FIELD NOTES

Common GAPS•Lack of rigor:

• Quantity and variety of sources – qualitative & quantitative

• Quality of sources – limited ability to judge• Citing, understanding rational for different

citation choices

•Lack of awareness of resources:• Mentioned but forgotten – • Writing center, reference librarians, wider

university• Possible uses not explained and demonstrated

–• Databases – COW, PRIO• GIS

Causes? Lack of practice

• Finding articles from different databases

• Mining bibliographies• Confirming obscure data, handling & conveying

ambiguity

Switching academic cultures• Knowledge of & comfort approaching both

professors and library staff• Switching citation mindsets – consider the passive

voice• Mid-career – understand how the situation

undermines student confidence• Lack of practice – little opportunity to build on

skills • Lack of models – Memos? Case studies? Cover

letters?

Possible Solutions • Aggressive, repeated outreach & advertising

• Integrate with instructors:• Provide suggestions as to what would be helpful for skill-building

– progressive assignments with feedback, etc.

• Integrated workshops: • If writing/research is an iterated process, librarians, writing

centers, and others must work together

• Building resources libraries:• Force early interaction as much as possible• Models of different types of assignments, using different

methodologies• Checklists – especially for quantity/quality of sources• Post powerpoints, film and post workshops