MSU General Education Competency

1A-f. demonstrate and practice strategies for idea generation

Corresponding WPA Outcomes

• focus on a purpose
• use writing and reading for inquiry, learning, thinking, and communicating

Corresponding ACRL Performance Indicators

1.1. defines and articulates the need for information

• a. confers with instructors and participates in class discussions, peer workgroups, and electronic discussions to identify a research topic, or other information need
• b. develops a thesis statement and formulates questions based on the information need
• c. explores general information sources to increase familiarity with the topic
• d. defines or modifies the information need to achieve a manageable focus
• e. identifies key concepts and terms that describe the information need
• f. recognizes that existing information can be combined with original thought, experimentation and/or analysis to produce new information

1.4. reevaluates the nature and extent of the information need

• a. reviews the initial information need to clarify, revise, or refine the question
• b. describes criteria used to make information decisions and choices

Search Strategies

MSU General Education Competency

1C-b. locate, analyze, evaluate, and use source materials or data in their writing in a manner appropriate to intended audiences (e.g., popular or within the discipline)

1A-d. locate and evaluate material using MnPALS , the Internet, and other sources

Corresponding WPA Outcomes

• respond to the needs of different audiences
• understand a writing assignment as a series of tasks, including finding, evaluating, analyzing, and synthesizing appropriate primary and secondary sources

Corresponding ACRL Performance Indicators

1.2. identifies a variety of types and formats of potential sources of information

• d. identifies the purpose and audience of potential resources (e.g., popular vs. scholarly, current vs. historical)
• e. differentiates between primary and secondary sources, recognizing how their use and importance vary with each discipline

2.1. selects the most appropriate investigative methods or information retrieval systems for accessing the needed information

• a. identifies appropriate investigative methods (e.g., laboratory experiment, simulation, fieldwork)
• b. investigates benefits and applicability of various investigative methods
• c. investigates the scope, content, and organization of information retrieval systems

2.2. constructs and implements effectively designed search strategies

• a. develops a research plan appropriate to the investigative method
• b. identifies keywords, synonyms and related terms for the information needed
• c. selects controlled vocabulary specific to the discipline or information retrieval source
• d. constructs a search strategy using appropriate commands for the information retrieval system selected (e.g., Boolean operators, truncation, and proximity for search engines; internal organizers such as indexes for books
• e. implements the search strategy in various information retrieval systems using different user interfaces and search engines, with different command languages , protocols, and search parameters

2.3. retrieves information online or in person using a variety of methods

• a. uses various search systems to retrieve information in a variety of formats
• b. uses various classification schemes and other systems (e.g., call number systems or indexes) to locate information resources within the library or to identify specific sites for physical exploration
• c. uses specialized online or in person services available at the institution to retrieve information needed (e.g., interlibrary loan/document delivery, professional associations, institutional research offices, community resources, experts and practitioners)

2.4. refines the search strategy if necessary

• a. assess the quantity, quality, and relevance of the search results to determine whether alternative information retrieval systems or investigative methods should be utilized
• b. identifies gaps in the information retrieved and determines if the search strategy should be revised
• c. repeats the search using the revised strategy as necessary

Comprehension and Writing

MSU General Education Competency

1A-e. analyze and synthesize source material, making appropriate use of paraphrase, summary, quotation, and citation conventions

Corresponding WPA Outcomes

• respond appropriately to different kinds of rhetorical situations
• use conventions of format and structure appropriate to the rhetorical situation

Corresponding ACRL Performance Indicators

3.1. summarizes the main ideas to be extracted from the information gathered

• a. reads the text and selects main ideas
• b. restates textual concepts in his/her own words and selects data accurately
• c. identifies verbatim material that can be then appropriately quoted

Documentation

MSU General Education Competency

1A-f. employ syntax and usage appropriate to academic writing and the professional world

Corresponding WPA Outcomes

• practice appropriate means of documenting their work

Corresponding ACRL Performance Indicators

2.5. extracts, records, and manages the information and its sources

• a. selects among various technologies the most appropriate one for the task of extracting the needed information (e.g., copy/paste software functions, photocopier, scanner, audio/visual equipment, or exploratory instruments)
• b. creates a system for organizing the information
• c. differentiates between the types of sources cited and understands the elements and correct syntax of a citation for a wide range of sources
• d. records all pertinent citation information for future reference
• e. uses various technologies to manage the information selected and organized

5.3. acknowledges the use of information sources in communicating the product or performance

• a. selects an appropriate documentation style and uses it consistently to cite sources
• b. posts permission granted notices, as needed, for copyright materials