Library Instruction Modules
From Books to Bytes: Navigating the Research Ecosystem
"From Books to Bytes: Navigating the Research Ecosystem," created by the Libraries in partnership with the Center for Teaching and Learning, is a set of online resources that define the research cycle, provide students with practical strategies, and guide students through the vast resources available to them at Columbia. The primary audience for this series is Columbia-affiliated students.
In addition, “From Books to Bytes” provides faculty and instructors The Instructor Toolkit, a guide on how instructors can: contact and collaborate with a librarian to best leverage the series in class, access the series on CourseWorks, and utilize instructional strategies and assessment techniques to disseminate the content.
The series is made up of six modules that consist of an informational video and several handouts that contain strategies, exercises, and worksheets, all designed with pedagogy and accessibility in mind.
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This module breaks the research process into manageable phases, including how to develop a research question, create a project timeline, identify appropriate resources, and draft an outline. Handouts provide additional instructions on how to compose a research question, conduct database searches, and use boolean operators.
This module enables viewers to identify and counter bias in common research scenarios, with information about where to search for information, research strategies, and potential data. Handouts further viewers’ understanding of research bias through case studies and a glossary of terms related to research bias.
This module defines research data and helps viewers to find, utilize, and manage research data ethically. Handouts address F.A.I.R. Data Principles, data management, and the concept of an Institutional Review Board (IRB).
This module prepares students to explore the Libraries’ vast collection of archival and rare primary sources. Handouts provide strategies for analyzing sources and best practices for handling library materials.
This module clarifies the role of citation in academic research and provides examples of how to apply appropriate citation and citation-management strategies to a specific field of study. Handouts demonstrate how to create an annotated bibliography and cite in the three most common citation styles, MLA, APA, and Chicago styles.
This module explores the publishing process (both traditional and digital) and explains the ways in which the Libraries can provide support and advice for publishing projects. Handouts elaborate on strategies for evaluating and selecting appropriate journals and other mediums in which to publish, understanding authors’ rights, and employing new modes of research and scholarship.
Exceptional Scholarship with Research Data
“Exceptional Scholarship with Research Data” is funded by a Columbia University Provost’s Innovative Teaching Award, 2021, in partnership with Columbia University Libraries Research Data Services and the Columbia University Center for Teaching and Learning.
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