Activity Examples- Reading the Pre-Source

1. Activity 1: Reading Scope Notes
Student Learning Objective: The student will apply practical critical
reading skills in order to determine database (information
resource) relevancy to an information need.
ACRL Framework 3: Information Has Value
3.5 Recognize issues of access or lack of access to information sources. (proprietary vs.
free, tuition paying student access vs. non-student, institutional subscription vs. private).
ACRL Framework 6: Searching as Strategic Exploration
6.3 Utilize divergent and convergent thinking when searching.
6.4 Match information need to search tool/resource.
APA Guidelines
2.2c Identify and navigate psychology databases and other legitimate sources of
psychology information.
2.2d Articulate criteria for identifying objective sources of psychology information.
Critical reading pedagogy: narrative text, unfamiliar vocabulary from both library-science and
psychology disciplines.

2. Scope Notes
For
Databases
Database List
Tools for Instruction
Vocabulary:
Database
Proprietary
Subscription
costs
Institutional
Individual
[Figure 2]

3. Vocabulary:
Issues
Abstracts
Indexing
Scholarly journal articles
Peer-reviewed
APA
Tools for Instruction
[Figure 2a]

4. Learning Activity
Visual
[Figure 2b

5. Questions About the Scope Notes
(Hint: Not all questions have answers).
What is the name of the database?
What publication years are included in the
database?
Who created the database?
Who is it for? Who are the users?
What titles are included in the database?
How many titles are included in the database?
Does it boast as being the largest? The best?
Why might you use the database?
Learning
Activity
Part I
[Figure 2c]

6. Learning
Activity
Part 2
Activity: Utilizing a database list and scope notes, select the best resource choice based on an
information need.
Scenarios:
1)Find everything you can about clinical depression in peer-reviewed
psychology and psychiatry (medical) sources. Based on the information before you, what are the best
choices?
2) Information need: You must find articles in the child development literature about motherhood in
the early 1900's - 1960's. Based on the information before you, what is the best choice? Is their a second choice? Be ready to
explain your selection.
3) Information need: You must find information about recent (in the last two weeks) about either
homelessness or mental illness in your city or state. Based on the information before you, what is the best choice? There is
only one. Be ready to explain your selection.
4) Information need: You must find articles in the psychology literature about college students and
dating choices. Based on the information before you, what are the best choices? There are two. Be ready
to explain your selections.
Additional optional activity: Allow students time to search the above topics (basic keywords- nothing fancy)
in the correct database(s). Next, have students select a different database. Students share what they missed or gained by
changing databases.
Alternate activity: students may use a topic related to a real assignment.
[Figure 2d]

7. Activity 2: Reading the Brief Citation
Student Learning Objective: : The student will apply practical
critical reading skills in order to determine citation relevancy for a
given information need.
ACRL Framework 4 Research as Inquiry
4.5 Monitor gathered information and assess for gaps or weaknesses.
ACRL Framework 6 Searching as strategic exploration.
6.6 Understand how information systems are organized to access relevant information.
APA Guidelines
2.2c Identify and navigate psychology databases and other legitimate sources of psychology
information.
2.2d Articulate criteria for identifying objective sources of psychology information
Critical reading pedagogy: paradigmatic text, unfamiliar vocabulary, fluency stoppers (spaces, colons,
numbers), sample citation/interrogation method.

8.  Tools for Instruction
Demonstrate: suppressing unnecessary information, reading/think aloud, identify two-three concepts
for determining relevancy.
Vocabulary:
Brief Citation
Title
Vol.
Year
Pages
Subjects
Journal
Book
Thesis/Dissertation
Citation List
[Figure 3]

9. Learning Activity
Visual
[Figure 3a]

10. Activity:
Utilizing the list of brief citations, identify two relevant and cohesive journal articles.
Information need: A brief research paper about [risk taking and college students].Your information must be from a
scholarly journal, it must have been published in the last 8 years, it must be a research study. Looking at the list before you,
answer the following questions:
•What is the title?
•How long is the article? List number of pages/Requires further examination.
•Is it from a scholarly/academic journal?
•Are you sure it is a research study? Yes/No, Requires further examination.
•Is the article full-text? Yes/No, Requires further examination.
Learning
Activity
[Figure 3b]

11. Activity 3: Reading the Full Citation
Student Learning Objective: The student will apply practical
critical reading skills in order to determine source pertinence for
an information need.
ACRL Framework 4 Research as Inquiry
4.5 Monitor gathered information and assess for gaps or weaknesses.
ACRL Framework 6 Searching as Strategic Exploration.
6.6 Understand how information systems are organized to access relevant information.
APA Guidelines
2.2c Identify and navigate psychology databases and other legitimate sources of psychology
information.
2.2d Articulate criteria for identifying objective sources of psychology information
Critical reading pedagogy: paradigmatic text, unfamiliar vocabulary (field names,
abbreviations), fluency stoppers (spaces, colons, numbers), sample citation/interrogation
method.

12. 28 fields
Which fields should be read to
determine pertinence?
28 fields – read and describe.
Which fields should be read to
determine relevance to your topic?
Only need to read 2 fields to determined if an article is
relevant to your topic and in a language you can read.
Only need to read 7 additional fields to determine if an
article is pertinent to your topic and meets your
specific criteria and the criteria of the assignment.
Tools for Instruction
Display a full citation and discuss the 9 key fields. Explain that
there are different types of documents found in PsycInfo:
journal articles, letters, corrections, comments, etc..
[Figure 4]

13. Activity:
Utilizing a list of full citations, identify the topic and type of article.
Information need: Find information about college students and risk taking published in the last eight years. The information
must be from scholarly journals and must be a research study.
Read the citations provided and answer the following questions:
•Identify key concepts in the title.
•What are are the main subjects of the article? (Is the article about your topic?)
•What age group does the article focus on?
•What methodology is used?
•What is the document type?
•Is it original (primary) research data or secondary research data? Yes/No/ Requires further reading.
•Are you certain it is a research study? Yes/No/ Requires further reading.
•Is the source pertinent to your information need?
Learning
Activity
[Figure 4a]

14. Learning Activity
Visual
[Figure 4b]

15. Learning
Activity
[Figure 4c]

16. Learning Activity
Visual
[Figure 4d]

17. Learning
Activity
[Figure 4e]

18. Activity 4: Abstract
Student Learning Objective: The student will apply practical
critical reading skills in order to distinguish primary and
secondary empirical research studies.
ACRL Framework 6. Searching as Strategic Exploration
6.3 Utilize divergent and convergent thinking when searching.
6.4 Match information needs and search strategies to search tools.
6.5 Design and refine needs and search strategies, based on search results.
APA Guidelines
2.2c Identify and navigate psychology databases and other legitimate sources of
psychology information.
Critical reading pedagogy: narrative text, define vocabulary, key phrases for secondary
and primary

19. Key phrases/terms in
abstract to help
identify primary
research articles:
Key phrases/terms in
abstract to help identify
secondary research
articles:
In this study we
examined…
The current study….
The aim of the present
study…
The study sample was..
Participants studied
were…
We investigated..
Subjects were recruited…
Secondary data
analysis…
National Suicide
Data…
National data from…
National data…
Data obtained…
National survey…
Set of secondary…
Tools for Instruction

20. [Figure 5]
Secondary Data/Secondary Studies
Primary Research Studies
Tools for Instruction

21. Select any topic and do a basic key word
search on the topic.
Limit to Methodology: empirical studies
Limit to document type: scholarly journal
articles
Critically read the abstract for key phrases and
determine if:
1) The article is a primary research study.
2) The article is a secondary research study.
3)What were your clues to help determine the
above?
4)How can you confirm?
5) Share your findings with the class/and or
email the citation, abstract and your
reasoning to your professor.
Learning
Activity

22. Activity 5: Author Index
Student Learning Objective: The student will apply practical critical reading
skills in order identify key contributors and writings in the psychology discipline.
ACRL Framework 6. Searching as Strategic Exploration
6.3 Utilize divergent and convergent thinking when searching.
6.4 Match information needs and search strategies to search tools.
6.5 Design and refine needs and search strategies, based on search results.
APA Guidelines
2.2c Identify and navigate psychology databases and other legitimate sources of
psychology information.
Critical reading pedagogy: paradigmatic text, lists, numbers.

23. Searching in the author field for Gourash, Nancy = 1 result.
A key word search for Gourash Nancy = 4 results.
Reading the citations closely, one sees that her married name
is Bliwise.
Tools for Instruction
[Figure 6]

24. A search in the Author Index for Bliwise, Nancy = 20 total results.
Her name is listed 3 different ways:
Bliwise, Nancy
Bliwise, Nancy G.
Bliwise, Nancy Gourash
Also listed as:
Gourash, Nancy
Tools for Instruction
[Figure 6a]

25. Using the Author Index, find all of the articles
listed in PsycInfo by this person:
B.F. Skinner
Hint: His full name is Burrhus Frederic
Learning
Activity
[Figure 6b]

26. Activity 6: Thesaurus Search
Student Learning Objective: The student will apply practical critical reading
skills to identify discipline specific terminology in order to find pertinent
information sources.
ACRL Framework 6. Searching as Strategic Exploration
6.5 Design and refine needs and search strategies, based on search results.
6.7 Use different search language types: controlled vocabulary, natural language.
APA Guidelines
2.2c Identify and navigate psychology databases and other legitimate sources of
psychology information.
Critical reading pedagogy: paradigmatic, lists, numbers.

27. Tools for Instruction
Discuss main idea of the article.
(Test Tube Baby)
[Figure 7]

28. Test tube baby = 8 sources
Test tube babies = 15
Reproductive technology = more than 1400 sources
Tools for Instruction
Demonstrate locating more articles about the topic by using the thesaurus.
Demonstrate locating more articles about the topic by doing a keyword
search with the main idea of the article. (Test Tube Baby)
[Figure 7a]

29. Search Reproductive technology = more than 1400 sources.
Tools for Instruction
Demonstrate locating more articles about the topic by reading the subjects
and identifying the most relevant terms.
[Figure 7b]

30. Activity: Provide students with brief citations with obvious key word terms.
(But not so obvious subject headings/controlled vocabulary).
Ask students to find more articles about the topic using natural language and
controlled vocabulary.
Learning
Activity
[Figure 7c]
Questions:
•What is a natural language term(s) you might use as a search?
•What is the thesaurus term(s) (controlled vocabulary) for the topic?
•How many results using keyword/natural language terms?
•How many results using controlled vocabulary/thesaurus terms?
•Select an article that seems relevant to the topic.
•What are are the main subjects of the article?
•Is the article about your topic?
•Is the document type a journal article?

31. Learning Activity
Visual
[Figure 7d]

32. Activity 7: Reading Help sheets
Student Learning Objective: The student will apply practical
critical reading skills to Help Sheets in order to identify methods
for searching, identifying, evaluating, and assessing pertinent
information sources.
ACRL Framework 6. Searching as strategic exploration
6.4 Match information needs and search strategies to search tools.
6.6 Understand how information systems are organized to access relevant
information.
APA Guidelines
2.2c: Identify and navigate psychology databases and other legitimate sources of
psychology information.
Critical reading pedagogy: paradigmatic, unfamiliar vocabulary, library science jargon, codes,
fields, tags, abbreviations.

33. Using the 7 fields needed from Activity 2, identify one to explore in the help sheets.
Methodology is a good field to teach because students often need a certain type of study as
specified by their professor.
Tools for Instruction
[Figure 8]

34. Tools for Instruction
[Figure 8b]

35. Tools for Instruction
[Figure 8c]

36. Learning
Activity
Activity 1: Students search for a topic (each student selects one
topic) and limits to various methodologies.
Remind students that methodologies are listed in the help sheets.
Use the help sheets to define the method.
Questions:
How many results did you get with each different methodology?
Pick a result and define/describe the method used in the study.
Topic Method
Reproductive technology Empirical
Risk taking and college students Quantitative
Body modification Qualitative
Rock music Longitudinal
Twin studies
[Figure 8d]

37. Tools for Instruction
Search
Option 1
PZ
[Figure 8e]

38. Search
Option 2
Select the
PZ field.
Tools for Instruction
[Figure 8f]

39. Activity 2:
Search for a topic by limiting to the title field and a specific document type.
Remind students that types and definitions are listed in the help sheets.
Questions:
How many results did you get with each different type?
Pick a result and define/describe the type of document found and
the source type.
This is a ____________ in a ___________.
This is an obituary in a scholarly journal.
Is it a research study? Yes/No
Learning
Activity
Topic Document Type
Sigmund Freud obituary
pandemic poetry
Body modification journal article
Rock music chapter
Body modification dissertation
[Figure 8g]

40. Activity 8:
Putting it All Together – A Popular Source Connection
Student Learning Objective: The student will apply practical critical reading
skills to a variety of pre-sources in order to select, search, identify, and retrieve
pertinent information sources.
ACRL Framework 6. Searching as strategic exploration
6.4 Match information needs and search strategies to search tools.
6.6 Understand how information systems are organized to access relevant
information.
APA Guidelines
2.2c: Identify and navigate psychology databases and other legitimate sources of
psychology information.
Critical reading pedagogy: paradigmatic, unfamiliar vocabulary, codes, fields, tags,
abbreviations, fluency stoppers, internal interrogation method for relevancy and pertinence.

41. Pre- Activity:
(This must be a part of the discipline class or a for credit Info Lit or
certificate class). Students must be invested and familiar with the
works.
Assign:
1. A reading from The Man Who Mistook His Wife For a Hat by
Oliver Sacks
2. A movie viewing of Awakenings
Teaching
Activity

42. Activity:
Demonstrate (or consider this a final project/test and go straight to
the Learning Activity) a book review, a research study about one of
the cases, other studies about same topic by other authors, and
Oliver Sacks obituary.
(This will require a visit to the Database List and scope notes to determine several
useful databases- it cannot be answered with PsycInfo alone). It covers tools
learned in Activities 1-7.
Teaching
Activity

43. Search for sources for your information need.
 Utilize all strategies.
 Read scope notes and identify useful databases.
 Identify key word terms/natural language for topic.
 Identify controlled language with the thesaurus/or other index.
 Read help sheets as needed.
 Limit searches using field codes.
 Limit by methodology (if dictated by research need).
 Read brief citations for relevance.
 Read selected relevant citations for pertinence.
 Identify useful sources for information need.
Identify at least four pertinent sources.
Identify the citation information, key fields, and terms that you read in order to
determine these articles are relevant to your topic and information need.
Learning
Activity

44. Activity:
Using either the topic of Awakenings or a case study topic from The
Man Who Mistook His Wife For a Hat by Oliver Sacks and PsycInfo,
find the following:
1. A book review/movie review of the title.
2. An original research article about one of the cases in the book.
3. An additional research article (by a different author) about the
same topic.
4. Oliver Sack’s Obituary
This activity utilizes more than PsycInfo (Hint: Medline)
Learning
Activity
Topic Document Type
Awakenings Book or Movie review
Man Who Mistook His Wife For a Hat Book review
Psychological or medical topic from the
book or movie
Journal article
Oliver Sacks Obituary