The document provides background information for an assignment asking students to research an engineering topic by finding different sources of information. It includes instructions for students to choose a topic, search for a related book, newspaper/magazine article, and two peer-reviewed articles. Students are asked to track their search terms and keywords and complete a grid showing how specific the terms were. They are also asked to analyze patterns in keywords based on the type of material and explain these patterns in 200 words or less.

1. Introduction
If you're looking at this, I guess you just read my blog post. I've not done rubrics before but luckily my
boss is a demon at them. I've put myself up as a guinea pig so that the whole team can learn how to do
rubrics, how difficult it is and how we can learn from each other on the stuff we find hard. So, the
current draft is full of errors and I will be doing my learning in public.
For background, I’ve included the exercise that the students are required to do as homework and the
issues I considered while thinking about what I want to assess.
Feel free to use any part of the attached exercise... I know you won't be using the rubric.

2. Category Does Not Meet Nearly Meets Meets Exceeds Comments
Keyword No attempt Relative keyword Most keywords All keywords are NM: Keywords
Specificity made to show specificity is are placed placed correctly may have been
relative generally correct correctly according to combined to
specificity of although some according to their relative and create specific
keywords; keywords are their relative and absolute searches,
through either inappropriately absolute specificity. demonstrating
lack of keywords placed in absolute specificity. correct
present, random terms. intention but
allocation of not applicable
keywords or to this exercise.
keywords Key phrases in
repeated with quotes are
multiple equivalent to
specificities keywords.
Relationship Does not provide Recognises that Recognises that Recognises that DNM: Agreeing
any evidence of keywords tend to keywords tend to keywords tend with the
understanding become more become more to become more premise of the
the relationships specific from books- specific from specific from question alone
between magazines- peer books- books- does not
keywords and review but does not magazines- peer magazines- peer demonstrate
material provide correct review. Provides review. Provides understanding
additional analysis. some additional additional
analysis, analysis,
including the link including both
between the link between
keywords and keywords and
intended intended
audience or audience and
between between
keyword scope keyword scope
and scope of and scope of
coverage of coverage of
book/article book/article
Understanding Search terms Search terms are Search terms are Search terms are DNM: Use of
specific search selected would related to topic but related to topic related to topic search term
terms not be expected would not be and would be and would be “engineering”
to retrieve expected to retrieve expected to expected to by itself is not
appropriate a manageable retrieve a retrieve a considered
results quantity of relevant manageable manageable suitable.
results quantity of quantity of
relevant results. results. Search
terms for peer-
reviewed articles
are considered
to be industry
standard terms
for the topic.

3. To Consider:
1. Why am I assessing student work
2. What am I teaching?
3. What can I measure?
4. What do I want to know?
5. Do I want to compare 1st year and final year students?
6. What scale do I want to use?
7. Should students see the rubric?
1. Why am I assessing student work?
To use as evidence in discussion with CENG faculty on the best implementation of library support
To associate information literacy training with critical thinking as CENG begin to consider this in more detail in 2013
2. What am I teaching?
a. Library website
Students will be able to use the library website to find the article and books beta search, digital commons, research
guides, room booking, research guides, available help
b. Find books
Students will be able to perform a basic search for books using the library catalog and Link+, identify further keywords in
the catalog
c. Literature Review
Students will know where to find further information on conducting a literature review; what a lit review is used for and
its components; consider the relative usefulness of websites, newspapers/magazines, books, conference proceedings
and peer reviewed articles
d. Constructing a search
Students will consider their own search process, how to evaluate information sources, how to identify appropriate
search terms for their research, the relative merits of search engines and databases
e. Using the databases
Students will be able to locate appropriate databases, conduct a keyword search, refine the results, identify suitable
keywords from a record, retrieve full text
3. What can I measure? (where can I measure it?)
a. able to identify suitable topic (topic outline)
b. able to find books on the catalog (from bibliography)
c. use appropriate database to find articles, including correct date (from bibliography)
d. Able to write a bibliography (from bibliography)
e. Understands appropriate search terms and can rate their specificity (word grid)
f. completed grid according to instructions (word grid)
g. understands relationship between keywords found and media type (description of results)
4. What do I want to know? (ie What I can measure versus What I want to measure)
a,b,c, etc relate to section 3 above.
a. Not important, faculty in best place to teach this
b. useful – mechanical, student assistant grades
c. useful – mechanical, student assistant grades
d. Not important, faculty have their own interpretations of good practice, mechanical and easy to learn, faculty not
unhappy, better ways to assess elsewhere
e. useful – librarian in best place to teach and evaluate

4. f. unsure if should be combined with “e” above. Will this skew results if students did not complete grid 100% correctly
(eg use of bold to indicate successful search term)
g. useful – librarian in best place to teach and evaluate
5. Do I want to compare 1st year and final year students?
Yes, results will be used to track student capabilities as they progress and as they receive assistance in this area.
Students will not receive a grade based on this rubric.
6. What scale do I want to use?
For discussion
7. Should students see the rubric?
No, I want to assess students’ natural processes rather than have them use the rubric to guide their behaviour

5. Introduction to The Library
Introduction
After working through this assignment, you will learn how to conduct basic searches in library’s catalog and engineering
databases to find different types of material (books/newspapers/magazines/peer review articles). As you work, you
should notice that they keywords that give you the best results in your search will vary depending upon the type of
material you are looking for. Understanding how the keywords you use affect the results you retrieve will make your
future research easier and more productive.
Assignment:
Imagine that you have been asked to give a 10 minute presentation on an engineering topic which has recently been in
the news. You will need to find:
A book which is available either at Cal Poly or through Link+ for background information. Note, you don’t need
to order the book for this assignment.
A newspaper/magazine article written in 2012.
At least two peer-reviewed articles which are related to the topic you have chosen
1. Write a title and a short description of the research topic in (no more than 100 words)
See the example on the next page or look at theFreshman 101 guidefor advice
2. Find 1 book from either the library catalog or Link+. Keep a note of all of the search terms(the search words that
you use - even if they are unsuccessful) and related keywords(the search words that the catalog/database suggest)
that you find.
3. Use the Academic Search Elite database to find 1 newspaper/magazine article and 2 peer-reviewed articles which
support your research topic. Keep a note of all of the search terms that you use and related keywords that you find.
4. Using the MLA style, write a bibliography of the four items which you find
5. Complete the Search Terms Gridon the next page (see page 3 for an example of how to fill the grid in and see page
4 for examples of search terms used versus keywords found):
Use this grid to show the search terms that you used and whether you think they are general terms or more specific (this
is your personal opinion). Your first search term may have found you the results that you need, in which case you will
have only one term to include. If you had to take a few tries to find a successful search term, include all terms and
highlight the successful one by typing it in bold.
6. Looking at the Search Terms Grid that you have completed and the example grid on the next page, describe any
patterns in the keywords that were found. What explanation can you offer for these patterns?Use no more than 200
words,
Notes and Help
Click here tofind a book related to your topic which is either held at the library or available through Link+. Note: help
on finding engineering books is available here .
Use the database list in the Engineering Research guideto findthe Academic Search Elite database
Don’t forget that you can ask the library for help online or in person: http://lib.calpoly.edu/services/

6. Very specific Somewhat specific Somewhat general Very general
Book search terms used
Book keywords found
Newspaper/magazine search
terms used
Newspaper/magazine
keywords found
Peer review article search
terms
Peer review article keywords
found

7. Example Topic: Is nuclear fusion the answer to the world’s energy problems?
Nuclear fusion is currently in the headlines because the European Union, China, India, Japan, South Korea, Russia and
the US have agreed to fund the$17 billion dollars required to build the ITER nuclear fusion reactor by 2020. Is this money
well spent or will the cost of building these reactors prove to be too expensive compared to other energy sources?
Bibliography
Brumfiel, Geoff. "Fusion's Missing Pieces." Scientific American 306.6 (2012): 56-61. Academic Search Elite.Web. 9 Oct.
201
Kikuchi, MitsuruFrontiers in Fusion Research: Physics and Fusion. London: Springer London, 2011.
Schieck, H. Paetz gen. "The Status Of “Polarized Fusion”." European Physical Journal A -- Hadrons & Nuclei 44.2 (2010):
321-354. Academic Search Elite.Web. 9 Oct. 2012.
Thumm, Manfred K. "Progress OnGyrotrons For ITER And Future Fusion Reactors." AIP Conference Proceedings 1187.1
(2009): 21-28. Academic Search Elite.Web. 9 Oct. 2012.
Search Terms Grid
Very specific Somewhat specific Somewhat general Very general
Book search terms Nuclear fusion
used
Book keywords found Nuclear fusion. Engineering
Renewable energy
sources
Nuclear
engineering
Renewable and
Green Energy.
Newspaper/magazine Fusion reactors Nuclear fusion
search terms used
Newspaper/magazine ITER Fusion reactors “Clean energy” “Electric Power
keywords found Tokamak “Bottled sun” Production”
tritium
Peer review article Fusion reactors
search terms
Peer review article “four-nucleon system” Fusion reactors Nuclear fusion Prototypes
keywords found “D+D reactions” Controlled fusion Nuclear reactions
Tokamak
“Electron Cyclotron
Current Drive”
ECCD
“Electron Cyclotron
Resonance Heating”
ECRH
Gyrotrons
Plasma Stabilization
Stellarators

8. Finding books: keywords and search terms
Finding newspaper/magazine/journal articles: keywords and search terms