This document provides guidance for preparing incoming freshmen for college-level research assignments. It outlines some of the challenges freshmen may face with increased freedom and responsibilities compared to high school. It describes activities during freshman orientation to introduce resources like the library. College research is defined as understanding the scholarly peer-reviewed research process rather than just finding answers. Eight essential skills for freshman success are discussed, including time management, note-taking, critical reading, and research skills. Research involves finding keywords, narrowing topics, using citations and references to find more sources. The document recommends tutorials and guides to help teach skills and highlights resources for students like databases, the writing center, and policies on academic honesty.

1. Preparing Secondary Students
for Academic Research
Kathy Fester
Adjunct Reference & Instruction Librarian
Adelphi University
October 16, 2013

2. Incoming Freshmen Challenges??
• Organization
– Time
• academics
• social life
• sports,
• organizations
• Academics → more freedom than ever before
• Freedom to study when & how
• Freedom not to study
• Freedom to ask for help

3. Incoming Freshmen First Month?
• FOrE First Year Orientation Experience
• Health, Activities, Organizations, Finances, Learning
Center, Ethics, Library +
• 50 minute sessions
• Library Orientation  with no assignment
• There will be assignments similar to HS at first
• UPS Delivery Pedagogy Analogy

4. You can prepare them a bit!
Today: To understand what will help incoming
freshmen be prepared for a college level
research assignment.
Freshmen Information Literacy Tutorial
http://libraries.adelphi.edu/infolit/

5. What is Research for the College
Freshman?
• It is NOT finding an “answer”
• It is NOT an opinion paper (no “I”)
• It IS understanding the process of gathering
scholarly peer-reviewed articles on a topic,
synthesizing the information, and presenting
findings in a cohesive academic paper, and
positing future research needs or directions
• Higher level thinking Common Core Curriculum

6. And also,
• Writing in an academic format with
References (APA) Works Cited (MLA &
Chicago)
• In-text citations
• Following directions

7. “8” Essential Skills Program*
1. Time Management
2. Studying
3. Note-taking
* Matthew Lavery, Adelphi Learning Center

8. “8” Continued…
4. Critical Reading
– To access meaning amidst a large volume of required
reading  most don’t do it all
– CCSS demands reading in depth and breadth
• Use databases for non-fiction reading
– Based on interest first?
– GVRL, Opposing Viewpoints, JSTOR, Scirus
• Increase lexile level over time on the same subject
• Vocabulary builds better testing, increases prior knowledge
– High School reading breadth/depth has decreased
– College reading breadth/depth has increased

9. “8” Continued…
5. Studying
6. Test Taking
7. IPCPS Interpersonal Communication & Public
Speaking

10. “8” Continued…
8. Research!
• Understand assignment
• Organize time
• Searching skills!
• Narrow/broaden topic
• Synonyms
• Key words—Not “sentence” searching
• Boolean/Venn diagram (AND, OR, NOT)

11. Background Research → Keywords
• Searching using specialized encyclopedias
• Searching using Wikipedia?
• Find key words, “phrases,” names, events
• Synonyms!
• In-text citations & References lead to more
sources  how research evolves
• Narrow/broaden topic
– Topic –> Subtopics (in chapters, headings in
reference, books, journals)

12. Research Sources
• Books & eBooks
• Databases
– Journal articles
– Differences among periodicals
– Differences in academic journals!
» Research articles, Empirical research articles,
and Literature review articles
– Abstracts
– Google Scholar
– Databases in your school & public library

13. Other Research Issues
• Difference between primary, secondary,
tertiary sources
• Critical reading
– Note-taking
– Drafts ←→
• Works Cited—References—Bibliography
– Research & Documentation Online
– KnightCite
– RefWorks

14. You Can Use These…
Freshmen Information Literacy Tutorial
– http://libraries.adelphi.edu/infolit/
Research Overview LibGuide
– http://libguides.adelphi.edu/research-overview

15. You Can Use These…
• Any Adelphi University Guides/Tutorials
• Search LibGuides for a high school topic guide

16. Other Resources
• AU Website
– AU Student Resources
– eCampus, “Moodle” electronic relationship with professor
– IT/Usernames/passwords
– AU Library Website
– Kathy Fester AU LibGuides
– Kathy Fester Middle & High School LibGuide Ex:“Good & Evil”
– Kathy Fester Middle & High School LibGuide Ex: “Holocaust”
– Learning Center
– Writing Center
– Office of Disability Support Services
AND
• Academic Honesty
– Plagiarism

17. In Summary…
You can give your students an advantage
1. Work on organizational skills and time management
2. Use Research Overview for skills to incorporate into
lessons
3. Try the Freshman Tutorial
4. Be a stickler about format & in-text citations
5. Work on note-taking, synonyms, & recognizing key words
6. Use library databases
7. Address plagiarism
8. Collaborate with your librarian
Thanks for the invite!