Library Instruction for English Research

These lessons are offered cafeteria-style, meaning you can schedule any combination of these lessons, depending on your students' needs and your available class time. Instruction requests must be submitted at least seven days in advance.

Use the Livestreaming Library Instruction category to schedule your workshop(s).

Topic Development: 20-minute session

This session will help students to select a researchable topic for their Research Paper (and the scaffolded assignments that lead up to that paper). Students will also begin to develop research questions and select search terms that can help them to research their topics. 

Learning Outcomes

At the end of the session, students will be able to:

• Create and refine researchable topics.
• Develop research questions from their research topics.
• Select search terms that best define their research topics.

Instruction Materials

Librarians will use this lesson plan and presentation to teach your workshop. Once your session is scheduled, please let your assigned librarian know if you would like them to alter these materials in any way.

Search Tools & Databases: 30-minute session

This session will teach students to use various search tools to find information sources for their research. Students will also learn to identify source types and learn more about using search terms to search library databases.

Learning Outcomes

At the end of the session, students will be able to:

• Select an appropriate search tool to fill an information need.
• Navigate Fulton Library’s OneSearch database.
• Identify how and where to get help when they have questions about the research process and/or using library resources.

Instruction Materials

Librarians will use this lesson plan and presentation to teach your workshop. 

Students should watch the Searching for Articles in OneSearch video (below) before this session. 

Source Evaluation: 20-minute session

This session will teach students how to identify and evaluate different source types for use in their research. Students will learn to distinguish between source types, fact-check their chosen sources, and recognize their own authority in scholarly conversations. 

Learning Outcomes

At the end of the session, students will be able to:

• Distinguish between popular, scholarly, and data sources.
• Model source evaluation within the context of a research need.

Instruction Materials

Librarians will use this lesson plan and presentation to teach your workshop. 

Guided Research: Full Class Period (50- or 75-minute session)

The Guided Research session is meant to give your students an opportunity to learn more about finding sources in library databases. This session will take an entire class period, and cannot be combined with any other sessions. 

Note: Students should already have topics and be at least a little familiar with search tools. This session is recommended for assignments that require students to find multiple sources on a topic, such as the Structured Research Notes and Final Essay assignments in ENGL 2010.

Learning Outcomes

At the end of the session, students will be able to:

• Select appropriate search terms to describe their research need.
• Navigate Fulton Library’s OneSearch database.
• Find information sources on their topics.

Instruction Materials

Librarians will use this lesson plan and presentation to teach your workshop. 

If your students have not yet watched the Searching for Articles in OneSearch video (below), please assign it to them before the Guided Research session.