ASEE 2015 Engineering Division Presentation

1. If the Engineering Literature Fits, Use It!
Student Application of Grey Literature and
Engineering Standards
Chelsea Leachman
Engineering Librarian
Washington State University
Jacob Leachman
Assistant Professor, Mechanical Engineering
Washington State University
ASEE Annual Conference 2015
Seattle, WA

2. English 101:
College
Composition
History 105:
The Roots of Contemporary
Issues
Engineering 120:
Innovation in Design
• Classroom
• Assignment Design
• Libguide
• Classroom
• Assignment Design
• Tutorial
• Libguide
ME 316:
Systems
Design
ME 406:
Experimental
Design
ME 416:
Mechanical
Systems
Design
English
402:
Technical
and
Professional
Writing
• Classroom • Classroom
• Assignment
Design
• Libguide
• Classroom • Classroom
WSU Scaffolding of Information Literacy Instruction
2

3. Grey
Literature
Robbins, S., D. Engel, and C. Kulp," How unique are our users? Comparing responses regarding the information-seeking habits of engineering
faculty", College & Research Libraries Vol. 72, No. 6, 2011, pp. 515-532.
Waters, N., E. Kasuto, and F. McNaughton," Partnership between engineering libraries: Identifying information literacy skills for a successful
transition from student to professional", Science and Technology Libraries Vol. 31, No. 1, 2012, pp. 124-132.
3

4. Classroom Context
4

5. ME 406 Experimental Design:
5
• Learn how to design, conduct, and report
experimental investigations involving mechanical
equipment and systems.
Primary objective:
Library relevant ABET student outcomes:
• Be able to use codes and handbooks
• Be able to expand understanding of a subject by
reading reference books and textbooks
Local legacy:
• Minimal guidance on projects prepares students to
research and operate equipment independently for
first day on job.

6. ME 406 Process:
6
1. Intro/motivation/needs
2. Literature review/prior art
3. Theoretical performance
4. Experimental performance
5. Results/conclusions

7. Our Plan
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8. Information Literacy Instruction
• Develop a 50 minute lecture to inform
engineering students of the different literature
sources available, including grey literature and
standards, differentiate between the forms, and
when to apply them in context.
• Investigate whether an in-class exercise
requiring students to sort information based on
type would influence the number and types of
literature utilized in design reports.
2 primary goals for this study:
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9. Framework Application
• Authority Is Constructed and Contextual
– Information resources reflect their creators’ expertise
and credibility, and are evaluated based on the
information need and the context in which the
information will be used. Authority is constructed in
that various communities may recognize different
types of authority. It is contextual in that the
information need may help to determine the level of
authority required.
• Authority Is Constructed and Contextual
– Information resources reflect their creators’ expertise
and credibility, and are evaluated based on the
information need and the context in which the
information will be used. Authority is constructed in
that various communities may recognize different
types of authority. It (authority) is contextual in that the
information need may help to determine the level of
authority required.
9

10. Set Up of Study
Spring 2014
Test Control
- - - - - -
- - - - - -
- - - - - -
Instructor
A
- - - - - -
- - - - - -
- - - - - -
Instructor
A
Information in
Context Slides
&
Worksheet
10
- - - - - -
- - - - - -
- - - - - -
Instructor
A

11. Aerospace is an important industry.
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles are a rapidly
growing field of aerospace.
Class Slides- ALL CLASSES
11

12. Class SlidesClass Slides- ALL CLASSES
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13. Class Slides- TEST SECTION ONLY
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14. Class SlidesClass Slides- TEST SECTION ONLY
14

15. Worksheet
TEST
SECTION
ONLY
15

16. What we found
16

17. Spring 2014 Results
Multimedia
0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1
1.2
1.4
Multimedia
Spring 2014 Control
(Instructor A)
Spring 2014 Test
(Instructor A)
17

18. 18
Spring 2014 Results
Monographs
0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1
1.2
1.4
Monographs
Spring 2014 Control
(Instructor A)
Spring 2014 Test
(Instructor A)

19. 19
0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1
1.2
1.4
Articles
Spring 2014 Control
(Instructor A)
Spring 2014 Test
(Instructor A)
Spring 2014 Results
Articles

20. 20
0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1
1.2
1.4
Grey Literature
Spring 2014 Control
(Instructor A)
Spring 2014 Test
(Instructor A)
Spring 2014 Results
Grey Literature

21. 55%
18%
18%
9%
Test Section
Company
Produced Product
Manuals
Government
Documents
Technical papers
Theses
21
34%
33%
33%
Control Section
Spring 2014
Types of Grey Literature

22. 22
0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1
1.2
1.4
Standards
Spring 2014 Control
(Instructor A)
Spring 2014 Test
(Instructor A)
Spring 2014 Results
Standards

23. Is it repeatable?
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24. Fall 2014
- - - - - -
- - - - - -
- - - - - -
Instructor
B
- - - - - -
- - - - - -
- - - - - -
Instructor
C
Information in Context
Modified Test Set Up
24

25. 0
0.5
1
1.5
2
2.5
3
Multimedia
Fall 2014
(Instructor B)
Fall 2014
(Instructor C)
Fall 2014 Results
Multimedia
25
(Spring 2014 Test)

26. 26
0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1
1.2
1.4
Monographs
Fall 2014
(Instructor B)
Fall 2014
(Instructor C)
Fall 2014 Results
Monographs
(Spring 2014 Test)

27. 27
0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1
1.2
Articles
Fall 2014
(Instructor B)
Fall 2014
(Instructor C)
Fall 2014 Results
Articles
(Spring 2014 Test)

28. 28
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
2.5
3
Grey Literature
Fall 2014
(Instructor B)
Fall 2014
(Instructor C)
Fall 2014 Results
Grey Literature
(Spring 2014 Test)

29. 29
Fall 2014 Results
Standards
0
0.1
0.2
0.3
0.4
0.5
0.6
0.7
Standards
Fall 2014
(Instructor B)
Fall 2014
(Instructor C)
(Spring 2014 Test)

30. In Summary…
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31. Overall

32. Thank You
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