General Education Information Literacy at Millersville University

Determining a manageable research question can be challenging for students. Use this tutorial to introduce strategies for aligning a research focus with assignment guidelines and research tools such as concept maps.

Use this video to help students identify the purpose of their research efforts and construct evidence-based statements. Students will learn how to narrow in on a topic, conduct background research, and synthesize the existing body of evidence in order to craft a compelling argument.

In this tutorial, students will be introduced to pre-research techniques to determine the scope and depth of their research focus.

Use this video to help students navigate the search process. Students will learn techniques to conduct effective background research using multiple keywords in order to narrow in on a research focus.

This quiz corresponds with the Thesis Statements video.

Link goes to example assignment provided by University of Texas

This video will help students understand the process of background research by introducing techniques for gathering background information using Google and Wikipedia.

This video provides students with a helpful overview of the wide variety of source types they may encounter during research. In addition to defining and describing different source types, it also addresses how to select the appropriate source for their information need, analyzing the capabilities and constraints of different source types, and how to determine source quality.

Students will be introduced to a variety of source types that they may encounter during their research. Use this tutorial to help students locate and evaluate relevant sources to meet their research needs.

This quiz corresponds with the multimedia on source types.

Link goes to example assignment provided by University of Texas

An annotated bibliography activity requires students to properly cite a set of sources (which can either be selected by the instructor or by the students) and then produce relevant annotations for each entry. These annotations might focus on the content or argument of a source, source methodology, source credibility, the potential uses of a source in constructing an argument, and more. With an annotated bibliography, the final product on its own addresses several outcomes. However, with well-designed and intentional checkpoints and assessments along the way, it can address all of them to some extent.

Students can use this video to receive guidance on how to select the best database(s) for their information need and assignment requirements.

Use this tutorial to encourage students to develop a scholarly mindset. In this tutorial, students will learn how their projects help build the body of work in a given field. Additionally, students will become familiar with the process of attribution and critical evaluation.

Do your students feel intimidated by scholarly materials? This tutorial will walk students through the types and components of scholarly materials as well as strategies for strategic reading.

Do your students feel intimidated by scholarly materials? Use this video to help students get familiar with these valuable resources and learn tips for approaching, analyzing, and integrating scholarly materials into their projects.

This quiz corresponds with the multimedia on choosing databases.

In a Database Digging activity, students must identify a few databases germane to their research area and then answer a set of questions about each one, in addition to comparative/synthesis questions. Questions are designed to help students identify how each database can be used to address their information need, and how cross-database searching is often required to fulfill more complex information needs. Google, Wikipedia, and other popular non-academic resources can also be included in this assignment for expanded focus on information searching more broadly. This assessment demonstrates students’ comprehension of different types of information and where they can be found (i.e. what sources they need to use).

This video provides students with a helpful overview of the wide variety of source types they may encounter during research. In addition to defining and describing different source types, it also addresses how to select the appropriate source for their information need, analyzing the capabilities and constraints of different source types, and how to determine source quality.

Students will be introduced to a variety of source types that they may encounter during their research. Use this tutorial to help students locate and evaluate relevant sources to meet their research needs.

Use this tutorial to introduce students to the practice of differentiating between dominant theories and perspectives that are underrepresented in scholarly and everyday sources. The goal of the lesson is to encourage students to seek out multiple relevant and credible perspectives in order to develop a nuanced understanding of the issues that are important to them.

This quiz corresponds with the multimedia on source types.

Link goes to example assignment provided by University of Texas

An annotated bibliography activity requires students to properly cite a set of sources (which can either be selected by the instructor or by the students) and then produce relevant annotations for each entry. These annotations might focus on the content or argument of a source, source methodology, source credibility, the potential uses of a source in constructing an argument, and more. With an annotated bibliography, the final product on its own addresses several outcomes. However, with well-designed and intentional checkpoints and assessments along the way, it can address all of them to some extent.

Link goes to example assignment provided by University of Texas