Performing effective library database or internet searches are key skills for student academic success. It can be challenging for students when working in unfamiliar domains, and psychology may be unfamiliar for many students. Even with some psychology coursework completed, ineffective approaches, such as “Just Google it”, can be common for students when searching for articles. They can end up scrolling through hundreds of hits or simply picking a few from the top. This pilot study analyzed 39 screen recordings of searches conducted by students for an in-class search activity at the beginning of a library instruction session for their psychology writing class. Most students completed the activity within 3 minutes and reported they found a full-text article on the worksheet. Some also utilized advanced features provided by the databases, such as the Boolean operator “AND” and limiters (e.g., publication year, peer-review, etc.). However, evaluating the worksheets showed that only about half of students found a full-text article. Additionally, utilization of advance search features did not necessarily lead to better search outcomes, possibly due to poor choice or misuse of keywords while searching databases. Our data will help with planning for more relevant and effective library instruction.

Paper presented at the Association for Educational Communications and Technology 2020 Virtual International Convention