Blog #1: Goals and Introduction

When this class was offered as an alternative for the research requirement, I jumped at the chance to take it.  Not only because I have really enjoyed taking classes with Joyce previously, but because I am excited for the opportunity to conduct in depth research on a topic of my choice.  My goal is to design and complete a research project that will be of interest to me and my classmates, and that will contribute to the field of LIS.  I am still refining my topic ideas, but as a writing instructor, I am very interested in looking at how students use (or don't use) writing centers and libraries to meet their information needs when working on research assignments, and how writing tutors and librarians might work together more effectively to help students succeed.

My experience doing research is mainly in academic settings.  I conducted both primary and secondary research projects as an undergraduate student in English and psychology as well in both of my graduate programs for teaching and now LIS.  Outside of the classroom, I was involved in a research committee studying school schedules and graduation requirements for my school district a few years ago.  In addition, I have been teaching research skills to my 12th grade English students for many years.  In the field of English, our research involves mainly explication of texts, but I also teach a writing class in which students conduct ethnographic and library research.   For the past few years, I have also worked with IB students on the Extended Essay which is a 4000 word research project in a field of their choice.  It will be fun for me now to be on the other side of the process.

Certainly, this class will help me be a better writing teacher as well as a better librarian.  Obviously, studying information seeking behavior is crucial for LIS professionals.  In our world of information overload, the more we understand about how people search and how we can help them search more efficiently and effectively, the more successful they will be at meeting their information needs.