Instruction Menu
Use the descriptions of common topics below to gain an idea of what topics might be useful for your class, and how long it typically takes to cover each topic. These can be used in any combination to create a customized plan.
Note: While librarians can provide instruction in a primarily lecture style format, we encourage building sessions that incorporate active learning/ discussion activities within each session. In collaboration with a librarian, it is possible to maximize class time by flipping the instruction using videos or exercises prior to the library instruction session, providing more in class for students to practice, integrate or reflect on what they are learning.
Intro to Resources and Services
| Topic |
Level |
Points Covered |
Time Required |
| Library Intro |
Intro |
- Intro to Library Collections & Services
- How to use OneSearch
- How to get articles or chapters that are not available full-text
|
10-15 minutes |
| Choosing Where to Search |
Intro |
- Searching Databases vs. OneSearch vs. Google (Scholar)
- Choosing the best database(s) for your topic/need
|
5-10 minutes |
| Using Google Scholar |
Intro |
- Pros and Cons
- How to connect to full text with “Library Links” +/or LibKey
|
5-10 minutes |
Source Types
| Topic |
Level |
Points Covered |
Time Required |
| Choosing Source Type |
Intro |
- Examine the differences and advantages between different source types (i.e. books vs. articles)
- Distinguish sources relevant to topic and purpose (i.e. finding background information vs. most recent research)
|
10-15 minutes |
| Scholarly / Peer reviewed sources |
Intro |
- What are scholarly vs. non-scholarly sources
- What is peer-review?
- How to search for peer-reviewed articles
|
10 minutes |
| Evaluating scholarly or peer-reviewed sources |
Intermediate |
- Basics of evaluating information, including currency, authority, bias, etc.
- Publishing landscape
|
10-15 minutes |
Topic and Keyword Development
| Topic |
Level |
Points Covered |
Time Required |
| Identifying Search Terms: Keywords |
Intro |
- How to develop keywords for searching
|
10 minutes |
| Active Learning Activity: Brainstorm Keywords (Padlet) |
10 minutes |
| Identifying Search Terms: Beyond Keywords |
Intermediate |
- Subject Searching /Thesauri
- Finding keywords as you search (in Abstract/ Indexing Details)
|
10 minutes |
| Active Learning Activity: Think Pair Share worksheet for Search Terms and Strategies |
10 minutes |
| Boolean Searching |
Intro |
- Using AND, OR, NOT in a database to broaden, narrow and limit search results
|
10 minutes |
| Intermediate/ Advanced Search Strategies |
Intermediate |
- Utilizing database specific filter and limiters
- Using truncation, phase searching, proximity, and other search strategies
|
15 minutes |
| Topic Development |
Intermediate |
- Narrowing or broadening a topic to fit the scope of the research project/assignment
- Using database filters in a broader search to view and narrow down areas of potential inquiry
|
10 minutes |
Citation Management
| Topic |
Level |
Points Covered |
Time Required |
| Managing Citations |
Intro |
- Find citation information in a source
- Quick options for generating citations/ potential pitfalls (i.e OneSearch generates incorrect citations)
|
5 minutes |
| Managing Citations |
Intermediate |
- What is Citation Management?
- Resources & how to get started
|
15 minutes |
Reading and Evaluating Sources
| Topic |
Level |
Points Covered |
Time Required |
| Evaluating Sources |
Intro |
- Basics of evaluating information, including currency, authority, bias, etc.
|
10 min. |
| Discussion Activity: Are all peer-reviewed sources reliable? Why or why not? |
10 min. |
| Evaluating Sources |
Intermediate |
- Understanding the publishing landscape, predatory journals, etc.
- Explore impact of power—social, political, economic—in shaping the creation, access, and use of information
|
15 min. |
| Active Learning Activity: Scholarship is Not Neutral: Using Positionality Statements for Source Evaluation |
30 min. |
| Reading Scholarly Articles |
Intro |
- Anatomy of a scholarly article
- Tips and tricks for reading an article efficiently
- Types of scholarly articles (empirical, review, etc.)
|
10-15 min. |
Dissertation/ Lit Review Search Strategies & Tools
| Topic |
Level |
Points Covered |
Time Required |
| The Literature Review Process |
Advanced / 2nd 3rd Year Doctoral Level |
- Review of Search Strategies
- Citation Chaining / using Web of Science / seminal works
- Evaluating, analyzing and synthesizing literature
- How to know when the literature has been saturated
|
45 minutes |
| Finding Tests Measures for Dissertation |
Advanced / 2nd 3rd Year Doctoral Level |
- Sources/ strategies for an appropriate test or measure for the study
- How to find the full text
- Obtaining permissions
|
15 minutes |
| Organizing your research: Deep Dive into Zotero |
Advanced / 2nd 3rd Year Doctoral Level |
- Saving citations
- Using Folders, Notes and Tags
- Annotating .pdf’s
- Organization/ notetaking strategies
|
30 minutes |
| Hands-on Activity: Save an article, upload a .pdf, assign it to a folder, make a note, and add a tag. Annotate the .pdf |
20-25 minutes |
| Using Ai in the Literature Review Process |
Advanced / 2nd 3rd Year Doctoral Level |
- Introduce tools like Research Rabbit, Scite, Elicit and others
- Benefits and pitfalls of using these tools
|
20 minutes |
| Organizing your Research: PowerNotes |
Advanced / 2nd 3rd Year |
Connect the research and writing process with Powernotes |
20 minutes |
Other Topics
| Topic |
Level |
Points Covered |
Time Required |
| Staying Up to Date with Literature in Your Field/ Finding Information after Graduation |
Intermediate |
- Understanding the information landscape after graduation
- Information privilege
- Ways to stay up to date on the most current research
- Resources available to alumni
|
30 minutes |
