1. Activate your journal club
Helen Buckley Woods, University of Sheffield, h.b.woods@sheffield.ac.uk
Background/ problem:
The arguments for adopting an evidence-based approach to our work have been well
documented. Engaging with research evidence enriches our practice and can help us
develop better services. Library and Information professionals engage with research
literature when doing their own research, preparing teaching materials or as part of
current awareness activities. A common method to engage with research is to have
a discussion group or journal club. Journal clubs vary greatly in their format and
output, but always involve some kind of discussion of a research paper. After
attending a number of discussion sessions, which were typically passive in nature
and lacked focus, a solution from IL teaching suggested itself.
Aims and objectives of the presentation:
This presentation will outline the pilot of a journal club, which used active learning
methods. The facilitator will share how the papers were chosen in order to encourage
discussion, how the group was organised and how the sessions were evaluated.
Practical tips on running a journal group in this way will be shared from both the
facilitator and participants’ perspectives. Interim results from online evaluation and
plans for the journal club will also be presented.