Jeanne Gross and Rebekah Taveau
ESL 400 Seminars: Research Facilitation Assignment
DIRECTIONS: In groups, you will lead the class in a 30-35 minute seminar based on an assigned reading. (Review the readings on this LibGuide, prepared in collaboration between your ESL 400 and LIBR 100 instructors.) The readings were selected to enrich our understanding of essay topics 2 and 3. To support your presentation, you and your group will carefully develop a handout and a brief interactive activity so you can share the ideas from your article with the class.
Plan your presentation for an audience that may not have read your article and who may not be familiar with the topic or research. Make sure you are clear and comprehensive enough for the audience to get a basic understanding (e.g. be sure to include necessary background information and to define any terms needed for understanding.)
Suggestions for understanding your article: Use the abstract or executive summary, conclusion and headings to guide your initial understanding. Then, use your annotation skills, dictionary skills etc. to understand the article deeply. Once you understand and appreciate the article, develop a handout and plan an activity to engage the class that effectively involves all group members.
Questions to Consider in developing your presentation:
How is your reading connected to the essay topic?
What are the big ideas or claims in the article? How are they relevant to our lives/work?
Who is the author’s main audience? Why do you think so?
Does your article satisfy the CRAAP test? Why or why not?
What questions still remain for you about the topic discussed in the article?
What is your opinion about the concepts and positions taken in the article?
REQUIREMENTS: To support your presentation, a handout and an interactive activity.
HANDOUT: Develop and copy a handout to distribute to the class that includes these items:
Citation information with name of author(s), title, date of publication, etc.
A one sentence statement of the “big ideas”/claims in the article
A one paragraph summary of these “big ideas”/claims.
Key evidence (in the form of extracted quotes) to support the main assertion(s) in the article.
A glossary/use guide of key vocabulary.
Relevance information -- How is the article useful or relevant to our work or lives? What parts of the article would you recommend reading and why?
INTERACTIVE ACTIVITY: Develop a brief interactive activity. To do so, see Activity Ideas.
The Cañada College Library, on the third floor of Building 9, offers computers, textbooks, technology, research help, printing, and group study rooms.
Library computers do not require you to log in and do not have a time limit so you can come and stay all day. Chromebooks, hotspots and calculators can be checked out from the circulation desk after you complete a technology loan agreement.
Search for textbooks available at the library. If you do not see your textbook, fill out the Textbook request form for students.
