Research Practices Survey - Information for Faculty
The Research Practices Survey is an innovative on-line tool for assessing the information literacy of students in liberal arts institutions. When administered to entering students before they begin college course work, the Research Practices provides baseline data that can inform the work of librarians and classroom faculty in advancing students’ research skills. When administered to students later in their college careers, the instrument can be used to assess the outcomes of liberal arts instruction in college-level research skills.
The survey instrument was initially developed during the 2004-05 academic year under the auspices of the First Year Information Literacy in the Liberal Arts Assessment ( FYILLAA) project, which brought together librarians, classroom faculty, assessment specialists, and instructional technology specialists at eight liberal arts institutions. Carleton, St. Olaf, and Grinnell have provided leadership for the project, with funding and survey administration provided by the National Institute for Technology in Liberal Education ( NITLE). The Research Practices Survey was piloted on selected campuses (including St. Olaf) in Spring 2005, revised, and administered to first-year students in Fall 2005. It was also administered to a sample of first-year and advanced students in Spring 2006, to determine its usefulness in tracking changes in students’ information literacy. After further revision, the instrument was administered again to entering students in Fall 2006, not only at St. Olaf, but at nineteen other institutions nationwide. Nine institutions, including St. Olaf, also administered the survey to students completing their first year of college in Spring 2007.
Additional support from NITLE supported the transfer of survey ownership to the Higher Education Data Sharing Consortium (HEDS) in Summer 2008. The HEDS organization is “a consortium of private colleges and universities that collects and shares national comparative data needed for effective strategic planning” (www.e-heds.org). St. Olaf will continue to participate in the Research Practices Survey through the HEDS consortium.
Research Practices Survey instrument (.pdf)
Development of the Research Practices Survey
Using results from the Research Practices Survey to improve instruction
First Year Information Literacy in the Liberal Arts Assessment (FYILLAA) project
Research Practices Survey Results (under repair)
