This supports an "interpersonal communication paper" where students choose a communication theory to outline and critique. They also must identify a study published in a peer-reviewed journal that applies the theory.

This activity was part of a larger class session focused on preparing students for their interdisciplinary research projects. At this point in the semester students did not yet have their own research topics. It also took place outside of a computer classroom where not all students had laptops. Students break up into groups of 3-4 students. You can make as many topics as you want. For a class of 25 I created 4 topic options. Each group receives 5-10 minutes to complete each segment. When the timer is up they switch with a group. No one should receive the paper they start with until the very end. At the end of the activity we come back as a class and discuss how it went and what strategies they might implement in their own research processes. (I first heard about the idea of passing a problem in an interactive way from Sarah Lucchesi and Jenn Sams from Michigan Tech at Lake Superior Libraries Symposium, this is inspired by their idea.)

This is a frequent activity I developed for our second-semester composition program. The common assignment is an annotated bibliography of 8-12 sources. Analyzing student bibliographies showed that they were having a tough time understanding how format can affect the usefulness of an information source, within context. The most frequent problem involved students jumping straight to peer-reviewed scholarship when they could barely articulate their research question. Likewise, students often do not approach research strategically and with an eye towards collecting a range of sources that will help address many common research needs. Since this activity is coupled to an annotated bibliography, a secondary pay-off is in helping students write their annotations. Once able to articulate the information need a source satisfies, they can better conceptualize how to incorporate the information into their paper.

This activity can be used after or during an introduction to strategic searching in a one-shot instruction session. After presenting the shortened URL on the screen; students independently complete their row in the spreadsheet. The instructor/librarian can help students individually during this time period with their own search topics. The instruction/librarian can display the spreadsheet using projection and use the rows and student work to initiate conversation around various points for example by asking does anyone have an additional keyword they think Student A would want to use? The students can return to the shortened link at any time to view the work they did in class and the spreadsheet can be used for the librarian to assess the session. If not every student has a computer this activity can also be completed in small groups. Variations: Have students work in pairs or small groups with one person's topic. (Especially if not everyone has a laptop) Mix up the questions Have students complete the form as homework for a flipped class session

This exercise is due week 3, usually before library instruction. As a result, the library created a 4-minute instruction video done as a pre-visit homework assignment called "Developing a Topic with CQ Researcher and Opposing Viewpoints" available on this LibGuide: http://libguides.lmu.edu/RHET1000/LibraryVisit

Using a Topic Development exercise, students will explore and conduct preliminary research on three separate research topics. This is in conjunction with the Information Literacy component of the course as stated in "Rhetorical Arts: Speaking and Writing for Social Justice" common syllabus. A requirement for all first-year students, Rhetorical Arts is a course designed specifically to integrate important skills- information literacy, writing, and public speaking- into the Jesuit Rhetorical Tradition "Eloquentia Perfecta." Students will also engage with important ethical themes related to the common good. 

This is the first assignment in a sequence of writing and oral assignments (followed by a Research Proposal, Annotated Bibliography, Persuasive Research Paper, etc.). Each successive assignment expands on the previous assignments.