The underlying issue is deeper than basic technical skills rather, it is a problem of students' unawareness of a fundamental and strategic framework for writing and speaking with a purpose. However, training for scientific communication is typically limited at the undergraduate level, where students struggle to express themselves in a clear and logical manner. Scientific success in the field of chemistry depends upon the mastery of a wide range of soft skills, most notably scientific writing and speaking. The design of the model and its implementation was a result of a close collaboration between the chemistry librarian and the course instructors.
It provided more than 5000 students with versatile skills that they can use throughout their college education and even later in their professional life.
The information literacy instruction described in this article was carried out in more than 20 undergraduate and graduate courses at the University of Maryland College Park. This article presents the implementation of the model in two small (40–60 students) and one large (380–460 students) undergraduate chemistry courses.
The results from the assignments showed that students learned how to find literature and chemical property information efficiently and use a bibliographic management program to store, organize, share, and cite references. They also searched for properties of chemical compounds in ChemSpider, PubChem, Reaxys, and SciFinder using a chemical name, molecular formula, CAS Registry Number, or by drawing a molecular structure. During the instruction, students learned to find literature in Google Scholar, PubMed, Scopus, SciFinder, and Web of Science. A graded online assignment designed in SurveyMonkey was used to assess student learning. The model blends face-to-face instruction with online tutorials posted on a LibGuide page prepared for each course. However, this course is not on the list.The blended model for information literacy instruction described in this article introduces students not only to efficient techniques for finding scientific literature and properties of chemical compounds, but also to managing this information with a bibliographic management program (EndNote Online). However, the student took IT104 in the fall of 2017 so it is accepted at UMD as a lower-level elective.Ī student also took THR197 at George Mason University. If the student had taken this course between the fall of 2015 and summer term II of 2017, it would not be accepted at UMD due to the start and end term. You can see that there are two entries in the database for this course. To see how those courses may transfer to UMD, return to the Database of Transfer Course Evaluations to search for this institution.Ī student took IT104 at George Mason University. L1 means that the course satisfies lower level elective credit but is not considered directly equivalent to any particular course offered at UMD.Ī student also took courses at George Mason University. This evaluation is valid if the course was taken anytime from fall 2008, the start term, through today since there is not an end term.Ī student also took INT2200 at Prince George’s Community College. This course also satisfies a DSSP Distributive Studies Scholarship in Practice general education category. This course is accepted at UMD and is considered equivalent to ARTT100. A student took ART1510 at Prince George’s Community College in the fall of 2019.