This set of tutorials from the UA Libraries offers interactive lessons on research skills such as formulating search strategies, navigating databases, distinguishing between types of information sources, avoiding plagiarism, and citing sources. Each tutorial scaffolds a specific component of the research process, incorporating frequent opportunities for learners to practice and assess comprehension of tutorial content. One or all of these tutorials could serve as an optional or assigned learning supplement for high school, undergraduate, or graduate students that are new to the process of searching databases, or to the research process in general.
Type of Material:
Tutorial
Recommended Uses:
Individual homework assignment before research instruction session
Supplemental reading/activities for further individual practice
In class activity for research session in a computer lab
Technical Requirements:
Several tutorials require Flash.
Identify Major Learning Goals:
Learn how to...
distinguish between scholarly and popular publications
choose search keywords from a research question
combine and enter keywords into databases to find sources
avoid accidental plagiarism
build a citation for an MLA works cited page
Target Student Population:
Lower level or introductory undergraduate courses with research assignments (any discipline, though the emphasis on MLA lends itself to English courses)
High school courses with research components (any discipline)
Prerequisite Knowledge or Skills:
Requires basic web navigation skills.
Content Quality
Rating:
Strengths:
The three Key Concepts tutorials provide an effective introduction to keyword formation and basic search strategies that is accessible across many disciplines.
The Using Databases tutorials provide valuable information on the often overlooked functional variations between databases which greatly affect search outcomes.
The language used in each of the tutorials is clear and accessible to a wide range of reading levels.
Concerns:
The ‘Using databases’ would not not usable for other colleges and universities without modifications. However, these tutorials are not licensed for others to modify them.
Tutorials need some edits to emphasize the most relevant parts to their target audience. Examples: More explanatory text could be used, specifically when describing the purpose of Web of Science and JSTOR. The connection needs to be established between why a student would need to know how to use WoS citation reports to research for a paper.
Potential Effectiveness as a Teaching Tool
Rating:
Strengths:
The interactive components in the tutorials (specifically “Building MLA…” and “How to search…”) are well designed, beginning with the most basic concepts, and gradually increasing in complexity.
The descriptions under each link briefly and adequately describe what leaners can hope to gain from each tutorial.
The content and format of these tutorials are neutral enough to be easily integrated into coursework from a variety of disciplines.
Concerns:
Some of the tutorials such as Popular vs. Scholarly Resources could have used more introductory text to establish learning objectives.
Participation certificates would be useful for all the tutorials.
Ease of Use for Both Students and Faculty
Rating:
Strengths:
These tutorials are highly interactive and allow learners many opportunities to practice or test new knowledge and skills acquired.
The directions, hints, and answer feedback text in the tutorials and activities is clear and offers valuable explanations.
The Guide on the Side format in the Using Databases tutorials is an effective means of engaging learners by allowing them to interact directly with a database, and even to deviate from the prescribed lesson and explore the landscape further.
Concerns:
Some tutorials don’t allow forward/backward navigation without completing the activities, which complicates the process of trying to navigate to a particular slide for a refresher on specific content.
The content of the Accidental Plagiarism tutorial isn't fully accessible to learners for whom audio is not an option.
Creative Commons:
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