Course Specific Research Support for WR 222: Home

The purpose of this page is to: highlight curriculum where information literacy instruction & support are expected; connect relevant librarian created content & tools; map information literacy related course outcomes to state & national standards

Writing Research Papers course outcomes related to research skills:

WR 222 CCOG
Successfully organize and manage an extended, research-based, thesis-centered essay of 3500-5000 words (or an equivalent word count in shorter essays) using MLA, APA, or other appropriate documentation styles

Demonstrate critical thinking and problem-solving in the context of research by showing observational skills, drawing reasonable inferences from a variety of sources, perceiving and establishing relationships among multiple sources, as well as evaluating and analyzing the structure and organization of sources and own writing

Independently locate, examine, select, evaluate, and use various primary and secondary sources (including academic, printed, electronic, and interview-based)

Practice and demonstrate skills necessary to research writing, such as paraphrase, summary, direct quotation, citation and documentation

Understand the ethics of research and avoid plagiarism

Suit writing style and research material to intended audience and purpose

Demonstrate control of research and voice to make an original claim

Other indicators of required research or information seeking:

From the Course Description:

Develops skills in critical analysis and documented argument through extensive research writing. Covers techniques to synthesize considered responses to designated text(s) and/or issues with the reactions of other writers. Includes information literacy skills developed through the use of library catalogs, professional databases and other forms of research. Includes paraphrasing, summarizing, quoting, and documenting, using style appropriate to discipline researched.

From the Outcome and Assessment Strategies:

At least one research-based, thesis-centered, appropriately documented essay of 3500-5000 words (or an equivalent word count in shorter essays)
An annotated bibliography (or equivalent)

From the Course Content:

Examine and discuss issues of plagiarism, ethics of research writing, credibility, authority, and self-directed learning
Advance the concepts of independent study and research, self-knowledge, and the ability to assess own work critically
Engage in inference, analysis, synthesis
Solve problems involved in an extended writing project
Perceive, connect, and integrate a variety of sources and positions, and establish own ideas in such a context
Demonstrate an awareness of audience
Recognize the distinction between scholarly (or peer reviewed), professional, commercial, and other forms of writing and resources
Ability to use library databases to access academic and nonacademic sources
Evaluate relative authority of print and electronic sources
Focus on community-based primary sources such as interviews, local information and historical data

Oregon Association of School Libraries

Information Literacy
Standard 1: Use skills, resources, and tools to inquire, think critically, and gain knowledge
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Learning Goals Indicators:
1.1.A. Develop a researchable question which demonstrates curiosity about a topic
1.1.B. Use divergent thinking (brainstorming, lateral thinking) and metacognitive reflection to surface prior knowledge, identify points of personal connection to apply to new knowledge, consider accuracy of prior knowledge, and to extend perceptions to include additional perspectives for next steps in research
1.1.C. Generate questions related to as well as embedded within a focused topic statement, evaluate those questions for perspective and point of view, identify research questions that practitioners or scholars are studying on the topic, and synthesize to a researchable question which addresses a problem or issue
1.1.D. Use advanced search strategies and different types of search language (controlled vocabulary, natural or colloquial language, keywords) for different applications
1.1.E. Read laterally to evaluate the reliability of information, and evaluate sources for usefulness, relevance, author's expertise
1.1.F. With support, select and use effective tools and source types with specific conventions, to access information, including specialized, subject-specific, and scholarly sources
1.1.G. Evaluate information for accuracy, validity, importance, and bias, using increasingly complex qualifiers
1.1.H. Compare and use sources from a variety of digital formats and select the most appropriate for a specific purpose
1.1.J. Reflect on the effectiveness of a research process including problem solving, and progress through developing a topic into a researchable question
Standard 2: Use skills, resources, and tools to draw conclusions, make informed decisions, create new knowledge, and apply knowledge to new situations.
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Learning Goals:
1.2.B. To make an informed decision, evaluate information, examine multiple positions, points of view, forms of argument, and challenge one's assumptions including confirmation bias
1.2.C. Use tools to concurrently organize, analyze, and synthesize information
1.2.D. Answer questions using information (quoted or paraphrased correctly) in proper context, providing attribution using varied and multiple sources
1.2.E. Make personal connections to topics of interest (personal experience, expertise, interest in new ideas and for academic or personal development) in order to locate and use information from credible sources, to extend complexity in thinking about a current event, social issue or other real-world problem, and to generate solutions with insight and synthesis
1.2.G. Make and defend informed conclusions based on complex criteria, including exploring multiple points of view, setting aside personal prejudices and assumptions, locating best evidence, and considering criteria specific to a topic
1.2.H. Reflect on the development of new knowledge in a topic, and evaluate the effectiveness of the strategies and tools used in a research process
Standard 3: Use skills, resources, and tools to create, and share work that expresses and demonstrates new understandings.
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Learning Goals:
1.3.D. Identify and use specific criteria to track the acquisition of new understanding and to evaluate the effectiveness of a created product
Reading Engagement
Standard 1: Develop an appreciation for reading
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Learning Goals
2.1.C. Recognize that information sources invite inference and interpretation within and across texts and experiences, to consider others' evidence-based inferences and interpretations, and to synthesize relationships among personal ideas, ideas from texts, and ideas from discussions
2.1.D. Reflect in discussions, and in writing, personal growth as a reader, and recognize how information sources may incorporate or promote social, historical, economic, political, and cultural commentary
2.1.F. Seek diverse and inclusive perspectives, be open to new ideas, recognize how selection of reading material affects the reader and can be empowering both personally and globally
Standard 2: Comprehend, interpret, and evaluate informational and fictional text.
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Learning Goals
2.2.C. Critically analyze and evaluate the information presented in an information source, to locate evidence for building and supporting comprehension of texts, use comparisons to identify similarities or differences, ask inquiry questions when something from the text inspires seeking new knowledge
2.2.E. Identify how an author or authors, including organizations and companies as authors, write with a variety of purposes and for particular audiences, and evaluate effectiveness of text to purpose within the field of study or discipline specific content
Social Responsibility
Standard 2: Practice ethical behavior when using print and digital resources
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Learning Goals
3.2.A. Seek accuracy, legitimacy, and reliability in sources, and be objective when searching and reading, and demonstrate an understanding of how particular sources, including crowd sourced, contribute to general knowledge
3.2.B. With support provide proper attribution and citations for sources, including identifying all necessary components for a complete citation within each source used, as required by the citation style for the field of study, constructing citations in proper format, using citation generators, and checking for accuracy
3.2.C. Use strategies to avoid plagiarism, use subject-specific citation styles, and demonstrate an understanding of the rights and permissions for use of intellectual property, including public domain, and Creative Commons licenses
3.2.D. With support, demonstrate an understanding of the concepts of intellectual property and originality, and use sources within the limitations of copyright law, the allowances of public domain, copyleft (open public copyright), or Creative Commons licenses, and read sources closely to understand the context for the given information to accurately represent the ideas in context
Standard 3: Participate collaboratively, respectfully, and productively as a member of a democratic society
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Learning Goals:
3.3.B. Demonstrate an understanding that diverse ideas and world views which challenge a researcher are necessary for informed participation in the social interchange within information ecosystems
3.3.C. Demonstrate an understanding that responsible information users draw reasonable conclusions based on analysis and interpretation of information, follow policies when using shared resources, take the initiative to suggest improvements, and recognize that choices impact how the information will be used and by whom

Topic Guide

Research Guide

Writing Research Guide

Additional librarian-created content and tools

Shared Teaching Materials
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Link to a shared Google folder
Shared Assignments
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Shared Google doc
Paper Topic Ideas
Topic Guide

Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education

Authority is Constructed and Contextual
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Knowledge Practices:
Define different types of authority, such as subject expertise (e.g., scholarship), societal position (e.g., public office or title), or special experience (e.g., participating in a historic event)

Use research tools and indicators of authority to determine the credibility of sources, understanding the elements that might temper this credibility

acknowledge they are developing their own authoritative voices in a particular area and recognize the responsibilities this entails, including seeking accuracy and reliability, respecting intellectual property, and participating in communities of practice

Dispositions:
Motivate themselves to find authoritative sources, recognizing that authority may be conferred or manifested in unexpected ways

Question traditional notions of granting authority and recognize the value of diverse ideas and worldviews
Information Creation as a Process
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Knowledge Practices:
Assess the fit between an information product’s creation process and a particular information need

Monitor the value that is placed upon different types of information products in varying contexts

Dispositions:
Value the process of matching an information need with an appropriate product

Accept that the creation of information may begin initially through communicating in a range of formats or modes
Information Has Value
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Knowledge Practice:
give credit to the original ideas of others through proper attribution and citation

Disposition:
Respect the original ideas of others
Research as Inquiry
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Knowledge Practices:
Formulate questions for research based on information gaps or on reexamination of existing, possibly conflicting, information

Determine an appropriate scope of investigation

Use various research methods, based on need, circumstance, and type of inquiry

Organize information in meaningful ways

Synthesize ideas gathered from multiple sources

Draw reasonable conclusions based on the analysis and interpretation of information

Dispositions:
Consider research as open-ended exploration and engagement with information

Value intellectual curiosity in developing questions and learning new investigative methods

Maintain an open mind and a critical stance

Seek multiple perspectives during information gathering and assessment

Follow ethical and legal guidelines in gathering and using information
Scholarship as Conversation
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Knowledge Practices:
Cite the contributing work of others in their own information production

Dispositions:
Value user-generated content and evaluate contributions made by others
Searching as Strategic Exploration
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Knowledge Practices:
Determine the initial scope of the task required to meet their information needs

Identify interested parties, such as scholars, organizations, governments, and industries, who might produce information about a topic and then determine how to access that information

Utilize divergent (e.g., brainstorming) and convergent (e.g., selecting the best source) thinking when searching

Match information needs and search strategies to appropriate search tools

Design and refine needs and search strategies as necessary, based on search results

Understand how information systems (i.e., collections of recorded information) are organized in order to access relevant information

Use different types of searching language (e.g., controlled vocabulary, keywords, natural language) appropriately;
manage searching processes and results effectively

Dispositions:

Understand that first attempts at searching do not always produce adequate results

Realize that information sources vary greatly in content and format and have varying relevance and value, depending on the needs and nature of the search

Seek guidance from experts, such as librarians, researchers, and professionals

Persist in the face of search challenges, and know when they have enough information to complete the information task

For information about this page:

To update Course outcomes, contact: Pam Kessinger

This work by PCC Library is licensed by Portland Community College under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Last Updated: Apr 9, 2025 9:11 AM
URL: https://guides.pcc.edu/WR222_CSRS
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