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Google and Beyond: What Sources are Students Really Using?

Google and Beyond: What Sources are Students Really Using?. Don MacMillan University of Calgary WILU 2007, Toronto May 17, 2007. Introduction. University of Calgary (Calgary, Alberta, Canada) 30,000 FT and PT Students

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Google and Beyond: What Sources are Students Really Using?

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  1. Google and Beyond: What Sources are Students Really Using? Don MacMillanUniversity of Calgary WILU 2007, TorontoMay 17, 2007

  2. Introduction • University of Calgary (Calgary, Alberta, Canada) • 30,000 FT and PT Students • Long-standing integration of IL skills into the Biological Sciences Curriculum • Ongoing assessment of IL program • Survey questions generated more information than anticipated WILU 2007 | Google and Beyond | MacMillan

  3. Why? • Promote student reflection on research skills • What sources were upper-level biology students actually using? • Have research habits changed over time-why? • Do students use different sources at different stages? • Is IL instructional content aligned with student needs? WILU 2007 | Google and Beyond | MacMillan

  4. Who? • 25 third and fourth year biological sciences students in CMMB421-Virology Fall 2006 • Most students have had at least one instruction session (BIOL231) • More than 20 students considering graduate studies WILU 2007 | Google and Beyond | MacMillan

  5. How? • FAST-Free Assessment Summary Toolhttp://www.getfast.ca/ • Anonymous online survey tool that summarizes students impressions of a course/instructor • Numerical and textual data easily gathered and collated • 16 question survey administered at the end of instruction session WILU 2007 | Google and Beyond | MacMillan

  6. Table 1 - Resources used by Virology Undergraduate Students (N=25) WILU 2007 | Google and Beyond | MacMillan

  7. Table 1 - Resources used by Virology Undergraduate Students (N=25) WILU 2007 | Google and Beyond | MacMillan

  8. Table 2 - Resources used by Virology Undergraduate Students (N=25) WILU 2007 | Google and Beyond | MacMillan

  9. Table 3 - Purpose of use for each resource WILU 2007 | Google and Beyond | MacMillan

  10. How do you decide which source to check first? • “Usually I use Biological Abstracts and then PubMed”. • “I was using Biological Abstracts because I was most familiar with it, but now I think PubMed and Web of Science might be better because there are a lot of useful features on these databases that I wasn't aware of”. • “I use general sources such as Google Scholar to browse general topics in the field of interest before searching for specific articles”. WILU 2007 | Google and Beyond | MacMillan

  11. Which source do you find most useful for your research purposes? • “I think PubMed will become my most useful tool”. • I find PubMed usually very helpful as well as Google Scholar • “I anticipate PubMed, Web of Science and the Patents databases will be very useful “ WILU 2007 | Google and Beyond | MacMillan

  12. Has the way you do library research changed as you have progressed through your studies? If so, how? • “More information has become available and more links. Library sessions have been very informative”. • “I often use multiple search engines/databases now to ensure that I have received a more complete picture on my search topic. Before, I would only use one search engine.” • “The library seems more organized and also the information sessions have gotten more specific and are quite helpful.” WILU 2007 | Google and Beyond | MacMillan

  13. What factors caused the change? • “Formal instruction such as this session changed my research strategies” • “Tutorials for Ecology, Biology and now CMMB (Cell Biology)”. • “Library tutorials have given me a lot of useful information, as well as advice from profs and TA's”. • “Professors, personal research and playing around, informal and formal instruction”. WILU 2007 | Google and Beyond | MacMillan

  14. What do you know about library research now that you wished you had known earlier? • “I like how the index on PubMed works to break down searches into specific categories”. • “The idea of "index" I learned today in Pubmed. Given a very general topic, Pubmed was provided more specific topics for me to explore”. • “That there is so much available online. I would far rather be at home searching for a topic with a cup of tea at my side than wandering through the aisles of a library for hours”.  WILU 2007 | Google and Beyond | MacMillan

  15. How did you learn about the various sources? • “CMMB421 tutorial!”.  • “Library sessions. I would honestly recommend them to anyone who has do to any kind of research”. • “Biology 231, 313”.  • “Blind luck and of course this tutorial”. WILU 2007 | Google and Beyond | MacMillan

  16. Do you plan to pursue an advanced degree? • 14 students indicated they would be pursuing advanced studies in the biological or life sciences • 10 students selected medicine or ‘other’ as future areas of study • ‘Future’ medical students used PubMed but there was no clear difference between usage patterns for PubMed among ‘pre-med’ and ‘other students’ WILU 2007 | Google and Beyond | MacMillan

  17. Unanticipated Results • High number of positive responses regarding the value IL sessions • Students appreciate review of IL skills from course to course • High use of PubMed • No habitual Google Scholar users • Many predictive statements about changes to research habits based on IL sessions • Students recognize value of their IL skills - useful for marketing purposes WILU 2007 | Google and Beyond | MacMillan

  18. Conclusions • Students use a variety of strategies to achieve research goals • Reinforcement of literacy skills throughout degree program highlights the benefits of integrated IL • Students used different tools for different purposes • Learned about more resources-use resources more efficiently • Survey results benefited students and librarian WILU 2007 | Google and Beyond | MacMillan

  19. Future Directions • Incorporate PubMed earlier in IL cycle • Google and Google Scholar will be split in next iteration of survey • Add Scopus (Elsevier) in next survey • Ask follow-up question later in term to ascertain what new sources were used during the term. WILU 2007 | Google and Beyond | MacMillan

  20. Related Links • Link to WILU 2007 presentation: http://tinyurl.com/38mzeb • CMMB 421 IL Survey Questions:http://tinyurl.com/2g7e8t • CMMB 421 IL Survey Results:http://tinyurl.com/yu7el3 WILU 2007 | Google and Beyond | MacMillan

  21. Related Links • Related Readings:http://tinyurl.com/ynuz4x • FAST Survey Tool:http://www.getfast.ca/ • CMMB 421 (Virology) IL Web Page:http://tinyurl.com/ypx963 WILU 2007 | Google and Beyond | MacMillan

  22. WILU 2007 | Google and Beyond | MacMillan

  23. WILU 2007 | Google and Beyond | MacMillan

  24. WILU 2007 | Google and Beyond | MacMillan

  25. WILU 2007 | Google and Beyond | MacMillan

  26. Thank You! Don MacMillanLibrarian for Biological Sciences, Physics and Astronomy University of Calgary macmilld@ucalgary.ca

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