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Drew University Writing Instructor Guidelines: 
The Library component of English 1 and 2

Library instruction for first year students occurs in three places and on three levels, which can be described as follows:

	First-year seminar:  An introduction to the library and to the process of information retrieval. Students learn what services the library offers, how to use OAK, and how to locate the texts.  The purpose of this visit is to introduce them to the library in a very concrete way.
	English 1:  An introduction to bibliography construction.  Students learn more sophisticated ways to perform library searches, including using "or" instead of "and" in key word searches, and distinguishing between data bases.  They also learn how to broaden their search so that they can become more selective in the materials they use and more flexible in their topic selection (rather than taking the first 3 books from a list of 20, they will learn to select the most appropriate texts using evaluative criteria).  Students should begin the session with fairly broad topics, and by the end of the session they will have learned to narrow their topics, select appropriate sources, and begin to evaluate those sources (they might move from the general topic "gun control" to the specific topic "the Brady Bill," and finally toward a thesis concerning the constitutional argument over the Brady Bill, for example).  Working with a member of the  reference staff also increases the students' confidence and gives them a point of contact within the library for the future. (See below for possible models for incorporating this component into your course.)
	English 2:  An introduction to advanced searching, evaluating, and bibliography construction.  In English 2, instead of the students going to the library, the library comes to the students in three regularly scheduled class sessions, usually beginning the second week of classes.  Although at first it seems difficult to give up three class sessions, we have found that the skills the students learn really enhance their research and their larger educational experience at Drew.  Students need to have already identified topics for their final research.  This allows them to use the library sessions to practice effective narrowing of focus, searching and evaluating of sources, and bibliography building.  By the end of the sequence they should have conducted background research, narrowed their topic, evaluated potential sources and developed a working bibliography or even an annotated bibliography.        Some students registered for English 2 may have already taken English 1 or completed a writing course elsewhere, but they will find that the three research sessions in English 2 enhance what they have already learned, while refreshing and updating what they may have forgotten. (See below for possible models for incorporating this component into your course.)

	One-on-one sessions in which each student spends 40-45 minutes with a member of the  reference staff.  These allow the students the most personal experience, but only one class can  go a week, so instructors have less flexibility about when they assign library work.
	Small group sessions  in which students visit the library in groups of four.  This only works if all group members have exactly the same topic.  The advantage of this model is that it teaches students to work together, encourages discussion and cooperation, and allows two classes to complete their library component each week, providing more flexibility for instructors.  However, students who miss the session find it hard to make up the work.
	Large group sessions  in which the whole class visits the library at once.  This only works if the whole class is working on the same topic or type of research.  Students do not receive the individual attention provided in the other models, but they are introduced to a member of the   reference staff, and they learn the same library skills as they would in smaller groups.

	The first session deals with effective searching of the Internet (search engines v directories, etc.), with an emphasis on developing boolean search statements, and students are asked to retrieve two web sites pertinent to their topics.
	The second session transfers those skills to one or two general databases such as Academic Search or ProQuest Direct, and students are again asked to retrieve 2-3 pertinent articles from those databases.
	The websites and articles are then used as examples in the third session, which  focusses on the evaluation of information sources.

Please contact Jody Caldwell (x3481) if you have any questions about this component of English 1, or talk to me if you are unsure how to incorporate this into your course or motivate students.    I'd like to see us achieve 100% attendance this semester please.