Mining writing center data for information literacy practices

Stephanie J. Graves · Kathy Christie Anders · Valerie M. Balester

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Library Science and Information Literacy Library Science and Information Library Science and Administration

Abstract

Purpose The study aims to explore collaborations between writing centers and libraries which create opportunities for providing information literacy intervention for students doing researched writing. This case study gathered data from writing center logs to uncover if and how information literacy activity was occurring during consultations. Design/methodology/approach A representative sample of writing center logs recorded between September of 2013 and May 2014 was mined for frequencies of library and information literacy terms. Transaction logs were coded and analyzed according to the frames in the Association of College and Research Libraries Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education. Findings Information literacy is discussed in only 13 per cent of consultations. Referrals to librarians accounted for less than 1 per cent of all transactions. Students most commonly asked for assistance in formatting citations, but deeper information literacy conversations did occur that provide opportunities for engagement with the Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education. Research limitations/implications Transactions were examined from one university. Although findings cannot be generalized, the results were applicable to local services, and this study provides a model useful for libraries and writing centers. Practical implications This study provides ample direction for future collaborations that will take advantage of the intersections of information literacy and writing instruction to improve student research skills. Originality/value Although much has been written about partnerships between libraries and writing centers, this study uniquely demonstrates a model for data sharing across institutional boundaries and how one library mined existing data from a writing center.

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2003Writing Information Literacy Contributions to a Concept 2012Working together: library and writing center collaboration 2010The Research Center: creating an environment for interactive research consultations 2008Writing Centers and Libraries: One-Stop Shopping for Better Term Papers 2008Exploring common ground: US Writing Center/Library Collaboration 2008First-Year Writing Teachers, Perceptions of Students' Information Literacy Competencies, and a Call for a Collaborative Approach 2013Reinventing Library Spaces and Services: Harnessing Campus Partnerships to Initiate and Sustain Transformational Change 2014Peering Into the Writing Center: Information Literacy as Collaborative Conversation

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2020Unifying academic research and writing services: Student perspectives on a combined service model

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