The Borderland of Value: Examining Student Attitudes towards Secondary Research Jacqueline Courtney Klentzin, PhD. - Associate Professor of Learning Resources Robert Morris University - Pittsburgh, PA, USA E-mail: Klentzin@rmu.edu Introduction This study utilized a simple qualitative survey to investigate college student attitudes towards secondary research at Robert Morris University in Pittsburgh, PA, USA. The participants were a purposeful sample of students who have recently received library instruction as part of their participation in a required first semester course. The survey responses were analyzed for meaning and then contextualized through the lens of Bloom’s Taxonomy (Affective Domain). As a result of this study, the RMU information literacy librarian will better understand the attitudes students carry with them in regard to the value of secondary research and consciously incorporate affective components into her work in order to craft more impactful library sessions. Findings Based on a content analysis of the written responses, eight themes emerged that together describe the students’ shared attitudes towards secondary research. For the majority of participants (“Mixed”), secondary research has no real value. Instead, it is the topic of study that brings worth to the process thereby creating an inconsistent affective experience (Bloom’s Level 2/Level 3). A substantial contingent of students (“Don’t Like”) described their motivations for conducting research as solely extrinsic in nature and maintained adverse emotions and attitudes towards the process (Bloom’s Level 2). Finally, smaller group of students (“Like”) were both intrinsically and extrinsically driven to participate in the research process and reported either positive or neutral emotions in relation to the activity (Bloom’s Level 3). Content Themes "Like" "Mixed" "Don't Like" n=30, 16% n=91, 49% n=61, 33% Intellectual Curiosity: Intrinsic motivation to conduct research in order to add to one's personal knowledge base. Content Knowledge: Secondary research facilitates the completion of assignments and increases overall product quality. Situational: The value of research is dependent upon the indivdual student's personal relationship with the research topic. Locate the "Right" Information: Secondary research is done in order to find specific data that will please the instructor. Uselessness of Data: Information found during research for a class assignment has not value in "real" life. Simple Dislike: Research is "boring," "tedious," and "time-consuming." "Library Anxiety": Students felt they lacked effective research skills, which resulted in low confidence levels. Not the Research "Type": Prior self-catagorization put students at odds with the research process.