Did It Work?: The Effects Of Research Consultations On The Quality Of Sources Used In An Undergraduate Class.

Do individual research consultations with a librarian affect the quality of sources undergraduates cite in research papers? This presentation examines the results of a study conducted by librarians to assess that question. The hypothesis was that students who participate in research consultations show an improvement in the type and quality of sources cited in their research papers. There is a large body of research on the use of citation analysis by librarians for various purposes. This study compared the quality of citations used by two sections of an upper level education class. The same instructor taught both sections during two different semesters with the same assignment criteria. Students in the fall 2018 class section participated in individual research consultations with a librarian. Members of the spring 2018 class did not meet with a librarian. The researchers evaluated the citations with a rubric adapted from an existing citation analysis rubric. Researchers then compared the two groups of student papers to see if research consultations led to a better understanding of how to search for, select, and evaluate sources. By examining two sections of a class taught by the same instructor with the same assignment, researchers were able to eliminate some of the variables present in similar studies that compared classes taught be different instructors. It provides data that librarians can use to show their value to both teaching faculty and administrators