time limits, write a plan for writing)
Discuss and acknowledge the anxiety about writing, talk about how you write – personal tips
Participate in peer review activities

15. Writing Program Administration WPA Outcomes Statement for First-Year Composition
Specific Section on using digital tools for writing: By the end of first-year composition, students should be able to:
Use electronic environments for drafting, reviewing, revising, editing, and sharing texts
Locate, evaluate, organize, and use research material collected from electronic sources, including scholarly library databases; other official databases (e.g., federal government databases); and informal electronic networks and internet sources
Understand and exploit the differences in the rhetorical strategies and in the affordances available for both print and electronic composing processes and texts
Engage in the electronic research and composing processes common in their fields
Disseminate texts in both print and electronic forms in their fields 

16. Some General Writing Ideas

17. Framework for Success in Postsecondary Writing
8 Habits of Mind
Curiosity
Openness
Engagement
Creativity
Persistence
Responsibility
Flexibility
Metacognition
Endorsed by the Council of Writing Program Administrators,
the National Council of Teachers of English, and the National Writing Project.

18. Educational Technology Resources

19. Final Recommendations
Pedagogy first – then Technology
Consider context and student motivation issues when designing any research/writing learning activity
Clear communicated expectations of learning activities
Ensure learning activities are aligned with assessment and learning outcomes for the module and/or course
Skype for research consultations and writing

20. Donna Ziegenfuss donna.ziegenfuss@utah.edu