LibGuides: Library Information Skills Curriculum: Class/Activity Plans

Creating Instruction that is Right for You

Faculty members determine the instruction that best fits their needs. Below are some examples of research support sessions we have conducted in the past, or have developed based on the Framework. These lesson plans are meant as examples and can be adapted to your needs, or can serve as inspiration for custom instruction design. The lesson plans below represent a starting point for the new curriculum, and we will be adding to them regularly.

Lessons plans are arranged by suggested level, however, most can be customized for any discipline and course level. The librarians are always happy to customize a lesson plan that meets your specific pedagogical needs.

Contact your subject liaison to design instruction to meet your instructional goals.

Novice

Connecting popular media with scholarly sources (Journalism)
Students explore the scholarly literature using a popular media report of research as a starting point. They will learn how to trace a report in the popular media back to its origin, and find the source of the full text of the original research.
Introduction to HillSearch (General)
This session provides a brief introduction to HillSearch, the library's main discovery tool.
Introduction to Academic Search Complete (General)
This session provides a brief introduction to Academic Search Complete, a basic research tool.
Revising a Paper to Incorporate Research (General)
This research session helps students locate scholarly sources to advance their argument in a revised paper.
How to Cite Your Sources (General)
In this brief overview of citations, students will learn why it is important to cite their sources and how to use citation LibGuides to create properly formatted in-text citations/footnotes and bibliographies.
Business Source Premier Basics (Business)
This session introduces students to a basic business research tool that has a variety of document types.

Progressing

Discovering Sources (Biology)
Differentiate between different types of resources by recognizing the differences in their scope, audience, and intent.
Finding and Working with Reliable Sources in a Disputed Context (Envir. Science)
This lesson helps students evaluate materials in situations where different sources present conflicting viewpoints.
Refining Your Research (General)
This lesson helps you to focus and clarify your keywords and find targeted resources.
Tweaking Your Research Question (History)
Once students embark on the research process they encounter new, and sometimes conflicting information that will lead them to revise their initial research question. During this session, we'll discuss how to adapt your initial research question to incorporate that new knowledge.

Proficient

Using a Synthesis Matrix (Philosophy)
During this session students will learn to Identify potential gaps in the available research by using a synthesis matrix. Students will use that synthesis matrix to organize their literature review, separate information resources into common themes and identify gaps in knowledge or research.
Filling the Gaps (General)
Students will investigate a research question inspired by their recognition of a gap in the research.
Sweetening the Science (General)
This session challenges students to critically examine evidence and look to factors that may influence the creation of science.

Advanced

Developing Disciplinary Expertise (Literature)
In this lesson, students identify the criteria for establishing "scholarly value" within a particular discipline and become more adept at navigating discipline-specific resources.
Economics Capstone Assignment (Economics)
This session supports students doing research for their capstone. Students need to identify and choose appropriate data sets and secondary sources.
Assertions, Evidence and Analysis (Religious Studies)
During this session we'll discuss strategies for identifying different components of their research papers/theses-assertions, evidence and analysis and identifying whether the student has sufficient evidence and analysis to support their assertions.
Creating Critical Skepticism
This lesson will have students learn how to evaluate sources using appropriate criteria in order to develop a skeptical stance. Students will develop an awareness of their own biases and worldview.