Getting to Know Today’s College Students

1. Getting to Know Today’s College Students The Undergraduate Research Project at the University of Rochester Presenter: Vicki Burns University of Rochester June 6, 2008

2. University of Rochester • Private, research institution (RU/VH) • Located in upstate New York in an urban area of about 900,000 people • Enrollment Fall 2007 • Undergraduates 6359 • Graduates/Medical Students 4318 • 66 Professional staff; 49 Support staff • Residential campus

5. Project Background • IMLS grant 2003-2004 to study faculty work practices • Libraries hired an anthropologist • Used ethnographic methods • Results made us want to learn more

6. What do undergraduates REALLY do when they write research papers?

7. Research begun Fall 2004 • Led by Anthropologist Nancy Fried Foster • Used ethnographic research techniques • Pre-study: faculty interviews • Objectives broadened to gain broad insight into student lives • More than 100 students participated • More than 1/3 of library staff involved

9. Methodologies used • Retrospective interviews • Photo Surveys • Mapping diaries • Reference desk survey • Interviews in student union • Design workshops for web page • Design Charettes • Late night dorm visits

10. Faculty Interviews • Assume we are teaching research methods • Expect their students know how to find research materials • Students lack critical thinking skills • Unable to develop a thesis for papers • Lack good writing skills

11. Faculty commented more extensively on the problems of writing and critical thinking than on those related to locating appropriate sources

12. Retrospective Interviews

13. Recently completed research paper • Described what they did from the assignment to turning it in • Each step was illustrated on a post • Interviews video-recorded and transcribed • Most interviews done by Nancy Fried Foster

16. Next Steps • Research team and librarians co-viewed videos, transcripts and drawings • Co-viewing • Created shared experiences for discussion and brainstorming • Engendered widespread staff participation

17. Photo Survey

19. Something you couldn’t live without

23. Reference Desk Survey

24. Rush Rhees Library Carlson Library

25. Evening Interviews in Student Union

26. “To participate, you must: Be an undergraduate AND Working on a paper that requires you to find books and/or articles OR Working on a project that requires you to find data”

28. Mapping Diary

31. Late Night Dorm Visits

33. Design Workshop for Web Page

35. Design Charette

36. Design Charette • Walk-in participation • Imagine the library has a big, new, empty space . . . • Ideas carried into actual design for collaborative space

38. Mahogany bookshelves, Old style lamps Nice cozy feel Computer Lounge with 802.11g WiFi With Nintendo WiFi Connection Movies and video games on big projection screen

39. We asked…we listened…we changed…

44. What did we learn?

45. Students . . . • Worked on papers in chunks, with days or weeks in between • Asked family and friends for help choosing a topic or editing their papers • Assumed Google searches included the library • Did evaluate resources – just not all the ways that librarians recommend • Didn’t remember who gave their library session

46. Design Charette • Flexibility to meet a variety of needs • Comfort with “family room” feel and attention to environment • Technology - computers, printers, scanners, whiteboards, “mini Kinko’s”, chargers, etc. • Staff support for checking things out, tech help, food, reference, writing • Resources – books, magazines, DVDs, reference books and popular reading

47. Dorm Observations • Stimulating - lots of distractions • music • video games • people • My room is your room • Freshman vs. Upperclassman

48. Retrospective Interviews • Most had had a library instruction session • Expected to do well • Found articles and books fairly easily, simply changed topics if did not find enough • Consulted with parents • Found developing a thesis, organizing, and writing difficult • Several had consulted a librarian

49. Students are on the go for hours at a time • They do more than just attend classes • They eat quick meals, at odd times, sometimes just snacking wherever they are • They carry their belongings with th em • They use technology everywhere • They need a variety of facilities and services • Every day is different

50. Reference Desk Interviews • Students did not come to desk “cold” • All had tried to find information on his/her own • Most students knew names of databases and had used 1-2 of the them • All students reported reference assistance had helped them • Save time • Learned about resources, the library, and how to search