In the greater context of the field: what undergraduate reflections on the research process tell us about information literacy

This study examines research practices of undergraduate students, as described in reflective essays submitted in applications to a Library research award. Thematic analysis of 24 student award essays identified three strong themes in student reflections on their research experiences: Students experienced research as a social process, made meaning closely tied to disciplinary ways of knowing and practicing, and underwent transformation through the research process. Through a discussion of these themes, the authors highlight implications for information literacy instruction and suggest this instruction be connected more strongly to disciplinary practices in order to develop information literacy in undergraduate students.