Prepped for university: introducing academic library literacy skills to

secondary school students

Induction – back in the day

Students were told:

•How and where to find a book

•How and where to find a journal article

A library tour was incorporated into a 20 minute induction.

IT induction was separate.

Then students began asking:

• What is meant by an ‘academic’ book?

• What is meant by scholarly / peer reviewed journals?

• What does my reading list mean?

So we incorporated the answers into induction

• How to read a ready list.

Library and IT induction merged & attendance increased.

Sample slide

Zu, X., Fredendall, L.D. & Douglas, T.J. (2008), ‘The evolving theory of quality management: The role of Six Sigma’, Journal of Operations Management, vol. 26, no. 5, Pg. 630-650

Author’s SurnameAuthor’s first initial or name

Date of publication

Article title

Journal titleVolume

Issue

Pages

HE expectations

• To be able to:

– Interpret Harvard or other bibliographic standards.

– Find, borrow, read appropriate chapters of texts.

– Find, understand structure and read journal articles.

– Source additional readings to support an argument.

– Evaluate web sites.

– Understand what a bibliography is.

Expectations

• Academics’ expectations are not unreasonable.

But

• Induction is short

• Learning needs to be at the point of need.

• Academic library literacy is not part of secondary school curriculum.

However

• A window has been discovered

– End of school term (level 13)

– After UCAS personal statements are completed (level 14).

Research, evidence & interest

• Secondary School teachers (Grammar and Comprehensive), (outreach)

• Secondary School career teachers (outreach)

• Secondary School librarian survey (outreach)

• Undergraduates

• Queen’s Learning Development Services

• Queen’s School of Education academics

• Queen’s Library colleagues

• Kvenid, C., Calkins, K., ed (2011) Embedded Librarians: moving beyond one

shot instruction. Chicago : Association of College and Research Libraries

Everyone is interested!

Outreach workshop

• Widening Participation Unit requested Library engagement

• Residential for 40 secondary school students

• “Unlock your skills and talent” workshop.

Search the internet for one or more of the following.

• A place in Ireland

• A famous composer or author

• Pantridge and the heart defibrillator

• Graphene - look at the BBC link for this

• David Brailsford and the Sky cycling team

Now ask yourself:

• Why do I believe these sites are telling me the truth?

• What does the web address (url) tell me about each site?

• Is the information current?

• Who wrote the web page?

• Who published it?

• Is the page well organised and easy to navigate?

• Is there a lot of advertising?

• Does it link to other sites that are reliable?

You are evaluating the website

Now, go beyond Google with academic sources.

• A place in Ireland

Select JSTOR Ireland

• A famous composer

Select MUSE or JSTOR

• Pantridge and the heart defibrillator

Select Science Direct

• Graphene - look at the BBC link for this

Select Science Direct or ABI Inform

• David Brailsford and the Sky cycling team

Select ????? What is his theory?

Now ask yourself:

• What is different about academic literature?

Justification / benefits

• Subject Librarian remit – induction talks.

• University remit – outreach and marketing.

• Students discovered something new .

– They read academic literature & encouraged by online resources.

• Addressed academics’ expectations

– Plagiarism, copyright, why reference & email etiquette also

covered.

• The workshop overran.

• Follow up interview with new & established UGs.

• Pre induction knowledge frees time for other content.

• Students begin study with an expected understanding & ensure they

are ‘Prepped for university’