An examination of the instruction provided in Australian essay guides for students’ development of a critical viewpoint

The argumentative essay has endured as a popular form of university assessment, yet students still struggle to meet key intended learning outcomes, such as those associated with critical thinking. This paper presents the results of a study that examines the instruction provided by Australian essay writing guides to support students’ development of a questioning, critical viewpoint. Thirty publically available guides were chosen from a range of university types, and sourced from central student learning units and humanities disciplines. Findings of this documentary analysis show that some guides provide too little context for essay writing as an academic practice, and conceptualise definitional, instructional and procedural aspects of the task in ways that may not align with intended outcomes. The conclusion indicates a need for further research about the teaching of argumentative essay writing.     

LibGuides 软件在美国大学图书馆中应用

首先介绍LibGuides 对3 种社交网络工具的整合、LibGuides 的主要功能、Web2.0 在LibGuides 中的体现; 其次在大学网站上调查LibGuides 在美国各大学的应用;最后提出LibGuides 对我国学科导航建设的几点启示。     

浅谈黑龙江省英语导游素质的提升

随着龙江旅游产业的蓬勃发展,从游客、旅行社对导游的基本要求来看,对英语导游的英语专业能力和职业道德标准都提出了较高的要求,能够用英语流利对话具有良好职业素质的导游是涉外旅行社和外国游客都比较看好的,但目前不少英语导游还难以达到这个要求,这就要求开设相关专业的院校在人才培养方面多下功夫,同时也需要相关管理部门对英语导游的服务加大监管力度,力求全面提升黑龙江英语导游的整体素质。     

The effects of key demographic variables on markers’ perceived ease of use and acceptance of onscreen marking

The current study aims to investigate the effects of three key demographic factors – the language of marking, gender and age – on markers’ reactions to onscreen marking (OSM). A total of 1743 markers completed a post-marking questionnaire consisting of two previously validated scales, i.e. Ease of Use in the OSM Environment and Acceptance of OSM scales. Rasch analysis results showed that the two scales had good psychometric properties. Markers generally reported finding the system easy to use and positive acceptance of OSM. Markers marking in both English and Chinese had higher perceived ease of use and acceptance than markers who marked only in English or in Chinese. Gender also had a significant impact on markers’ responses to the two scales – favouring males. Age was not a significant factor influencing markers’ perceived ease of use but older markers revealed a significantly higher level of acceptance than younger markers.     

LibGuides: Customizing Subject Guides for Individual Courses

Reference librarians at East Tennessee State University's Sherrod Library identified LibGuides as an efficient way to introduce undergraduate students, particularly those in their first two years of college, to the university library. Selecting pertinent library resources based on a course syllabus and creating a LibGuide for the course provides the students with a limited number of relevant materials. Librarians and professors view the use of subject guides attached to a course management system site as an effective educational solution. Librarians facing exponentially expanding resources and first-year students who are used to turning to Google for all their information needs can utilize LibGuides to guide students toward more relevant library resources.     

Building a Better M.I.C.E. Trap: Using Virtual Focus Groups to Assess Subject Guides for Distance Education Students

ABSTRACT

Subject guides are often used as an alternative to in-person library instruction for distance education students. However, when students are not on-campus, it can be difficult to assess if they are getting all of the relevant information they need. In an organization that serves students located across the United States and even outside of the country, a method was needed to assess the effectiveness of library information provided to distance learners on specific topics. The William F. Harrah College of Hotel Administration (Hotel College) at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), offers a number of on-campus and distance education courses, including classes taught at a satellite campus in Singapore. With diverse course offerings via distance education, the conventions and exhibitions subject area was chosen as a case study. Often referred to as M.I.C.E., the study of meetings, incentives, conventions, and exhibitions in a hospitality context is a major subdiscipline within the Hotel College. After researching different approaches to studying the effectiveness of subject guides, a virtual focus group was chosen to gather feedback from students. This paper will demonstrate how focus groups can be created and how the information gathered can be used to increase effectiveness of subject guides. Readers will discover effective techniques and pitfalls for using virtual focus groups in conjunction with subject guides assessment.     

New “Starting Points” for Resources by Subject

The objective of the Starting Points Web page series at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (UT HSC) Libraries is to provide specialized information resources in an organized online format. Highlighted resources include databases, journals, UT HSC campus information, funding sources, PubMed® RSS article feeds, and information about professional associations. This paper discusses the development process, planning, challenges, and outcomes of the Starting Points series.     

A Review of “Research within the Disciplines: Foundations for Reference and Library Instruction”

Usability testing has become a routine way for many libraries to ensure that their Web presence is user-friendly and accessible. At the same time, popular subject guide creation systems, such as LibGuides, decentralize Web content creation and put authorship into the hands of librarians who may not be trained in user-centered design principles. At Metropolitan State University, researchers performed usability testing on LibGuides in order to see how patrons interact with guides. Researchers completed two rounds of usability testing on a total of ten students, one alumnus, and one community patron. The results indicate that patrons struggled most when encountering jargon, inconsistent language, and visual clutter. Based on their findings, researchers recommend ongoing usability testing of subject guides as well as the creation of a style guide to help librarians create usable, accessible guides.     

21st Century Readers' Aids: Past History and Future Directions

ABSTRACT

This article provides a brief history of the development of library subject guides (often referred to as pathfinders) from the late 1800s to the present. During this period, subject guides have changed both their focus and format. The needs of academic institutions at the turn of the 20th century were very different than they are today, and technology that was non-existent then has become ubiquitous. Much can be learned from studying the evolution of these important library tools and looking to the future as they mature even further.