English 2010: Norton Field Guide to Writing
Chapters: 1-5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |10 | 11 | 12 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 22 | 23-25 | 27 |38| 39 | 40 | 41
The following lessons were written to be integrated with Richard Bullock's, The Norton Field Guide to Writing . You will find lessons to accompany most chapters of the book, outlining ways your students can work with your librarian throughout the writing process. The learning goals for these lessons are based on the USU Library Instruction Program’s English 2010 Information Literacy Learning Goals.
Chapters 1-5: Information for Every Rhetorical Situation
Summary: Students will brainstorm ideas about different information sources that will address their rhetorical situation, including purpose, audience, genre, stance, and media/design. Students will begin working on a research plan that identifies potential sources for research.
Chapter 6: Literacy Narratives
Summary: If you have assigned a literacy narrative, have students include information literacy as part of their assignment. If students are writing about a past experience learning to write or read, have them consider the following as well:
- How did you learn to find information for your writing?
- What does information literacy mean to you? Do you think that it is easier or harder to develop reading, writing, or information literacy? Why?
Chapter 7: Analyzing a Text
Texts in Context : Students will learn about the value of researching for context when conducting a textual analysis. Through hands-on activities with Special Collections and Archives material, they will practice reading a text with and without context.
Chapter 8: Reporting Information
The following are a series of lessons that can be used and adapted for this chapter.
Topic Selection : Students analyze a common object and brainstorm questions or potential "researchable" topics related to that common object. The concept mapping portion is optional.
Information for Every Rhetorical Situation
Concept Mapping: Students brainstorm and learn how to create a concept map, either on paper or using Inspiration, a software program available in the library learning labs.
Working Knowledge: Students find background information on their topic via the Web and library reference sources.
Peer Review: A general peer review lesson that includes questions about evidence and use of sources. Can be adapted specifically for this chapter as well.
Chapter 9: Arguing a Position
The following are lessons that can be used and adapted for this chapter, in a variety of combinations.
Problem-Based Learning: Lessig on Sharing Music: Over 2 class sessions, students will practice finding evidence for arguments by focusing on the issue of sharing music via the Internet, using Lawrence Lessig's essay as a common introduction. The lesson also covers creating a research plan. This lesson has been adapted from a stand-alone problem-based learning assignment, focused on the academic disciplines. The website can be modified to address issues specific to the Norton Field Guide.
Lesson Plan: pdf | Word
Sharing Music Website
Research Plan Worksheet: pdf | Word
What Convinces You?: Students will explore various kinds of evidence and discuss what they find the most convincing. The librarian can then show students how to find different kinds of evidence for arguments.
Information for Every Rhetorical Situation: If you are not using the Problem-Based Learning lesson, this lesson covers the creation of a research plan with the rhetorical situation in mind.
Working Knowledge: Students find background information on their topic via the Web and library reference sources.
Peer Review: A general peer review lesson that includes questions about evidence and use of sources. Can be adapted specifically for this chapter as well.
Chapter 10: Abstracts
Summary: Writing abstracts can be a useful preliminary activity for a research paper, because it covers the important skills of reading critically, evaluating information, and summarizing. In this lesson, students find an article and analyze what kinds of information would be important in order to write a good abstract.
Chapter 11: Annotated bibliographies
You can assign an annotated bibliography as part of a larger assignment, including the problem-based learning assignment outlined under Chapter 9 above. You can also use a double-entry journal format for this assignment.
Chapter 12: Evaluations
The following lessons can be adapted for the Norton Field Guide:
Finding Reviews: Students will come to the library for a short session on finding review material. The session will begin by asking students to describe their review subject and what types of reviews they need to find. The librarian and class will brainstorm a list of possible sources of reviews (such as book reviews in Library Journal and amazon.com; product reviews on web shopping sites, user groups in Google, etc.). The librarian will conclude with a search using library tools to find reviews, to demonstrate basic search skills and how to locate physical items in the library.
Finding background information: Students will come to the library for a short overview of reference sources that can help them find background information on their topics. Students will submit their review subjects to the librarian in advance and she will prepare a list of reference sources. The librarian will hold a short discussion of how reference sources can be useful, using some of the examples from student topics.
Chapter 16: Profiles
The following lessons can be adapted for the Norton Field Guide:
Providing Context and Detail to a Profile: During a peer-review session on a sketch or draft, have students answer the question: What additional context or detail might deepen and focus this profile? Invite the librarian to participate in the peer review process or group discussion so that they can provide ideas on how to find some information on context and detail. The session could be held in the library, so that the librarian can do a quick search to model the process.
Chapter 17: Proposals
The following lessons can be adapted for the Norton Field Guide:
Group Problem-Based Learning: In a series of 3-4 library sessions, students will brainstorm a problem that they all want to address in a proposal or argument. The class can work on a single problem and divide into groups based on themes or information needs. Or the class can choose several problems and groups can be divided by problem. Students can also all work on a single problem defined by the instructor, such as “Should Logan build a second WalMart?” Students will develop research questions and plans based on the problem they need to address. Then they will spend one session in the library finding information to answer these questions, with the assistance of the librarian. The final session is for group presentations of the research-based proposal or argument.
Other problem-based learning ideas
In addition, please see Arguing for a Position for additional lesson plan ideas.
Chapter 18: Reviews of Scholarly Literature
Finding literature reviews: This could be used for a writing-in-the-major assignment. Students will learn how to use library database advanced search features to locate literature reviews in their discipline or major.
Comprehensive searching for a literature review: Student will learn how to use advanced features of specialized library databases to locate articles for a literature review on a topic in their disicpline or major.
Chapter 22: Generating Ideas and Text
Concept Mapping: Students brainstorm and learn how to create a concept map, either on paper or using Inspiration, a software program available in the library learning labs.
Looping with Working Knowledge: The Working Knowledge lesson plan can be adapted to include the looping process.
Chapters 23-25: Drafting, Assessing Work, and Getting Responses
When assigning multiple drafts consider the inclusion of information needs for peer review or reflective assignments. Emphasize the point on page 206, for example, that students should expect surprises when writing, in part because research often means learning something completely new. Also, be sure to emphasize the assessment of evidence questions on page 211.
Chapter 27: Compiling a Portfolio
If you are assigning a portfolio, be sure to include the research process as well as the writing process. This could include annotated bibliography or double entry journal assignments, or research notes. A reflective essay that includes the research process could be included as well.
Chapter 38: Reading Strategies
Consider the larger context: The literature review or working knowledge lessons could be adapted so that students learn to research the larger conversation or context of their topics or text.
Chapter 39: Developing a Research Plan
Information for Every Rhetorical Situation
You can also emphasize the need to revise research plans after conducting research by combining the research plan and working knowledge lessons.
Chapter 40: Finding Sources
Any of the lessons above can be used to support this chapter on finding sources. Our problem-based learning lessons are likely the most adaptable.
Primary versus Secondary Sources: We can create customized lessons showing students the difference between primary and secondary sources, using materials from Special Collections and Archives and/or the USU Digital Library. In general, students can examine primary sources and secondary sources that use similar primary source material.
Chapter 41: Evaluating Sources
Evaluating Websites through Comparison and Corroboration: Students evaluate websites according to criteria “outside” the website. The three criteria for evaluating a website include evaluating the source of the website, comparing the site to other websites, and corroborating the information in the site with other sources. You can integrate elements of this lesson into your session on evaluating information.
Lesson Plan: pdf | Word
Handout on Evaluating Websites pdf | Word
For more information, contact Wendy Holliday, Coordinator of Library Instruction, 797-0731.