Abstract:
Two sections of a service crop science class (CSES 3444-World Crops and Systems) were given extra credit to participate in a one hour workshop on library sources and databases. The librarian and classroom instructor planned the session. There was an emphasis on publication identification and retrieval of resources, as well as searching capabilities of the on-line public access catalog and CD ROM searching of agricultural and weather-related databases. The climate and weather CDs were demonstrated with emphasis on data acquisition and use. Participants completed an evaluation instrument (survey) at the end of the workshop. Statistical analysis showed no significant differences in student assessment when compared by year in college, gender, or academic major. An overall evaluation of the workshop of 4.25 on a 5 point scale was given by the students with a unanimous recommendation that this activity be continued and extra credit given for participation. This model could be used by others to encourage library literacy, introduce students to library databases, and ultimately improve the quality of student papers.
Keywords:
classroom instruction, library instruction, term paper
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