ERIC EJ1089130: Developing Research Skills with Low Stakes Assignments

2014·0.4 MB·English

by  ERIC

Volume 8, Issue 1, 2014
INVITED COLUMN [PERSPECTIVES]
D R S
EVELOPING ESEARCH KILLS WITH
L S A
OW TAKES SSIGNMENTS
Amy Stewart-Mailhiot
Pacific Lutheran University

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Stewart-Mailhiot, Developing Research Skills Communications in Information Literacy 8(1), 2014
INTRODUCTION assignment that required locating
information in “sources beyond the course
Early in my career as an academic librarian, textbook,” with 66% of respondents being
I heard a colleague refer to “low stakes assigned a research paper (p. 320). This
research” as a way to help students become corresponds with the findings from the
familiar with conducting college-level Project Information Literacy (PIL) team
research. Some years later I went looking (Head & Eisenberg, 2009a; 2009b) that 91%
for more information on the topic but came of students had written some type of
up empty-handed. This set me off on a quest research paper in the previous 12 months,
for further information that ultimately led with the most common being a “5-7 page
me to the field of composition studies and argument paper” (2009a, p.3). Other
the strategy of low stakes writing. This researchers have reported similar results
article explores the connections and (Birmingham, Chinwongs, Flaspohler,
commonalities between information literacy Hern, Kvanvig, & Portmann, 2008; Hood,
2010). What these data imply, though do not
instruction and composition, and ponders
what librarians might learn from our writing directly address, is that the average student
program and composition colleagues and is most often required to utilize his/her
how we might more intentionally develop a research skills in high stakes or high point
low stakes model of research instruction. value situations. The high stakes nature of
these assignments often brings out an
A major responsibility of instruction increased level of anxiety in students.
librarians is to help students develop a more
extensive and flexible information literacy The phenomenon of library anxiety has been
repertoire. The teaching and learning of explored in the library science literature for
information literacy most often takes place the past three decades. Mellon’s (1986)
in one of two ways, within the context of seminal work on the topic describes library
single, 50-minute library sessions or at the anxiety in this way, “when confronted with
reference desk; in both cases it usually takes the need to gather information in the library
place when students have received a high for their first research paper many students
stakes assignment. I believe a low stakes become so anxious that they are unable to
model offers an intriguing alternative to the approach the problem logically or
teaching of research skills (defined here as effectively” (p.163). The language students
locating and evaluating sources for use to describe the research process
inclusion in a paper or project) However, it highlights both the frustration and emotion
is first necessary to understand the extent to involved; students respond, “I’ve always
which students are assigned research, how been lost when I do research” and “I never
students emotionally experience the know where to begin looking for
research process, and how they learn and information” (p.162). Detmering and
employ research skills. Johnson (2012) found similar responses in
their work with student narratives
describing the research process. Student
LITERATURE REVIEW
distaste and discomfort for these projects is

evident in the language used, including such
Conducting library research is still a
terms as, “dreaded research paper,” “being
common experience for undergraduate
tortured,” and “an absolute
students. Burton and Chadwick (2000)
nightmare!” (p.11). One demonstrated
found that 94% of students surveyed had an
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Stewart-Mailhiot, Developing Research Skills Communications in Information Literacy 8(1), 2014
approach to alleviating research-related of resources, students are inundated with
anxiety is to provide students instruction to more and more information to sift through
familiarize them with the library and as they seek to fill their information need.
librarians. Both Mellon (1986) and Van They also encounter a larger universe of
Scoyoc (2003) found evidence that this type tools, search engines and databases. In the
of instruction decreased levels of stress in face of this reality, many students turn to
the students they surveyed. those tried and true sources that have served
them well in the past rather than turning to
Beyond the theme of library anxiety, a the most appropriate resource for a given
number of studies have addressed the ways need or assignment (Head & Eisenberg,
in which students conduct research. 2009b). This raises the question of how
Common themes in these studies include the students learn and become familiar with
difficulties students face in the initial step of various steps and tools required for college
topic selection, how students gather or level research.
locate information to provide the
background knowledge needed to move LEARNING TO RESEARCH
forward in their research, and the extent to
which students rely on classroom faculty to How students learn to conduct research is
help direct their research (Fister,1992b; dependent on a number of variables
Head & Eisenberg, 2009a, 2009b; including previous (high school) experience,
Kuhlthau,1991). Other studies have focused the extent of classroom information literacy
on how the strategies employed by students integration by librarians on campus, and the
differ from those of professors (Bodi, 2002; personal preferences of classroom faculty.
Leckie, 1996). For example, faculty Examining the literature from both the
members are more likely to rely on library and composition fields, one finds as
scholarly peer networks, personal research Barbara Fister (1992a) noted, a great deal of
collections and an extensive knowledge of common ground (e.g. emphasis on process-
the subject area, strategies not generally centered skill development vs. content) but
available to undergraduates. As a result, little systematic collaboration between the
faculty members may overlook these two disciplines.
differences and not clearly understand the
problems students confront when In addition to the topics covered above, the
conducting library research for high stakes library literature includes examples of
assignments (Leckie, 1996). successful information literacy instruction
methods, as well as case studies of librarian/
Recent reports by the teams at Project faculty collaboration in various settings
Information Literacy (Head & Eisenberg, (Deitering & Jameson, 2008; Miller, 2010).
2009a, 2009b) and the Ethnographic On the composition side, the literature
Research in Illinois Academic Libraries focuses more on strategies for constructing
(ERIAL) Project (Asher, Duke, & Green, research assignments and teaching of
2010) highlight additional challenges that research-based writing (Bitzup, 2008;
college students face in conducting research. Gellis, 2002; Hood, 2010). As Birmingham
Both point to the issues of information et al. (2008) explain, much of the literature
overload as a key influencing factor on in the discipline “suggests that
student research strategies. As technology compositionists expect research to inform
creates expanded access to a wider variety student writing, but they don’t necessarily
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Stewart-Mailhiot, Developing Research Skills Communications in Information Literacy 8(1), 2014
teach research processes” (p.9). This the two professions can expand their
disconnect between teaching writing and collaborative efforts.
teaching research can lead to frustration for
librarians at the reference desk, like that WRITING APPREHENSION AND
described by Farkas (2011), when students
LOW STAKES WRITING
indicate the need for a particular type of

source, but do not clearly understand how to
As in library science, researchers in
locate the item or why they actually need it.
composition have focused considerable
In an article on writing-across-the-
attention on student anxiety. Daly & Miller
curriculum within first-year seminars at the
(1975), drawing on earlier work about
University of Calgary, Brent (2005) goes
communication apprehension, were the first
against the compositionist trend by
to label the phenomenon of writing
including specific reference to the faculty
apprehension and to provide an instrument
member’s role in teaching research. By
to measure it. Their work indicated the
drawing on both the literature of
connection between writing apprehension
composition and library science, he weaves
and an aversion to writing similar to the
together the common threads that Fister
debilitating frustration Mellon described in
wrote about over a decade earlier.
students experiencing library anxiety (Daly

& Miller, 1975; Mellon, 1986). Later
On the library side, Gibson (1995) also
researchers have expanded on Daly and
provides a compelling overview of ways to
Miller’s work in a variety of ways, ranging
connect the similar processes of library
from a focus on helping students cope with
research and writing within the context of
the physiological symptoms of anxiety
writing-across-the-curriculum. He points to
(Martinez, Kock & Cass, 2011) to
the problem-solving work of Flower, as a
developing pedagogical approaches to
key connection between “writing-as-process
alleviate the influence of writing
and research-as-process” (p. 56). Writing in
apprehension on the students’ writing
1995, Gibson also foretells the work of
experience and exploring different
Project Information Literacy and the ERIAL
approaches to grading (Elbow, 1997; Fox,
Project, as he expresses concern about the
1980; Goodman & Cirka , 2009;
“electronic information deluge” and its
Veit,1980;Warnock, 2012).
impact on student research (p.58). Finally,

he highlights some of the political and
It was within this literature that I found the
institutional considerations to keep in mind
article that ultimately helped unlock the
as librarians move toward a more
reference to low stakes research my
collaborative, integrated model of
colleague had mentioned so long ago,
information literacy instruction.
Elbow’s 1997 “High Stakes and Low Stakes

in Assigning and Responding to Writing.” I
This review shows that college students are
believe that within this article is the seed to
still assigned high stakes research projects
an alternative approach to teaching research
and that many of them feel anxious about
that builds on the low stakes writing
the research process. It also illustrates the
strategies. Before going any further, it is
lack of clarity and consistency in terms of
necessary to acknowledge that Elbow has
who (librarian or classroom faculty) is
been at once an influential and a polarizing
responsible for teaching these skills to
figure within the composition community.
students and shines a light on areas where
As a champion of pedagogical approaches
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Stewart-Mailhiot, Developing Research Skills Communications in Information Literacy 8(1), 2014
such as freewriting, peer feedback, and relative safety of low or no stakes
alternative grading models, he has assignments helps them develop stronger
frequently found himself at the center of a writing skills without the anxiety or writing
debate on the role and placement of writing apprehension that high-stakes assignments
instruction within the academy can create. These assignments may include
(Bartholomae, 1995; Bartholomae & Elbow, weekly half-page reflections on course
1995; Elbow, 1993; Elbow, 1995). Elbow readings or lecture or in-class freewriting
and co-author Belanoff reference the debate activities. A key benefit of low stakes
in the cover letter of the textbook A writing can be summed up in one of two
Community of Writers: ways, “students learn to write by writing”
and practice makes you better (Gibson,
There are many in the field of writing, 1995, p. 60). Elbow makes reference to the
teaching writing, and rhetoric who neural changes that result in allowing
think that all writing should occur in students repeated low stress practice
subject-area classes, that no classes writing, an idea that is supported by
should be specifically devoted to research in cognitive science (Ericsson &
writing as a subject. We disagree. In Charness, 1994; van Gelder, 2005). By
our way of seeing it, students need removing the internal stress created when a
space and time to work directly on major portion of the grade is on the line and
writing. To think about how you go allowing students to find their own voice, to
about writing. To try out -- with some engage with course materials, and to
degree of safety – new approaches, develop effective habits of writing, the
new styles, new forms. To spend time outcome is likely to be more confident
on sharing and responding to writing. writers (Elbow).
(1995, p. 2)
Table 1 lists the five benefits Elbow notes
Elbow’s 1997 article expands on these when integrating low stakes writing into the
themes. He argues that providing students curriculum (1997, pp.7–8).
multiple opportunities to write through the
TABLE 1 — BENEFITS OF LOW STAKES WRITING
Low stakes writing helps students involve themselves more in the ideas or subject matter of the
course
When students do high stakes writing they often struggle in nonproductive ways and produce
terrible and tangled prose
Low stakes writing improves the quality of students’ high stakes writing
Low stakes writing gives us a better view of how students are understanding the course
material
Probably the main practical benefit of frequent low stakes assignments is to force students to
keep up with the assigned readings every week
Note. From “High Stakes and Low Stakes in Assigning and Responding to Writing,” by P. Elbow, 1997, New Directions for Teaching and
Learning, 69, pp. 7–8.
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Stewart-Mailhiot, Developing Research Skills Communications in Information Literacy 8(1), 2014
Support for Elbow’s claims can be found in grading,” (p.5). Echoing Elbow, Warnock
the literature both before and after the indicated that FLS grading can “remove
publication of his 1997 article. Though unproductive grading pressure, encourage
much of the support is anecdotal, Fox’s intellectual risk-taking, and discourage
1980 study found that the effects of student- plagiarism/cheating” (p. 5). Additional
centered instruction, along the lines Elbow evidence of the influence of the low stakes
suggests, resulted in a statistically approach to teaching writing can be found
significant decrease in writing apprehension by conducting a simple internet search, with
among composition students (p. 47.) James page after page of results from university
(2006) found that a low stakes model for and college writing centers that reference
assigning points when using classroom Elbow’s 1997 article.
response systems resulted in a greater
participation in peer discussions, A similar strategy that incorporates low
conceivably the result of removing the stakes research assignments into
anxiety that higher stakes can cause. More information literacy instruction courses can
recently, Warnock (2012) wrote in support be implemented. Table 2 illustrates a
of what he calls “frequent, low-stakes (FLS) crosswalk from Elbow’s original text to an
TABLE 2 — BENEFITS OF LOW STAKES WRITING AND RESEARCH
Elbow’s Summary of Low Stakes Writing Summary of Potential Low Stakes
Benefits Research Benefits
Low stakes writing helps students involve Low stakes research helps students involve
themselves more in the ideas or subject matter themselves more in the ideas or subject
of the course matter of the course
When students do high stakes writing, they When students do high stakes research they
often struggle in nonproductive ways and often struggle in nonproductive ways and
produce terrible and tangled prose too many often locate unreliable and
irrelevant resources
Low stakes writing improves the quality of Low stakes research improves the quality of
students’ high stakes writing students’ high stakes writing & research
Low stakes writing gives us a better view of Low stakes research gives us a better view
how students are understanding the course of how students are understanding the
material course material and/or the overall process of
research within a discipline
Probably the main practical benefit of frequent Probably the main practical benefit of
low stakes assignments is to force students to frequent low stakes assignments is to
keep up with the assigned readings every week provide students practice for high stakes
assignments
Note. Adapted from “High Stakes and Low Stakes in Assigning and Responding to Writing,” by P. Elbow, 1997, New Directions for Teaching
and Learning, 69, pp. 7–8.
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Stewart-Mailhiot, Developing Research Skills Communications in Information Literacy 8(1), 2014
initial list of benefits for low stakes research model, a distinguishing feature of the
assignments. In this model, low stakes assignments is that they are exercises with
experiential learning provides a way for few, if any, points that impact the final
students to develop research skills and course grade. By scaffolding a number of
strategies that can then be applied to both these activities, or repeating a particular
high stakes assignments and information activity in different contexts, faculty
needs of everyday life. By adapting this members can provide students multiple
model to the research setting, it may be opportunities to practice the research skills
possible to help students develop greater they will need for major course assignments
research proficiency and alleviate library and receive feedback in a non-stressful
research anxiety. environment.

EXAMPLES IMPLEMENTATION AND FACULTY
BUY-IN
Low stakes research assignments can vary
by level of complexity and duration and Of concern to librarians will likely be the
should be designed to address the particular ability to gain support of faculty, without
learning outcomes of the course. Like the whom the low stakes approach will fail. One
informal writing pieces Elbow (1997) selling point of the model is that it can be
mentions, these activities provide students seen as an extension of the stratified or
the opportunity to engage with research scaffolded pedagogy many faculty members
tools and processes before they are needed currently use when assigning research. For
for a high stakes assignment. For example, example, Birmingham et al. (2008) found
students who have had experience working that 73% of faculty members teaching first-
with multiple subject specific databases may year writing were already laddering the
be less likely to rely solely on a general
assignments into smaller sections.
database or Internet search when conducting
research. Through frequent assignments A key goal of information literacy
focused on effectively selecting and instruction is the need to ensure relevance
navigating a database rather than on finding by connecting it to a specific assignment or
the right answer or article, students will course outcome. The low stakes research
develop a familiarity with the wide range of model provides a way to meet this goal. The
options available for use in locating fact that the classroom faculty will assign
materials for high stakes projects. and provide feedback on the assignments
increases the likelihood of an authentic
Table 3 includes a list of possible low stakes learning experience that connects to the
assignments, a statement of rationale, and course content in a more meaningful way.
the relevant ACRL standard(s). The This is not an attempt to have librarians
examples will strike many librarians as relinquish responsibility for information
similar to active learning exercises that take literacy instruction, but rather it should be
place within current information literacy seen as an opportunity to develop a culture
sessions. The key difference is that they are of shared responsibility with the faculty.
integrated into the classroom setting and
assigned by the classroom instructor. The low stakes research model places
librarians in an important position to work
In keeping with Elbow’s low stakes writing with faculty to design effective assignments
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Stewart-Mailhiot, Developing Research Skills Communications in Information Literacy 8(1), 2014
TABLE 3 — EXAMPLES OF LOW STAKES RESEARCH ASSIGNMENTS
Low stakes Research Rationale ACRL
Assignment Standard
Select one topic that was Students often struggle with selecting a topic. One
discussed during lecture. This gives students an opportunity to practice
Develop and write out a list of developing and narrowing a topic.
questions or possible research
topics related to it.
Highlight only those citations Students often have difficulty distinguishing Five
on the assigned bibliography between citations for books, chapters, and
that are citations to articles. articles. This can help them develop that skill
and prepare them for citing sources correctly
in their own work.
Working with today’s class Students often see citations as a requirement Two &
reading, determine how many for avoiding plagiarism, without Five
sources it references and try to understanding the value of citations as part of
find out how many times it has the ongoing conversation taking place within
been cited in other sources the scholarly literature. This exercise can help
(books or article) clarify this connection.
Locate one article each week Students often rely on general databases such Two
on the main theme of the as Academic Search Complete or ProQuest
course (e.g., Poverty). You are Research Library. By requiring students to
required to use a different explore other databases, they will become
database each week and more aware of the breadth of subject specific
include a brief written resources available for future research
description of the database projects.
contents/focus (subject
coverage, type of publications,
ease of use, etc.)
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Stewart-Mailhiot, Developing Research Skills Communications in Information Literacy 8(1), 2014
to meet the specific learning outcomes of this model provides a clear way for faculty
the course and prepare students for high and librarians to work together on
stakes course assignments. This echoes developing student research skills in a
Leckie’s (1996) call for librarians to support manner that decreases student anxiety and
faculty in the creation of stratified course- increases student confidence and
integrated instruction strategies that place performance.
librarians in the role of “bibliographic
mentors, assisting and encouraging faculty
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