Library Instruction for CTW

Integration in the Critical Thinking and Writing (CTW) courses is at the heart of the SCU Library's instruction program.

Each section of CTW 1 and CTW 2 is assigned a librarian, who works with the faculty instructor to design learning opportunities that best support students.

In CTW 1, the library offers a short, interactive tutorial that lays a foundation for first-year students by welcoming them to the library and equipping them with search basics.

In CTW 2, the library provides a second asynchronous tutorial covering more advanced search skills, preparing students for in-person instruction sessions with a librarian that dive deeper into concepts and application. Librarians collaborate with faculty to design engaging class visits that support course and assignment learning outcomes.

*New for Fall 2024*

CTW 1 Tutorial

This interactive tutorial takes about 15 minutes to complete and includes a virtual tour, videos demonstrating basic search strategies, and comprehension check questions. Students may download a certificate of completion.

Contents:

• Hours, location, and access information
• Library events, programming, and core services
• Keyword searching
• Discovering and accessing articles and books
• Options for getting research help

Learning Outcomes:

Students will be able to...

• Navigate the library homepage
• Identify library spaces and services that can support them
• Develop a basic keyword search strategy
• Discover books, articles, and more using OneSearch
• Access library materials they discover
• List ways they can get help from the library 

Links:

Camino Module:

To streamline student access to the tutorial, a Camino module with the tutorial as an assignment is available in Camino Commons. Faculty may customize the module's grading scheme and decide when in the course it should be available to students.

*Coming in Winter 2025*

CTW 2 Tutorial

This interactive tutorial will take about 20 minutes to complete and will cover advanced search strategies and include comprehension check questions. Students will be able to download a certificate of completion.

This tutorial will introduce students to new discovery tools following SCU Library's planned migration to a new Library Services Platform in December 2024.

Learning Outcomes

Students will be able to...

• Differentiate between library search tools on the homepage, Google Scholar, Academic Search Complete, and subject-specific databases
• Use Academic Search Complete to find materials on a topic
• Develop a search strategy using more advanced search syntax/construction (e.g., Boolean operators, phrase searching, truncation, etc.
• Identify a subject-specific database for a research topic
• Use the built-in citation generator in Academic Search Complete
• Reflect on the role of citation in research

Fall 2024 Partnerships