Description

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Ask students to identify how an author used cited evidence to construct an argument to prepare students to do the same in their arguments.

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Action:

  • Provide students a paper that does a good job of making claims that are supported by cited evidence. Either in class or in a written assignment, ask students to summarize the arguments made within the paper and what cited evidence the authors used to make each argument.
  • Ask students to identify the following:
    • Text that situates this question within the literature
    • Cited evidence
    • Explanations of how the cited evidence supports a specific claim.
  • When possible, use a previous student’s anonymized assignment as a model for current students.

Reason:

  • Deconstructing examples of how authors construct an argument through citing previous work provides students a model of how to connect existing literature to their topic.

Specify your expectations for clear and consistent references and formatting to support complete and consistent formatting of references.

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Action:

  • Explain to students that the formatting of references varies for different disciplines
  • Provide students guidelines for how you want references formatted
  • Direct students how to consistently and completely label figures and graphs.
  • Have students’ bibliography due before the final version of the paper so that students spend enough time completely and consistently formatting their references.
  • Many resources exist online to help students completely and consistently format that references. Purdue Resource
  • When possible explain the rationale behind formatting rules. For example, explain table titles appear above the table because tables sometimes span multiple pages.
  • Document and share disciplinary expectations regarding what does and what does not require a reference.
  • The Claremont Colleges Library provides an “Exploring Academic Integrity” tutorial that provides information about appropriate Attribution and Citation

Reason:

  • Disciplinary standards vary and it may be difficult for students to identify guides to develop complete and consistent references.

Plan the timing and content of library class sessions with librarians to integrate librarian-led workshops at appropriate times.

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Action:

  • Contact the library as you develop your syllabus to identify appropriate points for library class sessions and discuss possible assignment design.

Reason:

  • Greater levels of engagement by librarians make for greater student learning gains in information literacy. However, librarians need not be embedded in a class for students to make significant gains; faculty-librarian assignment and syllabi collaboration and then one or two strategically placed library class sessions can produce great gains in students’ information literacy.