Type of Presentation
Individual paper/presentation (20 minute presentation)
Target Audience
Higher Education
Location
Room 212
Proposal
See presentation description.
Short Description
My presentation traces the rationale for and development of a research guide primarily for the introductory writing course, and for other courses in Writing, Rhetoric and Technical Communication. The research guide uses the traditional rhetorical canons (invention, arrangement, style, memory, and delivery) as a framework. Its aim is to show how to integrate library research into the writing process rather than to present research as a separate, fact-seeking exercise: in short, to actively incorporate library research into the ônew rhetoricö approach of writing to learn. Library research is broadly interpreted in the guide, covering such topics such as discipline discourse communities, genres, citation practices, and the publication process, as well as traditional library instruction topics. Several factors prompted the development of the writing guide. Reference desk traffic has decreased as students use web-based sources without the librarian as mediator. The library has addressed the issue through development of a unified model for subject guides that serve as a primary gateway to resources on the library web page. Another factor was that JMU’s writing program evolved into a School of Writing, Rhetoric, and Technical Communication. The School continues to support the general education writing course as well as new courses in rhetoric and writing, and provides faculty support to the university’s two writing centers. The guide is a resource for students, instructors, and writing center tutors. Its continued refinement will be based on input from faculty and librarian colleagues.
Keywords
Information literacy, Research guide, Introductory writing course, Research skills
Publication Type and Release Option
Presentation (Open Access)
Recommended Citation
Leiding, Reba, "Rhetoric and the Research Guide" (2009). Georgia International Conference on Information Literacy. 42.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/gaintlit/2009/2009/42
Rhetoric and the Research Guide
Room 212
See presentation description.
