Frequently Asked Questions
How does the source evaluation section fit into the rest of the WRD 104 curriculum?
Our plan is to update the entire WRD 104/HON 100 library instruction curriculum before the 2023-24 academic year. For now, the source evaluation section is the only thing that has changed and you're welcome to incorporate it into your teaching however works best for you.
We do recommend starting with source evaluation section after your general introduction because it is interactive and gets students talking. It also assures you'll have enough time to complete the section, which is slated to take 30 minutes.
What about the pre-class activity? Are students still tasked with finding an article in Academic Search Complete?
Students are still required to complete the pre-class tutorials, including finding an article in Academic Search Complete. However, evaluating the article using a checklist is not part of the in-class curriculum. We think it's still important for students to practice finding an article so that they can reaffirm what they learn and build on it during the database searching part of the lesson.
If you have time remaining in the source evaluation section, we recommend asking students to reflect on the article they identified during the pre-class activity and think about it through the lens of the Source & Beyond the Source framework. This is also something we can encourage them to do at the end of the session.
Do I have to use an online polling tool?
Some of us use digital polling tools to deliver the source evaluation curriculum, including PollEverywhere and Mentimeter. However, this is completely optional! The activity is designed to be taught in a low tech way. The most important thing is to get them to engage around the discussion prompts in whatever way feels the most natural to you.
If you are interested in testing out a polling tool, don't hesitate to reach out to IWG for help. Holly and Fi can help with PollEverywhere and Grace and Sveta can support you with Mentimeter.
