Research & Library Skills Exercises
Designed for First Year Writing Program Students

This page links to exercises that will help you prepare to conduct research for ENGL 101 - Introduction to Writing. Your course instructor may assign any or all of the exercises below.

Brainstorming Concepts and Keywords  Revised!

This is our most popular exercise and it's typically assigned before Library Day. The exercise steps students through the beginning steps of research: breaking down their topic into concepts, brainstorming synonyms and creating basic search strategies.

Choosing Databases   Revised!

"Choosing Databases" helps students to think critically about what kinds of information they are looking for and where they will most likely be able to find that information (i.e. a book that can be found in the catalog or a scholarly article found in Academic Search Premier.)

Comparing Results from Search Engines   New!

A table is included in this exercise that has students directly discover the types of information found in the following types of search engines: the UM catalog, Academic Search Premier and Google. The exercise Identifying and Selecting is an alternate approach to this material.

Creating Annotated Bibliographies   New!

This exercise can be assigned after Library Day to reinforce several of the skills emphasized, including: selecting relevant articles, differentiating between scholarly and popular sources and evaluating articles.

Evaluating Information   New!

This exercise has students think critically about the information they use while referring to terms discussed in ENGL 101. Those elements include: exigency, audience, and ethos/ authorship.

Identifying Research Resources   Revised!

This exercise offers a different approach to the same ideas being addressed in the exercise Comparing Results. Instead of doing sample searches, students are asked to name the search engine where they are likely to find different types of information.

LexisNexis Academic Exercise New!

Coming soon.

Scholarly Articles and Ethos   New!

The format of this exercise varies from the others. The question and prompts act to reinforce the ENGL 101 curriculum while also incorporating ideas about scholarly literature discussed in Library Day.

Scholarly vs Popular Sources   Revised!

This is a practical approach to review the differences between scholarly and popular sources and how to tell the difference between them.

The Libraries have created a variety of guides to help students learn library lingo and help them navigate the complexities of a large college library, as well as the research process. Consider linking some of these resources to your page in Blackboard:

• ENGL 101: Introduction to Writing (customized web page)
• Have your students browse the three series of books in the Controversial Issues Alcove in McKeldin Library's Reference area (first floor):
  • Contemporary World Issues (e.g. sample item)
  • Opposing Viewpoints (e.g. sample item)
  • Taking Sides (e.g. sample item)

• Library Skills Guides
  How to prepare an annotated bibliography, Using Boolean Logic, Research Port, etc.

• Ask a Librarian for Help!

• Academic Integrity & Citing Sources (MLA):

  • Academic Integrity & Plagiarism
    
  • Guide to Citing Sources Using the MLA Handbook
    
  • Use these tools to collect and organize citations, and create bibliographies.

• Information Cycle:

  • Information Cycle Timeline [Produced by Northwest Missouri State University]
    
  • The Information Cycle [An excellent 5 minute video from the Penn State Libraries]

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