The first pillar used in the template (Table 5.2) was ‘Identify’, and specifically, the first two actions within SCONUL’s definition that information literate learners are expected to demonstrate. These were selected as they form the basis for the information literacy practices that follow within that and subsequent Pillars, and were used with the respondents in the literacy intervention (see sections 5.10 & 5.11).
SCONUL Pillar Identify
Aspects of Pillar used
➢ Identify a lack of knowledge in a subject area
➢ Identify a search topic / question and define it using simple terminology
Expressed as: Evidence of correct Essay question used
Table 6-4 Taken from ‘The SCONUL Seven Pillars of Information Literacy – Core Model for Higher Education’ (2011)
During interview a verbal cue was used to remind respondents of the essay question and ask them to describe how they tackled the first written task. The interviews took place after the module had been completed and each of the respondents knew they had successfully completed the first semester. Despite this recent success, respondents were visibly upset when describing their feelings of fear and anxiety and were clearly able to access those initial emotions easily.
Respondent 103 describes feelings of panic:
R3.57-63: I couldn't believe it; I was like "no way" (raised voice and strong emphasis)...I could tackle it a lot better now because I think the first four days I didn't know what we were doing. I was still panicking anyway because of the idea of it's the first assignment, I want to get, you know what I mean, I want to get full marks and I just wanted to do well in it. But also the worrying thing ... you kind of forget about the assignment itself, and just think, what
am I doing, and then is it like this every week, etc. etc. and then worried about it.
Similarly, Respondent 106 conveyed his feelings of shock and anxiety: R6.37-49: I had no idea what to do, so I was just...I just thought "oh dear, I don’t know what I'm going to do now”. (Very low voice and emotional) Shocked to the system really I suppose. Because obviously it's always different, you get fed all the information and you know what you're doing, but this you had to find your own way. I just didn't know where to start; I've never even....I've never gone and looked in a book to find any answers before, so I didn't know how to look for the books or what I'd need to search... I don’t know.
Respondent 102 indicated reliance on a family member to provide support when the feelings became overwhelming:
R2.55-57: I went home got really upset, called my dad and said I don’t want to go to University. I said no dad; I really can’t cope with this. I was in a bad way.
Unlike the respondents above respondent 105 initially felt confident about undertaking the task but on reaching home fear had become the overriding sensation.
R5.51-53: At the moment I left the room I felt as if I could do this, and then I know what to do, and it's all going to be OK. But from the moment I came home it was fear; fear all along the whole week. So I was very afraid of not doing the right thing, and that was really scary the first week.
With the exception of the respondent who had taken the pre-sessional course and who was effectively in the second year of their studies, after being asked to undertake the academic task, the voices of all of the respondents show confusion, fear and anxiety. For some of the respondents this confusion is reflected when they transpose the essay question from the task to their assignment. Whilst respondents 101, 102, 103 and 106 accurately copied the question into their written documents as requested by the assignment brief, respondents 104 and 105 changed the question and in so doing changed the nature of the work required:
Respondent 104 – REFLECTIVE ACCOUNT OF YOUR OWN STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES OF ACADEMIC LITERACY COMPETENCE FOR UNDERTAKING THIS COURSE (respondent’s emphasis and capital letter choice)
Respondent 105 – Account of strengths & weaknesses , opportunities & threats’
Table 6-5 Examples of incorrect essay question
Respondents, possibly inadvertently, appear to change the question they are addressing and thus reduce the likelihood of being able to ‘identify a search topic / question and define it using simple terminology’ which is a fundamental part of addressing the essay question.
When asked what their next action was following their initial confusion or panic, all but one of the respondents indicated seeking support from peers, family members or close friends. After accessing this support, in all cases respondents felt able to tackle the task.
As can be seen from their accounts, our informants’ first response was emotional and they experienced some level of fear, confusion or anxiety about what they had to do. This response was rapidly followed by another emotional response of seeking support from some member of their immediate or extended community. In all cases the informants reported that this was followed by an attempt to undertake the written task. Despite being shown in the lecture the importance of understanding a question and identifying their own existing knowledge base respondents indicate that they went directly to researching information for the essay. Without examining the question and identifying key topics, using appropriate resources to address the question would be challenging. It is this that we consider in the next section of the first essay submission scrutiny.