Set for Success… developing researchers’ information literacy skills

Helen HowardInformation Literacy Team Leader

Leeds University Library

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Set for Success…

Developing researchers’ IL skills: Our strategy Our journey Staff development Future plans & challenges

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Background

Sir Gareth Roberts Set for Success Review 2002: found a mismatch between graduate / PG skills

and skills needed by employers recommended: “at least 2 weeks dedicated

training a year, principally in transferable skills” “Roberts” money available to Faculties and

Central Services New Vice Chancellor’s vision for research at

Leeds

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Research training and the Library

In 2003: Little provision of IL training for PhD students

within Faculties Literature searching skills rarely taught No clear strategy (despite IL Strategy for UGs

/ taught PGs agreed in 2003) Library’s open workshops very popular with

PhD students

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“Roberts” money and the Library

Library formed links with Graduate Training and Support (GT&S) who provided: Inside knowledge of strategic developments Access and input to PhD student survey Promotion of library training to students Advice on how we might move forward The money!

Library sought Roberts funding in 2004

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Our Strategy

IL: focus on PhDs

Form key partnerships

Knit into / input to Uni initiatives

Raise profile of IL with researchers

Research and develop IL training / support

for researchers

Make most of existing IL provision

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Our Journey - phase 1

Research Training Officer appointed f/t 18 months Investigate existing IL training provision for PhD

students Literature review Best practice in other HE institutions Research Student Needs Analysis Survey 2005 Developed PhD training course 2005 Piloted 2005-06

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Finding and managing information for your PhD: ½ day workshop

Pre-workshop assessment Common concerns Sources of information Selecting keywords & building a search Managing information Plagiarism Tracking academic discussions

select 1 or 2 activities

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Why was the workshop designed in this way?

Based on good practice seen elsewhere Based on needs identified in our students Learner-focused: tailored to and driven by the

user Less formal than some of our traditional

teaching More variety in our teaching methods

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Pre-workshop assessment

Testing e.g. plagiarism, boolean, search methods

Self-assessment ratings e.g. search strategies experience, updating activities

Practical information for trainers e.g.PhD title, Endnote usage

Students think about their skills & habits Trainers find out about their needs & abilities

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What did the pre-workshop assessment reveal?

Which of the following do you think PhD students scored best at?

Searching the Library catalogue

Understanding ofbasic plagiarism

Understanding howBoolean operators

work

How to obtain theses from other

universities

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What did the pre-workshop assessment reveal?

Good results Basic plagiarism: over 90% good understanding Boolean operators: 75% could match correctly Search techniques: 72% understood wildcard /

phrase searching Search engines: nearly 80% understood limitation

in terms of web coverage

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What did the pre-workshop assessment reveal?

Poor results: Theses: over 70% did not know how to obtain Library Catalogue: 40% could not search correctly

for a journal in the library catalogue Keeping up-to-date: about 50% had no strategy Reference Management software: 50% aware but

had not used; 25% not aware of it

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How did PhD students assess themselves?

How do you think students responded to this question:

“Which of the following statements is most like you?”

I spend a lot of timesearching for info but

often don’t come up withthe right kind of results

I find it difficult to keep track of what I have

read and where

I am worried that Isometimes missessential papers

when lit searching

I am confident aboutsearching for info, butcould be more efficient

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How did PhD students assess themselves?

I am confident about searching for information, but know I could be more efficient: 36%

I am worried that I sometimes miss essential papers when literature searching: 31%

I find it difficult to keep track of what I have read and where: 18%

I spend a lot of time searching for info but often don’t come up with the right kind of results: 15%

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Common Anxieties Which of the following aspects of information literacy do you think

most commonly worry research students?

Systematic literaturesearching

Managinginformation

Which informationsources to use

Missing outkey papers

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Common Anxieties

• Which information resources to use“What are our databases, i.e. business and economics”

• Systematic literature searching “How can I organise my lit searching so it is clear and

systematic and so I don't forget what I have looked at and what I haven't”

• Missing out key papers“How can I be certain I have a comprehensive search?”

• Managing information“How can I manage downloaded papers so that I can

retrieve information quickly?”

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Survey of researchers’ attitudes to training

Barriers to participation: Very focused on time needed for high quality research-

thinking, analysing, investigating Other commitments (teaching, work, family etc.) Priorities are boosting publication record, a permanent

academic post (not building generic skills)

Most likely to participate if: Recommended by supervisor / PI / senior academics Gaining new skills of direct relevance Providing something to add to CV Training is short, focused and practical

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Was the ½ day workshop the best approach?

Given the comments received from researchers and in your experience, which do you is the best approach?

Workshops 1 to 1s

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Benefits of this approach to research training

Practical nature of sessions appealed Brought group of PhDs together:

peer support overlapping PhD areas discovered

User-focus and subject divisions meant it felt more individualised

More time efficient than seeing PhDs 1 to 1 Pre-training assessment results revealed a

number of common weak IL areas

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Additional IL Support for researchers

Key open workshops badged for PhDs: Copyright Current awareness Dissertations and theses Endnote

Making the most of what was already on offer Elements therefore not included in half-day

workshop

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Crossroads: where next?

Research and development phase completed Funding beyond Sep 2006 confirmed Research Training Officer has expertise in the area

and is confident with the workshop But should subject librarians have responsibility for

research training in their areas?

Subject LibrariansResearch Training

Officer

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Our Journey – phase 2

Information Literacy Officer appointed Sept 2006 onwards; 0.5 FTE Allowing roll-out to all Faculties ILO delivers UG training on behalf of Faculty

Team Librarians (FTLs = subject librarians) ILO delivers many general IL workshops FTLs deliver training to PhDs FTLs best placed (subject knowledge) but some

need to embrace new teaching practices

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Teaching Methods: ½ day workshop

Mixed learning & teaching methods: Presentations Group work & discussion Mindmapping E-learning activities Self-directed learning

User-driven sessions: More flexibility Less control

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Staff Development

FTLs involved at each stage of research and development: Initial discussions into content of workshop Sharing of RTO’s outputs Small number involved in pilot phase, so

influenced how workshop developed

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Staff Development

Each Faculty Team received ½ day training session with RTO: Explain rationale behind workshop Practical info on how to deliver the workshop Experience of new tools / techniques

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Feedback

“The plagiarism section was the

most enlightening”

“it gave specific advice on searching!

Incredible”

“Great, been a student for 7

years, and still learned stuff!”

“The bit on tracing academic discussion was really good, but all of it was useful”

“Makes things quicker”

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IL for Researchers: Our Strategy Revisited

Form key partnerships:GT&S & Faculty Reps

Researcher Round Table

Knit into / input to Uni initiatives: IL iscore part of PhD courses run by GT&S

Raise profile of IL with researchers:aim to illustrate importance of IL

Develop IL training forresearchers: 800+ staff &researchers trained 06/07

Make most of existing IL provision:

yes, but could do more

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What else have we achieved?

Improved understanding of research student IL needs

Courses included as part of Research Training calendar of events

Improved skills of library staff / encouraged updating of teaching practices

Highlighted ability of library staff to do high level training & to support research process

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Future Plans / Challenges

Funding: how to sustain our efforts when half time post ends Sept 2010 consider changing our model of teaching delivery

Online delivery: aim to create and evaluate package for researchers in the VLE

Expanding programme: develop a follow-up course for PhDs later in their research provide more IL training for research staff, particularly at early

stage of their career Promotion:

further targetting of existing courses improved web pages for research support generally encourage supervisors / PIs to recommend our courses

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IL for Researchers: collaboration

How can we collaborate better to share best practice and / or develop initiatives?

Publish literatureVirtual community

Dedicated events Local projects

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References

Roberts, S.G. (2002). SET for Success. London, HM Treasury: 218