Undergraduate / Bachelors

Submitted by Evelyn Hudson on May 5th, 2021
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Short Description: 

In this hands on activity, students will find and compare/contrast news stories on a single current event/topical discussion to learn the importance of lateral reading and understand how bias can influence information production. 

Attachments: 
AttachmentSize
This document contains the lesson plan including learning objectives, resources needed, and timeframe.displayed 1013 times20.83 KB
A handout version of the assignment for students containing instructions and media bias chart.displayed 821 times456.33 KB
Relevant links: 
AllSides Media Bias Ratings
Learning Outcomes: 
  • Students will be able to find a variety of resources relating to a topic
  • Students will learn to evaluate credibility of information and information creators
  • Students will learn to read laterally relating to current events
Discipline: 
Library and Information Science

Information Literacy concepts:

Individual or Group:

Ability Level:

Tags:

Course Context (e.g. how it was implemented or integrated): 
Additional Instructor Resources (e.g. in-class activities, worksheets, scaffolding applications, supplemental modules, further readings, etc.): 
Potential Pitfalls and Teaching Tips: 
Suggested Citation: 
Hudson, Evelyn. "OMG, Laterally!: Objective media gathering and lateral reading Activity." CORA (Community of Online Research Assignments), 2021. https://projectcora.org/assignment/omg-laterally-objective-media-gathering-and-lateral-reading-activity.
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Submitted by Hillary Richardson on April 21st, 2021
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Short Description: 

This assignment was created to help undergraduate students use research articles to help inform their argument about a "text."  This exercise has been used in library instruction sessions for art history, composition, english literature, women's studies, and history classes. After reflecting on what they know about a text (or image or multimedia), brainstorming search terms, and tracking relevant patterns in search results, students can synthesize information from a variety of sources in an organized, methodological fashion. 

Attachments: 
AttachmentSize
Research Matrix Exercise.pptxdisplayed 1329 times111.33 KB
Research Matrix_handout.docxdisplayed 1149 times369.2 KB
Learning Outcomes: 

Students will be able to brainstorm and refine research topics by brainstorming search terms, identifying relevant resources, and charting related topics

Discipline: 
ArtClassicsEnglishFilm and TVHistoryLiberal StudiesPhilosophyWomen's Studies

Information Literacy concepts:

Individual or Group:

Ability Level:

Course Context (e.g. how it was implemented or integrated): 

This lesson was originally created to assist with organizing ideas and sources for a literature review, but was edited to simplify objectives and condense the lesson for shorter assignments 

Additional Instructor Resources (e.g. in-class activities, worksheets, scaffolding applications, supplemental modules, further readings, etc.): 

See attached files

Potential Pitfalls and Teaching Tips: 

This can be done for individual students or in small groups. In addition to sending this document directly to students (either as a file or in a printed handout), create separate Google docs (or some other interactive document platform) for them to work in together. 

Suggested Citation: 
Richardson, Hillary. "Research matrix: synthesizing search results." CORA (Community of Online Research Assignments), 2021. https://projectcora.org/assignment/research-matrix-synthesizing-search-results.
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Submitted by Nicole Murph on April 20th, 2021
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Short Description: 

Reading charts and infographics is part of everyday life, yet telling a story with data can be tricky. Luckily, data visualization is a skill that everyone can learn! Data visualization is the practice of translating information into a visual context, helping humans understand complex concepts and making it easier to identify patterns and uncover insights. In this workshop, learn the basics of designing data visualizations, selecting appropriate graph styles, and how to identify misleading data visuals.

Attachments: 
AttachmentSize
Data Visualization Lesson Plan.docxdisplayed 811 times16 KB
Data Visualization Literacy Presentation.pdfdisplayed 3132 times2.93 MB
Data Visualization Workshop_Script.docxdisplayed 679 times29.73 KB
Misleading Visualization_Activity 1_Answer Key.docxdisplayed 752 times284.93 KB
Selecting A Visualization Type_Activity 2_Answer Key.docxdisplayed 811 times65.49 KB
Relevant links: 
Data Visualization LibGuideActivity #1Activity #2
Learning Outcomes: 

Students will understand inherent bias in data visualizations in order to be informed digital citizens.
Students will learn strategies to read and analyze data visualizations in order to meet their information needs.
Students will learn the elements of design in order to create appropriate visualizations.

Discipline: 
Multidisciplinary

Information Literacy concepts:

Individual or Group:

Ability Level:

Tags:

Course Context (e.g. how it was implemented or integrated): 
Additional Instructor Resources (e.g. in-class activities, worksheets, scaffolding applications, supplemental modules, further readings, etc.): 
Potential Pitfalls and Teaching Tips: 
Collaborators: 
Shelby Hallman
Nataly Blas
Suggested Citation: 
Murph, Nicole. "Understanding Data Visualization." CORA (Community of Online Research Assignments), 2021. https://projectcora.org/assignment/understanding-data-visualization.
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Submitted by Lydia Bello on March 31st, 2021
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Short Description: 

During this activity, students work with their lab partners to apply Mike Caulfield’s “Four Moves and a Habit” to a piece of science information they have found on the open web.

Attachments: 
AttachmentSize
Lesson Plan displayed 1285 times229.33 KB
Pre-lab Canvas Quiz questions developed by Andrea Verdan, Seattle University Chemistry displayed 1404 times99.7 KB
In Class Activity Templatedisplayed 1271 times55.69 KB
Relevant links: 
Web Literacy for Student Fact-Checkers, by Mike Caulfield
Learning Outcomes: 
  • Upon completing this activity, students will
    • Identify strategies to evaluate scientific information or media on the web in an efficient manner
    • Understand the characteristics that differentiate scholarly versus popular literature
Discipline: 
BiologyChemistryEnvironmental StudiesMultidisciplinary

Information Literacy concepts:

Individual or Group:

Ability Level:

Tags:

Course Context (e.g. how it was implemented or integrated): 

I use this activity every year in the lab section of General chemistry. At this level of chemistry students are rarely doing research work that involves chemistry literature, and don’t necessarily have chemistry research questions or a need for understanding the library research databases for for the class. However, students at this level are engaging with science information in the classroom and outside the classroom, and this is a great opportunity to build skills needed to engage with information in online spaces. 

Since I developed this assignment, Mike Caulfield has developed a new framework based on the Four Moves, called SIFT. At this point I’ve stayed with Four Moves and a Habit because it comes with an open textbook that I can assign pre-class reading from, and because the named concept of lateral reading has been useful for students.

Many thanks to Andrea Verdan, Seattle University Chemistry, for her work on developing this lesson plan and developing the pre-lab quiz questions.

Additional Instructor Resources (e.g. in-class activities, worksheets, scaffolding applications, supplemental modules, further readings, etc.): 

I’ve included a lesson plan, word document of the in-class activity, and copy of quiz questions used in Canvas as a pre-lab quiz. The lesson plan does not include much of the language I use to describe the concepts. If you want to know how I frame my explanations, please don’t hesitate to ask! 

Assessment or Criteria for Success
Assessment Short Description: 
There is no assessment criteria for this assignment, other than completion.
Potential Pitfalls and Teaching Tips: 

THe most successful way to teach these moves is to demonstrate them live, with all the risks that may entail. It is useful to identify one or two examples that you can use to practice the different moves. During the activity it is useful to keep an eye on the collaborative document (Google Doc) students are working on, and use it to check in with individual groups. 

Suggested Citation: 
Bello, Lydia. "“Four Moves and a Habit” in General Chemistry Lab ." CORA (Community of Online Research Assignments), 2021. https://projectcora.org/assignment/%E2%80%9Cfour-moves-and-habit%E2%80%9D-general-chemistry-lab-0.
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All assignments contributed to this site are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike United States License
Submitted by Lydia Bello on March 31st, 2021
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Short Description: 

During this activity, students work with their lab partners to apply Mike Caulfield’s “Four Moves and a Habit” to a piece of science information they have found on the open web.

Attachments: 
AttachmentSize
Lesson Plan displayed 1285 times229.33 KB
Pre-lab Canvas Quiz questions developed by Andrea Verdan, Seattle University Chemistry displayed 1404 times99.7 KB
In Class Activity Templatedisplayed 1271 times55.69 KB
Relevant links: 
Web Literacy for Student Fact-Checkers, by Mike Caulfield
Learning Outcomes: 
  • Upon completing this activity, students will
    • Identify strategies to evaluate scientific information or media on the web in an efficient manner
    • Understand the characteristics that differentiate scholarly versus popular literature
Discipline: 
BiologyChemistryEnvironmental StudiesMultidisciplinary

Information Literacy concepts:

Individual or Group:

Ability Level:

Tags:

Course Context (e.g. how it was implemented or integrated): 

I use this activity every year in the lab section of General chemistry. At this level of chemistry students are rarely doing research work that involves chemistry literature, and don’t necessarily have chemistry research questions or a need for understanding the library research databases for for the class. However, students at this level are engaging with science information in the classroom and outside the classroom, and this is a great opportunity to build skills needed to engage with information in online spaces. 

Since I developed this assignment, Mike Caulfield has developed a new framework based on the Four Moves, called SIFT. At this point I’ve stayed with Four Moves and a Habit because it comes with an open textbook that I can assign pre-class reading from, and because the named concept of lateral reading has been useful for students.

Many thanks to Andrea Verdan, Seattle University Chemistry, for her work on developing this lesson plan and developing the pre-lab quiz questions.

Additional Instructor Resources (e.g. in-class activities, worksheets, scaffolding applications, supplemental modules, further readings, etc.): 

I’ve included a lesson plan, word document of the in-class activity, and copy of quiz questions used in Canvas as a pre-lab quiz. The lesson plan does not include much of the language I use to describe the concepts. If you want to know how I frame my explanations, please don’t hesitate to ask! 

Assessment or Criteria for Success
Assessment Short Description: 
There is no assessment criteria for this assignment, other than completion.
Potential Pitfalls and Teaching Tips: 

THe most successful way to teach these moves is to demonstrate them live, with all the risks that may entail. It is useful to identify one or two examples that you can use to practice the different moves. During the activity it is useful to keep an eye on the collaborative document (Google Doc) students are working on, and use it to check in with individual groups. 

Suggested Citation: 
Bello, Lydia. "“Four Moves and a Habit” in General Chemistry Lab ." CORA (Community of Online Research Assignments), 2021. https://projectcora.org/assignment/%E2%80%9Cfour-moves-and-habit%E2%80%9D-general-chemistry-lab.
Copyright icon to go along with copyright rules.
All assignments contributed to this site are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike United States License
Submitted by Paizha Stoothoff on March 11th, 2021
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Short Description: 

The assignment was created by Librarian Paizha Stoothoff in collaboration with a Professor teaching Literary Los Angeles. In lieu of a physical tour, students worked on a 3-week project to create digital maps (see assignment attached for details about what maps included). 

Attachments: 
AttachmentSize
Assignment designed collaboratively by Librarian and Professordisplayed 1182 times28.75 KB
Lesson Plan_Literary LA HistoryPin.docxdisplayed 1253 times26.06 KB
LibraryVisit_Literary LA and HistorPin.pptxdisplayed 1654 times7.22 MB
Learning Outcomes: 

By the time you complete this assignment you will:

  • Know how to find and add digital archival objects and open web images to Historypin
  • Think creatively and critically about how to use digital objects to create an interactive digital collection with a map included.
  • Understand copyright ownership and cite pinned objects properly in Historypin.
Discipline: 
EnglishHistory

Information Literacy concepts:

Individual or Group:

Ability Level:

Tags:

Course Context (e.g. how it was implemented or integrated): 

The assignment took place mid-way through a Literary Los Angeles course. It was a 3-week assignment. The library workshop occurred in week one, after students formed groups and shared to a discussion post in Canvas what author/region/text they would focus on. The Liaison Librarian and Archivist led the library session.

Additional Instructor Resources (e.g. in-class activities, worksheets, scaffolding applications, supplemental modules, further readings, etc.): 

See above

Assessment or Criteria for Success
Assessment Short Description: 
Measure learning outcomes against final map projects.
Potential Pitfalls and Teaching Tips: 

I didn't spend too much time in-class with registration (limited it to 5-minute overview). This turned out to be a good call, since registration is pretty straightforward and it can take up valuable class time!

Suggested Citation: 
Stoothoff, Paizha. "Digital Maps with HistoryPin." CORA (Community of Online Research Assignments), 2021. https://projectcora.org/assignment/digital-maps-historypin-0.
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All assignments contributed to this site are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike United States License
Submitted by Paizha Stoothoff on March 11th, 2021
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Short Description: 

This assignment was created in lieu of a physical tour of Literary Los Angeles (for a Literary L.A. course). Students worked on a 3-week project to create digital maps (see assignment attached for details about what maps included). The library workshop occured in week 1, after students formed groups and shared to a discussion post in Canvas what author/region/text they would focus on. The Liaison Librarian and Archivist led the library session.

Attachments: 
AttachmentSize
Assignment designed collaboratively by Librarian and Professordisplayed 1182 times28.75 KB
Lesson Plan_Literary LA HistoryPin.docxdisplayed 1253 times26.06 KB
LibraryVisit_Literary LA and HistorPin.pptxdisplayed 1654 times7.22 MB
Learning Outcomes: 

By the time you complete this assignment you will:

  • Know how to find and add digital archival objects and open web images to Historypin
  • Think creatively and critically about how to use digital objects to create an interactive digital collection with a map included.
  • Understand copyright ownership and cite pinned objects properly in Historypin.
Discipline: 
EnglishHistory

Information Literacy concepts:

Individual or Group:

Ability Level:

Tags:

Course Context (e.g. how it was implemented or integrated): 

The assignment took place mid-way through a Literary Los Angeles course. It was a 3-week assignment. The library workshop occurred in week one, after students formed groups and shared to a discussion post in Canvas what author/region/text they would focus on. The Liaison Librarian and Archivist led the library session.

Potential Pitfalls and Teaching Tips: 

I did not spend too much time on registration, since that can take up valuable class time. Provide remote resources (a guide, slides, handouts) to assist w/ registration remotely.

Suggested Citation: 
Stoothoff, Paizha. "Digital Maps with HistoryPin." CORA (Community of Online Research Assignments), 2021. https://projectcora.org/assignment/digital-maps-historypin.
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All assignments contributed to this site are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike United States License
Submitted by Paizha Stoothoff on February 17th, 2021
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Short Description: 

Digital timelines enable us to tell stories visually by connecting non-linear moments: events, reactions, and experiences. This assignment includes a lesson plan and worksheet for teaching with timelines. Timelines work best when they are created as a project for a course, since they take time to develop. Project ideas include: alternatives to the research paper in humanities and Literature courses; embedding timelines in website projects where students also create bibliographies of secondary sources; and library archival projects to showcase student work or a collection with an open-source tool if space or platforms are limited.

The lesson plan and worksheet are designed around Knightlab TimelineJS, but can be adapted for use with other timeline tools. Also included is a guide for selecting a timeline tool for instructors.

Attachments: 
AttachmentSize
Timeline Lesson Plan.docxdisplayed 864 times35.18 KB
Timeline Worksheet.docxdisplayed 840 times27.96 KB
Choosing a Timeline Creator_for instructors.docxdisplayed 750 times35.51 KB
Relevant links: 
Creating Timelines with Knightlab LibGuide
Learning Outcomes: 

Students will:

  • Demonstrate an understanding of the scholarly discourse and/or cultural, historical context for a topic.
  • Use basic digital skills required for developing digital projects including use of URL links, embed code, alternative text for media.
  • Select appropriate materials for timelines including images, articles, and other resources available through library databases, library archives, and open web resources.
Discipline: 
EnglishHistoryLibrary and Information ScienceMultidisciplinary

Information Literacy concepts:

Individual or Group:

Ability Level:

Tags:

Course Context (e.g. how it was implemented or integrated): 

This lesson plan was implemented in a Victorian Literature upper division English class. The Professor assigned students a final website project as an alternative to the research paper. On their website, they included the following pages: About, Timeline, Reflection, and Works Cited. This workshop aided students in creating and finding resources for their timeline, and provided citation guidance as well. Archives and Special Collections at our University has also used Knightlab Timeline to create a digital exhibit with student interns to be embedded into a departmental project.

Additional Instructor Resources (e.g. in-class activities, worksheets, scaffolding applications, supplemental modules, further readings, etc.): 

A supplemental LibGuide, Creating Timelines with Knightlab, was designed by the Humanities Librarian for all instructors/librarians/archivists interested in using the tool in their projects or courses.

LibGuide: https://libguides.calstatela.edu/c.php?g=1124920&p=8205317

Assessment or Criteria for Success
Assessment Short Description: 
Assessment may include student's grades for course projects. Professors did not use a rubric for grading the timeline, but there may be opportunities to develop a rubric for them in the future.
Potential Pitfalls and Teaching Tips: 

Part two, registering for Knightlab, will take time. There are some technical nuances that come up with using the Timeline (which the FAQ in the LibGuide aims to address). To avoid spending the whole library session on registration and using the tool, have students register in class and spend the remainder finding sources. Students can 'plug in' their content at home and follow-up with any questions. When piloting this worksheet and lesson plan, about 5 students reached out with some technical questions to the Librarian. Updating the FAQ to answer common questions proved useful for the Librarian and for students.

Also, tailor the resources you share based on the context for the timeline. For example, if it's being used for a Victorian Literature class, I would emphasize the British Library, ArtStor, free Images, and Britannica Online. If it's being used for 19th Century Novel, I would emphasize 19th century newspapers, ArtStor, free images, and possibly Women's Studies Archives.

 

Suggested Citation: 
Stoothoff, Paizha. "Creating a Timeline with Knightlab." CORA (Community of Online Research Assignments), 2021. https://projectcora.org/assignment/creating-timeline-knightlab.
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Submitted by Jennifer Masunaga on February 15th, 2021
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Short Description: 

This is a lateral reading 75 minute long lesson plan and worksheet assignment that introduces online source evaluation to undergraduate students, preferably first years. Lateral reading involves researching the content of a source as one reads it and this technique is popular with online fact checkers and journalists.  The lesson plan calls for instructors to demonstrate lateral reading live (or via recording if asynchronous) using resources found on Google.  It then asks students to repeat the steps using the worksheet as guide with research topics of their choice (they also search using Google). There is a reflection piece that the end that asks students to consider if they would recommend the sources they evaluate to the community at large.

Attachments: 
AttachmentSize
Lesson Plandisplayed 1121 times25.85 KB
Worksheetdisplayed 1887 times182.74 KB
Bbiliography and Further Reading Listdisplayed 633 times16.09 KB
Learning Outcomes: 

Use lateral reading to identify potential biases or controversies associated with an organization publishing online sources.

Identify the type and appropriateness of sources used to make claims.

Defend a position on whether your source should be included or excluded from a bibliography for future Cal State LA students, citing at least three reasons.

Reflect on your role as a reader including your personal relationship with the information.

Discipline: 
Rhetoric, Composition, and Writing

Information Literacy concepts:

Ability Level:

Collaborators: 
Paizha Stoothoff
Suggested Citation: 
Masunaga, Jennifer. "Evaluating Online Sources with Lateral Reading." CORA (Community of Online Research Assignments), 2021. https://projectcora.org/assignment/evaluating-online-sources-lateral-reading.
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Submitted by Keely Kiczenski on December 10th, 2020
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Short Description: 

This lesson is intended as a one hour, single-session overview of one aspect of information literacy: evaluating the trustworthiness of resources, particularly online. The lesson is designed for a group of 10-25 adults in a public or academic library, or is also suitable for high school students. Instructor will teach students how to investigate a source and apply three small but powerful information literacy tools to evaluation: SIFT, PIE, and SMELL.

Attachments: 
AttachmentSize
Information Literacy Lesson Plan with Appendix.pdfdisplayed 3482 times263.93 KB
IL Lesson Plan Appendix (separate).pdfdisplayed 2164 times163.28 KB
Information Literacy Lesson Plan.docxdisplayed 1048 times56.03 KB
Learning Outcomes: 
  • The student will be able to distinguish between standard evaluative criteria and apply appropriate criteria to an information source to determine its quality and relevance. 
  • The student will be able to detect misinformation and defend the credibility of a source by using relevant evaluative criteria and verifying claims externally.
  • Students will be able to locate a variety of sources about a topic and discern which would be most useful in fulfilling their information need.

 

Discipline: 
Communication StudiesLibrary and Information Science

Information Literacy concepts:

Individual or Group:

Ability Level:

Tags:

Course Context (e.g. how it was implemented or integrated): 
Additional Instructor Resources (e.g. in-class activities, worksheets, scaffolding applications, supplemental modules, further readings, etc.): 
Potential Pitfalls and Teaching Tips: 
Suggested Citation: 
Kiczenski, Keely. "Who Can I Trust? – Questions to Ask When Evaluating Information Sources (featuring SIFT, PIE, and SMELL methods)." CORA (Community of Online Research Assignments), 2020. https://projectcora.org/assignment/who-can-i-trust-%E2%80%93-questions-ask-when-evaluating-information-sources-featuring-sift-pie.
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