Communication Studies

Submitted by Lauren deLaubell on January 17th, 2025
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Short Description: 

The most powerful wizards have gathered to battle one another.  Only one will win.  Wizards must use reliable sources to research incantations for the battle, or their spells will fizzle.  Truly wise wizards must learn to tell the difference. 

Research Wizards is an information literacy card game designed to teach students ages 12+ about source evaluation.  Research Wizards corresponds to the Frame Authority Is Constructed and Contextual, from the ACRL Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education.  Players will discuss and challenge the relative value of various sources, each representing a different suit in the game.  The game includes four major actions/phases:  Parley, when players discuss and decide for themselves the relative value of each suit; Battle, which includes competition, player actions, and Challenges; Vengeance, for eliminated players to impact and speed up the remainder of the game; and Victory.

The Research Wizards website contains free game files, player directions, and printing tips for librarians and teachers who wish to use the game in their classrooms.  The website includes an editable, Microsoft Publisher version of the game.  Noncommercial use of the game is free for educational purposes with attribution to the author.  Librarians and teachers are encouraged to adapt the game as needed for their subject areas, student needs, and as the sources in the game evolve over time.  Adaptations must be shared under the same terms.

Players:  3-5 per deck

Play Time:  20-30 minutes, plus discussion

Research Wizards by Lauren deLaubell is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0  To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/

Attachments: 
AttachmentSize
Player directionsdisplayed 1603 times1.02 MB
Printing tipsdisplayed 1516 times26.71 KB
Card deckdisplayed 1568 times2.51 MB
Relevant links: 
Research Wizards
Learning Outcomes: 
    • Wizards will define a variety of traditional and emerging information formats.
    • Wizards will compare a variety of information formats and discuss their relative reliability.
    • Wizards will explore the variation in quality found within specific categories of information (e.g., the wildcard of using resources located by or generated with artificial intelligence).
Discipline: 
AnthropologyArchaeologyArtBiologyBusinessChemistryClassicsCommunication StudiesEconomicsEducationEnglishEnvironmental StudiesEthnic StudiesFilm and TVHealthHistoryInformation ManagementLiberal StudiesLibrary and Information ScienceMultidisciplinaryPhilosophyPolitical SciencePsychologyRhetoric, Composition, and WritingSocial WorkSociologyUrban StudiesWomen's Studies

Information Literacy concepts:

Individual or Group:

Ability Level:

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Potential Pitfalls and Teaching Tips: 

It is recommended to review directions out loud with students, with pauses for students to sort their decks and conduct the Parley phase of play.  To contextualize and reinforce learning, it is recommended to conclude the game with discussion questions; sample questions are provided at the bottom of the player directions file but may be adjusted as needed.

Suggested Citation: 
deLaubell, Lauren. "Research Wizards." CORA (Community of Online Research Assignments), 2025. https://projectcora.org/assignment/research-wizards.
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Submitted by Carolyn Caffrey on August 6th, 2024
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Short Description: 

This is part of an introductory first-year class to the university where students are introduced to the library and asked to think critically about how information is organized using the framework of critical cataloging. After watching a short video on the idea of classification and its problems with fixing identity categories, students analyze and categorize selected book from the collection, and then reflect on how knowledge is organized and their choices as authors.

Attachments: 
AttachmentSize
ENG 107 cataloging worksheet.docxdisplayed 825 times11.75 KB
AttachmentSize
ENG 107 cataloging worksheet.docxdisplayed 741 times11.75 KB
Relevant links: 
Queering Classification Video
Learning Outcomes: 
  • Discuss how communities and identities are celebrated and marginalized in library collections
  • Reflect on knowledge organization and how it compares to their own authorial choices
Discipline: 
Communication StudiesEnglishRhetoric, Composition, and Writing

Information Literacy concepts:

Individual or Group:

Ability Level:

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

This is an introductory English Composition course that is entirely first-year students over the summer session before they begin their first year of college. Students in this class write a "definitional essay" where they define a word used in a community they belong to that others may not know (e.g. an ethnic/cultural identity, a community based on a hobby, any other discourse community). They are also writing about campus services for a public audience of other first year students (including critiques).

As students are working on the definitional essay they discuss authorial choices and identity extensively. Students then watch a general library video, "Queering Classification," which discusses Sandy Berman and Emily Drabinski's queer cataloging and how library classification is not neutral. After watching the video students tour the library space and the librarians lead the students who work individually or in small groups to categorize and assign keywords to a cart of curated materials. After students work independently on the worksheet for ~15 minutes the librarian leads a small group discussion on neutrality and the challenges in organizing knowledge. The session ends with concluding questions and reflection on the choices they make as authors, which communities they are addressing, and how identity shifts. The entire activity is ~40 minutes.

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

Selecting engaging books is key for this activity! A popular title among students was a graphic novel on cooking (is it cooking, is it comics, etc.) and a book about food justice and African American Activism.

Suggested Citation: 
Caffrey, Carolyn . "Thinking critically about knowledge organization." CORA (Community of Online Research Assignments), 2024. https://projectcora.org/assignment/thinking-critically-about-knowledge-organization.
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Submitted by Nicole Hennig on September 8th, 2021
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Short Description: 

Use this virtual mind-map to focus a topic and generate keywords for searching.

Relevant links: 
Mind Mapping for Focusing Your Topic
Learning Outcomes: 

Students will come up with synonyms for their topic keywords and combine them in a Boolean search.

Discipline: 
Communication StudiesEnglishHistoryLiberal Studies

Information Literacy concepts:

Individual or Group:

Ability Level:

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Collaborators: 
Yvonne Mery
Suggested Citation: 
Hennig, Nicole. "Mind Mapping for Focusing Your Topic." CORA (Community of Online Research Assignments), 2021. https://projectcora.org/assignment/mind-mapping-focusing-your-topic.
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Submitted by Nicole Hennig on September 8th, 2021
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Short Description: 

Learn how to read a scholarly article and identify the parts.

Relevant links: 
Anatomy of a Scholarly Article
Learning Outcomes: 

The student will learn to identify each section of a scholarly paper and understand its purpose.

Discipline: 
Communication StudiesEnglishHistoryLiberal Studies

Information Literacy concepts:

Individual or Group:

Ability Level:

Tags:

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

This tutorial can serve as a stand-alone tutorial or can be used in the flipped classroom.

Collaborators: 
Yvonne Mery
Suggested Citation: 
Hennig, Nicole. "Anatomy of a Scholarly Article." CORA (Community of Online Research Assignments), 2021. https://projectcora.org/assignment/anatomy-scholarly-article.
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Submitted by Nicole Hennig on September 8th, 2021
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Short Description: 

It's important to credit others when you use parts of their work. Complete this tutorial to learn when and how to best give credit to the work of others.

Relevant links: 
How Do I Give Credit to the Ideas of Others?Citing your sources in APA format (PDF assignment)Citing your sources in MLA format (PDF assignment)
Learning Outcomes: 

Students will learn why it's important to give credit.

Discipline: 
Communication StudiesEnglishHistoryLiberal Studies

Information Literacy concepts:

Individual or Group:

Ability Level:

Tags:

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

This tutorial and optional assignment can serve as a stand alone tutorial or can be used in the flipped classroom.

Collaborators: 
Yvonne Mery
Suggested Citation: 
Hennig, Nicole. "How Do I Give Credit to the Ideas of Others?." CORA (Community of Online Research Assignments), 2021. https://projectcora.org/assignment/how-do-i-give-credit-ideas-others.
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Submitted by Nicole Hennig on September 8th, 2021
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Short Description: 

Searching for information in library resources is often like exploring a new land. You often won’t find what you're looking for the first time you search. Complete this tutorial to learn strategies for rethinking your search for better results.

Relevant links: 
Should I Rethink My Search?Rethinking Your Search (PDF assignment)
Learning Outcomes: 

Students will learn ways to revise a search that isn't working the first time.

Discipline: 
Communication StudiesEnglishHistoryLiberal Studies

Information Literacy concepts:

Individual or Group:

Ability Level:

Tags:

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

This tutorial and optional assignment can serve as a stand alone tutorial or can be used in the flipped classroom.

Collaborators: 
Yvonne Mery
Suggested Citation: 
Hennig, Nicole. "Should I Rethink My Search?." CORA (Community of Online Research Assignments), 2021. https://projectcora.org/assignment/should-i-rethink-my-search.
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Submitted by Nicole Hennig on September 8th, 2021
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Short Description: 

Library databases work differently from Google. Learn how to create a search strategy for these databases.

Relevant links: 
How Do I Create a Search Strategy?Plan Your Search Strategy (PDF assignment)
Learning Outcomes: 
  • Students will learn how searching Google is different from searching library databases.
  • Students will learn how and why to plan a search strategy.
Discipline: 
Communication StudiesEnglishHistoryLiberal Studies

Information Literacy concepts:

Individual or Group:

Ability Level:

Tags:

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

This tutorial and optional assignment can serve as a stand alone tutorial or can be used in the flipped classroom.

Collaborators: 
Yvonne Mery
Suggested Citation: 
Hennig, Nicole. "How Do I Create a Search Strategy?." CORA (Community of Online Research Assignments), 2021. https://projectcora.org/assignment/how-do-i-create-search-strategy.
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Submitted by Nicole Hennig on September 8th, 2021
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Short Description: 

Understand the difference between primary and secondary sources, and between popular and scholarly sources.

Relevant links: 
What Types of Sources Do I Need?Popular vs Scholarly Sources
Learning Outcomes: 

    Know the difference between primary and secondary sources.
    Understand that the same source can sometimes be used as either a primary or secondary source.
    Know the difference between popular and scholarly sources.

Discipline: 
Communication StudiesEnglishHistoryLiberal Studies

Information Literacy concepts:

Individual or Group:

Ability Level:

Tags:

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

This tutorial can serve as a stand-alone tutorial or can be used in the flipped classroom.

Collaborators: 
Yvonne Mery
Suggested Citation: 
Hennig, Nicole. "What Types of Sources Do I Need?." CORA (Community of Online Research Assignments), 2021. https://projectcora.org/assignment/what-types-sources-do-i-need.
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Submitted by Carolyn Caffrey on June 9th, 2021
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Short Description: 

A toolkit with various instructional materials to teach media and news literacy. Includes an online activity "Fairness and Blanace" where students watch a short video on journalistic standards and answer discussion questions. Then, students can take one or both interactive tutorials on "Lateral Reading" with a focus on fact-checking and/or "Evaluating Information" based on an information need. Also includes a video on the "Anatomy of a News Website" with reflective questions and in-class assignment ideas for librarians or instructors.

Created by Tessa Withorn, Carolyn Caffrey Gardner, Aric Haas, and Amalia Casteneda.

Attachments: 
AttachmentSize
Teaching_Media___News_Literacy_at_CSUDH.pdfdisplayed 1388 times195.79 KB
Relevant links: 
Media & News Literacy Toolkit
Learning Outcomes: 
  • Identify characteristics of news sources (genre, balance, fairness, sources, etc.) in order to effectively interpret news information.
  • Evaluate evidence presented in news sources for verification, independence and accountability.
  • Identify capabilities and constraints of news and emerging media information sources.
  • Recognize the role cognitive bias plays in interpreting and evaluating information in news and emerging media sources.
  • Describe skepticism of news sources as a healthy part of the journalism ecosystem.
Discipline: 
Communication StudiesMultidisciplinary

Information Literacy concepts:

Individual or Group:

Ability Level:

Tags:

Collaborators: 
Tessa Withorn
Suggested Citation: 
Caffrey, Carolyn . "Media & News Literacy Toolkit." CORA (Community of Online Research Assignments), 2021. https://projectcora.org/assignment/media-news-literacy-toolkit.
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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 3460 times263.93 KB
IL Lesson Plan Appendix (separate).pdfdisplayed 2120 times163.28 KB
Information Literacy Lesson Plan.docxdisplayed 1040 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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