GSU Library Research Guides: Reference training: 6. Reference as Instruction

Introduction

What are Information Literacy skills?

Reference, especially in an academic library, is not just giving an answer, it is teaching information literacy skills.

The Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) defines information literacy as:

“Information literacy is the set of integrated abilities encompassing the reflective discovery of information, the understanding of how information is produced and valued, and the use of information in creating new knowledge and participating ethically in communities of learning.”

Some information literacy skills include:

1. Knowing what kinds of information resources fit an information need.

2. Knowing which search tools help locate those resources and how to use them effectively.

3. Knowing how to use information resources (e.g. table of contents, index, navigating an ebook)

4. Being able to evaluate information sources for credibility and relevance

5. Using information ethically, including knowing when and how to cite.

To learn more about information literacy, see the Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education LibGuide from St. Louis Community College.

Looking for instructional opportunities

It is important to look for instructional opportunities in your reference work.

Often, this is as simple as showing users what you are doing as you search, talking through the steps and your thought process as you go. It is perfectly acceptable to find one or more sources with the student, or even to give a quick answer to someone looking for a specific book in a hurry. But where possible, seek opportunities to help the patron become a more self-sufficient and informed researcher. If the student seems disinterested, as though they expect you to do the work for them, guide them to look on and work with you. You may even suggest that they take the keyboard as you coach them on what to do.

For some research questions, it is appropriate to assist the student with finding one or two sources, then suggest that the student continue the search on their own. You may need to write down how to get to the database(s), suggested search terms and limiters, etc. to make the student feel comfortable searching on their own. Particularly persistent students may need to be told, "I think we've done enough to get you started. Go try it on your own and let me know if you get stuck." Always invite them back for follow up if they need it.

Activities

Model of Reference as Instruction

The video below is a repeat from an earlier unit. Watch it again and note the ways the librarian worked instruction into the reference transaction.

Examining a Chat Transcript

Examine the chat transcript below and identify areas where the librarian is providing instruction. For review also look for other elements of reference best practices. After completing the exercise, compare your results with the model.

Evaluating Sources Intro

In the box below, watch one of the first two Evaluating Sources videos.

Evaluating Source for Credibility

These videos are about evaluating potential sources of information. The first two apply to all types of information and the second two are specifically about websites.

Evaluating Sources video from Western Libraries (2:16)
Evaluating Sources for Credibility (3:14)
What does it mean for a source to be credible? Why is it important to use these sources? How can you tell if a source is credible? (From NCSU Library)
Credible Websites (3:52)
Learn about evaluating websites for bias, author's credentials, currency, and source of information. (From Hartness Library at Community College of Vermont and Vermont Technical College)

Evaluating Sources Exercise

Look at these sources as potential resources for a paper about the current science about the safety of vaccines for children.

Source Evaluation exercise in LibWizard

Which would you recommend as good sources for this assignment?
Of those you would not recommend, why not?
What steps would you recommend to a student to control the quality of their sources?

Note: Hover over the "i" to see my evaluation of the source.

Ball, L. K., Ball, R., & Pratt, R. D. (2001). An Assessment of Thimerosal Use in Childhood Vaccines. Pediatrics, 107(5), 1147. Date (2001) is likely too old for a scientific topic. Otherwise, a good article so could be used for historical background.
Carrillo-Marquez, M., & White, L. (2013). Current controversies in childhood vaccination. South Dakota Medicine: The Journal Of The South Dakota State Medical Association, Spec no46-51. Good choice. Authors are pediatricians publishing in a peer-reviewed journal. The content is written in language understandable to the lay person and backed with solid research, which are listed in a bibliography and referenced at pertinent points in the article. The date, 2013, is not as recent as we would like, so it would be best to supplement this article with more recent information. While this article comes down strongly on the pro-vaccine side of the argument, the authors present both sides in an objective way.
Mercury in Vaccines (TruthWiki) Author is unnamed. Sources are not scholarly. Use of inflammatory language and advertising is a red flag for bias.
Pomeroy, B., Gurjar, A., Sipka, A., Klaessig, S., Salmon, S., Quesnell, R., & Schukken, Y. H. (2016). Intramammary immunization with ultraviolet-killed Escherichia coli shows partial protection against late gestation intramammary challenge with a homologo Credible and current, but The Journal of Dairy Science is probably not relevant. Also, scientific level of the article may be too diffficult for a lay person to understand.
Vaccine Safety (CDC website) Good source, although some students may not be able to use web sources. Note the written by and reviewed dates at the bottom. While the specific author is not identified, the CDC is widely recognized as a credible source on this topic.
Kempe, A., Saville, A. W., Albertin, C., Zimet, G., Breck, A., Helmkamp, L., Vangala, S., Dickinson, L. M., Rand, C., Humiston, S., & Szilagyi, P. G. (2020). Parental hesitancy about routine childhood and influenza vaccinations: A national survey. Pediatr Excellent choice! This article is fairly recent, is published in a reputable peer-reviewed journal, and the information is probably relevant to the student's interest. While the statistical analysis may be too complex for them to read critically, most of the text is understandable to a lay person.

Using information ethically

Whose idea was that? (Plagiarism tutorial - 7:38)
From Duke University

Copyright and Fair Use

It is not our responsibility to be the plagiarism / copyright police, but it is good practice to advise students when something is in violation. For example, if a student mentions that they plan to turn in a "recycled" paper written for a previous class, you could caution the student that unless the instructor explicitly says that a recycled paper is acceptable, students are expected to do original work for each assignment. Also, recycled works will show up as plagiarism in Turnitin.com.
We are required to have copyright notices at the photocopiers and print stations, advising users about copyright restrictions. Again, we are not responsible for policing student printing/copying, but advise them against copying/printing beyond fair use guidelines.
NEVER encourage anyone to engage in unethical or illegal use of information. (Did we need to even say that?)

Fair Use

Look over the fair use checklist below and see the Copyright: Fair Use guide if you'd like more information.

USG Fair Use Checklist A downloadable Fair Use check list for the University System of Georgia. When using the Fair Use Checklist you should use one checklist for each usage instance and keep a copy of each for your records.
Copyright Guide; Fair Use page
For more information about Fair Use and Copyright, see this guide by Laura Burtle.

Citation help

As librarians, we do not proofread or format citations for students. Instead, we refer them to citation guides and help them understand how to use them. Many students don't know how to locate the title, author, and other publication information in physical or electronic sources, and they sometimes also have difficulty understanding how the models work. (See example below.) Citation guides (MLA, APA, Turabian, etc.), usually found in the Ready Reference section, or the appropriate citation style guides in LibGuides.

Citation Styles (for more information)
This guide includes general citation guidelines as well as guides for specific styles.

Referring reference

It is our goal to provide students with accurate, high quality information and none of us know everything! At times, the best way to provide patrons with the information they need is to refer them to a more experienced librarian, a subject specialist, or, at times, another department at the university. Here are some examples:

"Can you help me understand how to search for SEC Filings?" (Appropriate response: See if you can find a LibGuide with this information. If that doesn't work, refer to Business Subject Librarian)
Student has a literature reference question that is yielding few results or that will take more time than you have available at the desk. (Appropriate response: Ask another librarian who is not on the desk to have a consultation with the student.)
Student wants assistance with their math homework. (Appropriate response: Refer student to the Learning and Tutoring Center. You COULD help with "Math for Dummies," etc., but not actually working through the problems.)

Remember: There is no shame in referring a patron to someone else when the goal is to get them the appropriate help. Graduate students often benefit from getting to know their subject librarian and always keep in mind that you can recommend an appointment when you're juggling multiple questions in person or in chat and the student would benefit from one-on-one help. That said, do not be so quick to refer that you do not first determine this is a question you can answer.

To identify Librarians by subject (or for Perimeter, by campus), use the Librarians link on the library website.

Maintain familiarity with the Library website and the University website so that you can refer students appropriately.

Reference training