A Guided-Inquiry Activity for Introducing Students to Figures from Primary Scientific Literature

Abstract

Reading and understanding scientific literature is an essential skill for any scientist to learn. While students' scientific literacy can be improved by reading research articles, an article's technical language and structure can hinder students' understanding of the scientific material. Furthermore, many students struggle with interpreting graphs and other models of data commonly found in scientific literature. To introduce students to scientific literature and promote improved understanding of data and graphs, we developed a guided-inquiry activity adapted from a research article on snow chemistry and implemented it in a general chemistry laboratory course. Here, we describe how we adapted figures from the primary literature source and developed questions to scaffold the guided-inquiry activity. Results from semi-structured qualitative interviews suggest that students learn about snow chemistry processes and engage in scientific practices, including data analysis and interpretation, through this activity. This activity is applicable in other introductory science courses as educators can adapt most scientific articles into a guided-inquiry activity.

Evaluating Threshold Concepts for Information Literacy in an Undergraduate Analytical Chemistry Literature Research Project

“…Very few articles have provided an objective assessment of student learning. 16−19 Efforts have been undertaken in courses across the curriculum, including general chemistry, 9,15 analytical, 7,10 inorganic, 17 organic, 8,13,16 biochemistry, 12,18 solid state chemistry, 11 seminars, 14 laboratory courses, 9,16,19 and chemical literature courses. 20 Several studies support the need for explicit instruction for undergraduates to achieve chemical information literacy.…”

“…Until recently, most published reports on chemical information literacy described exercises or activities. − Some reports have provided student perceptions − of learning gains that have been generally positive. Very few articles have provided an objective assessment of student learning. − Efforts have been undertaken in courses across the curriculum, including general chemistry, , analytical, , inorganic, organic, ,, biochemistry, , solid state chemistry, seminars, laboratory courses, ,, and chemical literature courses …”

“…Several studies support the need for explicit instruction for undergraduates to achieve chemical information literacy. , Different approaches to promoting student development of information literacy skills have been investigated, such as problem-based learning, ,, Process Oriented Guided Inquiry Learning (POGIL), ,, guided worksheets, etc. Several studies have provided insight into some chemistry students’ struggles in developing information literacy skills.…”

A Primer on Lattice Planes, Crystal Facets, and Nanoparticle Shape Control

“…Consultation with the research literature is especially appropriate as research in nanomaterials chemistry is advancing rapidly. With scaffolding and guidance from their instructor, students can learn to analyze articles from the scientific literature. , In one available literature-based activity, students evaluate different planes of Cu 2 O crystals in terms of the densities of copper and oxygen atoms …”

“…With scaffolding and guidance from their instructor, students can learn to analyze articles from the scientific literature. 72,73 In one available literaturebased activity, students evaluate different planes of Cu 2 O crystals in terms of the densities of copper and oxygen atoms. 74 This article describes the seed-mediated growth of metal nanoparticles, focusing on three shapes formed when the nanoparticles are bound by low-index facets in the face centered cubic crystal geometry.…”