Report #2
FIPP Activity Report
Funded by the Basic Skills Initiative
Name Briita Halonen
Date 11/24/09
FIPP Partner Robin Bouse
Section #6348
Activity /Strategy Jigsaw Activity for MLA Works Cited
Category Classroom Activities
Briefly describe the activity/strategy.
1. Introduction I use this activity to help students learn how to put together various
Works Cited entries in MLA format. I think this activity is most useful after they
have compiled most of their research sources but have not yet been required
to format them into a Works Cited list. Not only does this strategy increase
interdependence and self-responsibility, it fits smoothly with the best way to
construct Works Cited lists. It shows them that they have the resources at their
fingertips and the ability to figure it out on their own.
2. Set up & Supplies The set-up is minimal. The faculty member just needs to
create groups (which I do ahead of time because my students have consistent
groups of 4 for the whole research process). The students simply need to
bring Rules for Writers or some other writing manual with MLA instruction and
a pen or pencil. The ECC library's handout for citing ECC databases can also
come in handy.
3. Directions The activity should take about an hour.
First five minutes = have students move into groups
ten minutes = briefly explain the activity & remind them of helpful page numbers
five minutes = have each student choose an "area of expertise", (book entries,
print periodical entries, database entries, or websites) for their group. There
should be only one of each per group.
ten minutes = student should work independently on their type of Works Cited
entry. They should follow the MLA format in Rules for Writers and create a
sample entry based on one of their research paper sources.
fifteen minutes = students should meet with the other experts for their entry type
to compare, contrast and refine.
15-20 minutes = return to their original groups of four and teach the others in their
group how to do that entry type.
4. Conclusion This activity requires no grading, but I think it will be most effective if
a completed Works Cited list for the research paper is due during the next
class session so that students are conscious of the applicability of this learned
skill.
What worked well? This activity required virtually no prep on my part and resulted in
some of the best Works Cited lists I've seen in my last three years of teaching, despite
all of the changes to MLA in 2009.
What would you change? My directions above indicate the amount of time I would
recommend. My classes ran out of time for teaching one another, and I believe they
would have benefitted from more time. I would also want to remind students about the
differences between magazine, newspaper, and journal formats within otherwise similar
database entries before they get started.
Would you use the activity/strategy again? Why or why not? Absolutely. It was much more
engaging than a lecture on MLA formatting and had great results.
Please describe any student learning outcomes/changes that you observed after the
implementation of the activity/strategy. Part of the English 1A SLO is to "find multiple
sources related to a particular topic … write a research report that shows the ability to
… integrate materials effectively from a variety of sources, and to cite sources in MLA
format (including a works cited page)." Since the activity, I have noticed dramatically
improved formatting of Works Cited entries.