Show Me the Way: Examining Paths of Faculty Research Practices

Type of Presentation

Individual paper/presentation (20 minute presentation)

Target Audience

Higher Education

Location

Room 1220B

Proposal

This research project examines how faculty conducts their own research, including an examination of what strategies they use and which resources they choose. Our purpose is to gain a deeper understanding of faculty research processes in order to optimize liaison librarian outreach to faculty in two ways: to improve/tailor librarian research training for faculty; and to create an opportunity for discussion with faculty about how their research processes may be informing their research assignment design. For this project, we are examining the research practices of 3-5 faculty members each from two disciplines, by providing five search tasks to complete in 90 minutes. We video record and take notes as these volunteers complete the tasks without our intervention, and there is an opportunity for discussion after the searching. Our analysis of the data considers these faculty research practices in relation to the search strategies and resources that we most commonly teach for their disciplines. By identifying similarities and discrepancies between the practices faculty use and those we teach, we achieve a better understanding of their existing research skills and knowledge, from which we can learn, and we get a clearer view of opportunities for training and development. The findings of this project not only inform our behaviours as information literacy teachers, but also allow us to initiate conversations with faculty about how their research practices influence their assignment design.

Short Description

This research project examines how faculty conducts their own research, including an examination of what strategies they use and which resources they choose. Our purpose is to gain a deeper understanding of faculty research processes in order to optimize liaison librarian outreach to faculty in two ways: to improve/tailor librarian research training for faculty; and to create an opportunity for discussion with faculty about how their research processes may be informing their research assignment design.

Keywords

faculty research, assignment design, information literacy skills, liaison librarian, faculty collaboration

Publication Type and Release Option

Presentation (Open Access)

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Oct 10th, 1:15 PM Oct 10th, 2:30 PM

Show Me the Way: Examining Paths of Faculty Research Practices

Room 1220B

This research project examines how faculty conducts their own research, including an examination of what strategies they use and which resources they choose. Our purpose is to gain a deeper understanding of faculty research processes in order to optimize liaison librarian outreach to faculty in two ways: to improve/tailor librarian research training for faculty; and to create an opportunity for discussion with faculty about how their research processes may be informing their research assignment design. For this project, we are examining the research practices of 3-5 faculty members each from two disciplines, by providing five search tasks to complete in 90 minutes. We video record and take notes as these volunteers complete the tasks without our intervention, and there is an opportunity for discussion after the searching. Our analysis of the data considers these faculty research practices in relation to the search strategies and resources that we most commonly teach for their disciplines. By identifying similarities and discrepancies between the practices faculty use and those we teach, we achieve a better understanding of their existing research skills and knowledge, from which we can learn, and we get a clearer view of opportunities for training and development. The findings of this project not only inform our behaviours as information literacy teachers, but also allow us to initiate conversations with faculty about how their research practices influence their assignment design.