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Health & Human Resources Faculty Guide: Instruction Topics

Basic Topics

Keyword Searching/Boolean Operators  1000 Level Topic Brief explanation of keyword searching, when it's appropriate, and how to effectively use keyword searching in online environment
Search Strategies 1000 Level Topic Building upon keyword searching basics by including additional search concepts to make more effective searchers. 
Narrowing a Topic 1000-4000Level Topic Choosing an appropriate topic can be difficult for a student.  This session takes a student through choosing a topic, to conducting background information, to narrowing that topic to a manageable, researchable topic. 
Plagiarism Basics 1000-4000 Level  Quoting, paraphrasing, summarizing, accidental, intention and self plagiarism are very difficult topics for students.  These topics can be taken in one session or broken up into several sessions.  In regards to scaffolding, these topics will need to be revisited often.  
Popular vs. Scholarly Sources 1000-2000 Level With a emphasis placed on nursing journals for research, it is imperative that students are able to differentiate between popular, trade and scholarly materials.
Advanced Search Strategies 2000-4000 Level MESH terminology, subject headings, controlled vocabulary and additional concepts will build upon the previous levels of search strategy instruction.
Analyzing Resources (CRAAP) 1000-2000 Level Ensuring that students understand that analyzing resources is paramount to incorporating applicable content to their knowledge base and research is a skill that students must learn to become successful, information literate professionals.
Database(s) Tutorials 3000-4000 Level Once information needs become more specific to evidence-based information, students must utilize those databases that house nursing and medical rigorous articles and resources.  CINAHL, Cochrane, Proquest Nursing, PubMed, etc are databases that students may need additional instruction to utilize efficiently.  
Introduction to Library Nursing Resources 1000 Level Locating nursing journals in OneSearch, Maag Journal Finder, medical databases, and requesting materials through InterLibrary Loan, are introductory topics that will aid students as they progress through the nursing program.
Evidence-Based Practice 3000-4000 Level

Medical/professional concepts and evidence-based practice will be explored in this session.  Discussion of studies, levels of the evidence pyramid, and applying EBP into professional practice will be addressed in this session.
PICO(T) Question  3000-4000 Level In this session the process of creating a PICO(T) question will be discussed and practiced, enabling students to create and research effectively.

 

ACRL Framework

The above topics all correspond to at least one of the ACRL Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education, which were adopted by the Association of College and Research Libraries.  The Concepts are below:

Authority is Constructed and Contextual

  • Who is considered an expert depends on the context of the need of information and who is doing the trusting.
  • Authority exists because a community gives it to someone. This can be a problem if the information is based on bias or privilege.
  • It is best to look at information skeptically, but also with an open mind.

 

Information Creation as a Process

  • Information comes in many formats, so a good researcher looks beyond format to determine quality and content.
  • Understanding the information process is vital to becoming information literate.  Edited, reviewed information can often be viewed as the only information that is credible, however that is not always the case.  

 

 Information Has Value

  • Information is created for educational, influential, and economic purposes.  It is very important for individuals to understand that information is a high valued commodity. 
  • Information can be bought and sold, therefore it holds value.
  • How information is created and disseminated is influenced by legal, economic and societal factors.

 

Research is Inquiry

  • Information and knowledge is driven by asking questions that are increasingly more complex and layered. 
  • Research is not linear, but cyclical in nature, driving more questions from results and more research by curiosity.
  • The more a researcher digs into the research process, the greater there knowledge of their topic and how information is created.

 

Scholarship is a Conversation

  • Experts have been having scholarly debate over topics for a very long time, constantly adding to the conversation.  
  • Conclusions in scholarly conversation can change, based on perspective and new questions being asked.
  • Depending on the question, there may be several answers.
  • New ideas from previous knowledge/information must be attributed to the original creator/idea.

 

Searching is Strategic Exploration

  • Determining a search strategy that allows for flexibility and added evaluation is key.
  • Stay focused on the search, even as new ideas, topics and interesting information are found.
  • Broadening the resources first found, while also asking a question in a different way will increase exploration