Lib-ing the Good Life: Update: Classes, Citations, Conversations, & After Hours

Friday, March 16, 2012

Update: Classes, Citations, Conversations, & After Hours

Well, it has been a whirlwind past few weeks. My class involvement has really taken off, especially with the ENGL 101 class. We tried something new this semester. Last semester we noticed students not really attaching much importance to using and citing scholarly or other credible resources for their research paper. I did some brainstorming between semesters to try to come up with an activity that emphasized the importance of using quality resources & citing them properly. Instead of the traditional, boring "this is how you cite resources in (insert your citation style of choice here)," I approached it as a game.

When I was in Dubuque, they had "The Great Poetry Race." I took that general idea, but applied it to citations in "The Great Citation Race." The students progressed through several rounds of the great citation race, each aligned with the types of resources that were being introduced to students during the day's lesson. The activities took place over several class periods, with the students working in groups. The first group to complete their tasks correctly received 7 points, the next group 6, etc. Round 1 was done in class, without technology; we discussed plagiarism and why we cite resources. I prepared book citation guides (and answer keys) for APA, MLA, CBE/CSE, and Chicago, and gave the students examples of book publication information & quotes and had students 1) prepare citations as they would appear on a bibliography or works cited page, and 2) show how they would do in-text citations (or footnotes) for paraphrased material (they wrote the paraphrased sections based on the quoted material they were given). We then progressed to books with multiple authors, journal articles (here we also identified errors in given citations)--both print & electronic, and websites. These activities were time consuming, but thus far I have noticed an increased awareness of the importance and relevance of citations. We have had annotated bibliography sections due as we progressed (first books, then journal articles, then websites).

In addition to ENLG 101, I have also had a blast working with the American Literature & Literature for Children and Adolescents classes. I'm thrilled to be have another excuse to read children's literature and apply some of what I learned in my Materials for Youth course (taken at Indiana University)!

Beyond embedded work, things are bustling on campus. We've been pretty busy at the reference desk lately (yahoo!) and expect that to pick back up again after spring break and continue through the end of the semester. Campus-wide events are also picking up as the academic year begins to draw to a close. Play performances and music concerts & recitals have been a pleasure to attend. Last week we had another round of Conversations on Information Literacy sessions. This time we discussed creating effective research assignments with information literacy in mind. Particularly with the transition to the new core (in which IL is a key component), there has been more interest in this topic. We had several sign up, or visit with me individually regarding the information covered in the sessions--the turnout for the actual sessions was low, but reflects just how busy campus is right now (and perhaps just how ready students and faculty are for spring break, which begins for them on Monday).

Last Friday we welcomed author Jennifer Wilson to the library for our second "Library After Hours" event. Travel writer Jennifer Wilson has written for Esquire, National Geographic Traveler, Better Homes & Gardens, Traditional Home, Midwest Living, Iowa Outdoors, The Chicago Tribune, and many other publications. She shared her experiences and selections from her publication Running Away to Home: Our Family's Journey to Croatia in Search of Who We Are, Where We Came From, and What Really Matters. Publisher’s Weekly said: "In her funny and heartfelt memoir, she packs up her husband and two young children from Des Moines, Iowa, with the plan to live a simpler, more connected life in the ancestral home in Croatia and to learn about her immigrant story." Below are a few photos from the evening. (P.S. If you're interested, her books will be available in the Grand View University Bookshop at a reduced rate of $20, but only while supplies last.)