Research instruction

1. Assignment support session. 75 minutes

   A full class session tailored around your specific research assignment goals. Requires a short planning session with a librarian.  

2. Is AI an effective research tool? 50 minutes 

   Invite students to engage with Google Gemini as a research tool. Will engage with the ideas of reliability and information verification while also giving students an opportunity to experiment in a low-stress environment.

3. Research paper bootcamp. 50 minutes

   Jumpstart student research papers with a session that explores topic development, concept mapping to generate keywords to use in searches, and some how-tos for note taking on sources. 

4. Using library search tools for research. 50-75 minutes

   Provide students with an interactive worksheet to introduce them to Discover and/or a specific database to find sources for a research assignment. 

5. Monographs 101: How to find them, how to use them. 50 minutes

   Introduce students to monographs as an essential tool in the humanities for research; how do you find them, and how do you use them?

6. Peer review: What is it? Why does it matter? 50 minutes

   Introduce students to the peer review process with hands-on exercises to explore the sources and why the process matters in academic discourse. 

7. Organizing and citing your sources. 30-50 minutes

   Prepare students to generate bibliographies through hands-on activities to track and properly cite their sources across different style guides.

8. So you’re writing a literature review? 50 minutes

   Engage students in the process of writing a literature review from defining what they are to searching for sources to include, and writing one.

The items in this section are designed specifically for FYS students, but you are welcome to choose options from other sections as well.

1. What is a library? 30 minutes

   A brief active learning session to help students consider their own understanding about what a library is, and the role that the library plays in the Mount Holyoke community. (Can be paired with “Library scavenger hunt” in one class session.) 

2. Library scavenger hunt. 40+ minutes 

   A hands-on experience with the library complex and/or some of our online resources. Encourages the students to explore and learn on their own terms, then come back together as a classroom to share their experiences. (Can be paired with “What is a library” in one class session.)

3. Assignment support session for FYS. 75 minutes

   A full class session teaching students how to use library search tools to find books, articles, and more for what may be their first college research assignment. Requires a short planning session with a librarian. 

The workshops in this section are designed to help students grapple with complex information systems and topics outside of research assignments to develop the critical skills needed to navigate everyday life.

1. The ethics of AI. 50 minutes 

   This session explores the ethical dimensions of AI to help students develop a more nuanced understanding of its social and global impact. Students will engage with AI tools in the context of systems thinking; ways of knowing beyond the tools and prompts to contend with AI in a global context. 

2. Finding reliable data and statistics. 50+ minutes 

   What do you do when government data is no longer a reliable source of information? This session seeks an answer to that question using varied information sources and the Wayback Machine. 

3. Synthesizing evidence. 75 minutes

   Building on trends in the sciences and social sciences towards evidence synthesis, this session is designed to introduce students to an overview of evidence synthesis practices and procedures. 

4. I am (un)comfortable with your questions. 75 minutes

   It’s all about the questions! Stand in the river of complexity by refining and brainstorming questions to propel your research forward. Designed to guide students towards critically engaging with the research process and outputs, this session is designed to grapple with the ambiguities and complexities of the research process. 

5. Navigating the news. 75 minutes

   To participate as a citizen in a democracy it is essential to follow current events and local and national issues and debates. This workshop offers prompts, tools, activities, and discussions aimed at understanding the bias in information sources and ourselves as we navigate the news and media landscape during the 2024 election season. 

6. Fact-checking the Web. 50-75 minutes 

   Sorting fact from fiction on the internet is not for the faint of heart! This workshop will introduce students to lateral reading; a set of practices that will teach students to read like a fact checker: trust but verifying along the way as they learn to SIFT (Stop, Investigate, Find Better Coverage, Trace Claims back to the Original) through the multitude of information on the web. 

7. Google 101. 75 minutes

   We all Google multiple times a day without thinking very much about it. Let’s open up the hood and see what happens when you google. Understand search engine algorithms and data collection. Learn techniques and practices to make your Googling more effective and more private.  

8. Web search road test: Google, Bing, DuckDuckGo. 75 minutes 

   Google is a verb, but it’s not the only game in town. Let’s explore and compare the experiences of using another web browser to do a quick research exercise.

1. Interactive worksheet

   Searching Discover and databases for sources. 

2. Guide: Getting Started With Discover 

   Tutorial on using Discover to find library resources. 

3. Tutorial: Academic integrity. 

   Email researchservices-g@mtholyoke.edu to get started using this tutorial with your students.