[CALIBK12] CA State Standards - Bibliographic Citation Questions
debbie at abilock.net
debbie at abilock.net
Fri Jul 13 08:13:48 PDT 2007
Hi Barbara, Richard, Vickie and CALibbers,
While I concur with Barbara that "bibliographic citations make up only one
thread" and, at the same time, agree with Richard's disgust at testing
punctuation (and have strong reservations about citation software that is
designed to *only* enable mindless fill-in-the-blanks), I see the potential
for using a works cited/bibilography list to have students think quite
broadly about authority, currency, credibility - the important issues.
We should be looking at creative ways to use the standards to teach critical
thinking and ways to structure a punctuation assessment to be authentic and
relevant. For the "ICT Literacy Assessment" issue of Knowledge Quest (in
proofs), I analyzed a variety of ways to assess a bibliography. Some of the
ideas are here: http://www.noodletools.com/debbie/ethical/assessment.html -
I can point you to the column when it's online.
Debbie Abilock, Editor-in-Chief
Knowledge Quest
http://www.ala.org/aasl/kqweb
kq at abilock.net
Knowledge Quest is devoted to offering substantive information to assist
building-level library media specialists, supervisors, library educators,
and other decision makers concerned with the development of school library
media programs and services. Articles address the integration of theory and
practice in school librarianship and new developments in education, learning
theory, and relevant disciplines.
best,
debbie
"In a time of drastic change it is the learners who inherit the future. The
learned usually find themselves equipped to live in a world that no longer
exists." --Eric Hoffer
-----Original Message-----
From: calibk12-bounces at lists.sjsu.edu
[mailto:calibk12-bounces at lists.sjsu.edu] On Behalf Of Vickie Rabourn
Sent: Monday, July 09, 2007 6:21 PM
To: Barbara Jeffus; calibk12 at listproc.sjsu.edu
Subject: Re: [CALIBK12] CA State Standards - Bibliographic Citation
Questions
Dear Barbara,
Thank you so much for your informative, carefully thought-out reply. As soon
as I heard from you, I thought, "Duh! Why didn't I write Barbara in the
first place? Of course, she's the best source for information and insight
regarding my concern!" When I communicated with the CDE, the representative
from the Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) program for
English-Language Arts gave me the contact information I included in my post.
I'm so glad to learn that those contacts do not have the legislative
authority to change the Standards, nor does any other entity. I hope
Sacramento gets that one figured out soon. As times change, the Standards
will need to be modified.
In the meantime, you're right: we need to teach the Standards as written to
help our students do well on the CA Standardized Tests (CSTs). I am familiar
with all the standards and know the ELA and History-Social Science standards
for grades 7-8 inside and out. I have also administered some of the CSTs
over the years, but it wasn't until recently that I actually read each of
the questions on two given ELA CSTs. I was surprised to see questions such
as the one pasted below, because I never realized that such intricate
details as the ones called for in the example would be included on a Grade 7
CST.
I do teach our 7th grade students how to create in-text citations correctly
(and repeat that instruction for 8th graders), but I still have my doubts if
many of them can recall exactly how to do them when it comes time to take
the ELA CST near year's end. As long as the CSTs call for recollection of
exacting specifics, we'll need to encourage our students to memorize rules
that in the past we may have put less emphasis on, telling students that
such rules can easily be looked up and referred to when needed. I will
definitely be changing my tune come September.
Thank you again, Barbara, for your time and expertise. I'm so glad you are
in Sacramento representing California's K-12 library educators. You and CSLA
work hard in your efforts to make California school library programs
exemplary and accessible to all CA students. I speak for many when I say I
appreciate you.
Grade 7 ELA CST Example:
About one month after the test run, the Clay Street Hill line opened for
public use. (Kessler 21) What is the correct way to punctuate the in-text
citation?
A use (Kessler, 21)
B use. (Kessler, 21)
C use (Kessler 21).
D use. (Kessler 21).
Vickie Rabourn
Los Osos Middle School Library Media Teacher San Luis Coastal USD San Luis
Obispo County, CA
"And he reads to them, as he does every night, as if watering them, as if
turning earth at their feet."
--James Salter
>>> "Barbara Jeffus" <BJeffus at cde.ca.gov> 6/1/2007 5:26 PM >>>
Vickie and all,
Vickie raises a very interesting concern; however, writing letters to the
two groups she suggests will not work. Let me tell you why and then I will
suggest an alternate approach.
HOW STATE STANDARDS ARE DEVELOPED
First, who has the ability to change or update the California content
standards? That's a big question and has been since the various commissions
originally developed the standards. Since the State Board adopted each
commission's work, the legislature has looked into how to make changes. No
related bill has made it through the legislative process thus no changes
have been made to the standards. Neither of the offices mentioned below has
the power to make changes to standards without legislative authority.
TEACHING TO THE STANDARDS
In a standards world, we're supposed to be teaching to the standards rather
than making the standards reflect the way we teach. A quick pass through
the English-Language Arts Content Standards for California Public Schools
revealed the following standards that deal with bibliographic citations. To
get to the number of questions on a standard in the California Standards
Test (CST), see the test blueprints at
http://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/tg/sr/blueprints.asp. To see released test
questions, go to http://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/tg/sr/css05rtq.asp.
Grade 4, WRITING Strategies 1.5: Quote or paraphrase information sources,
citing them appropriately. (No. of questions on CST: 1) Grade 5, WRITING
Strategies 1.3: Use organizational features of printed text (e.g. citations,
end notes, bibliographic references) to locate relevant information. (Number
of questions on CST: 1) Grade 6, WRITING Applications 2.3: Write research
reports...Include a bibliography. (Not tested) Grade 7, WRITING Strategies
1.5: Give credit for both quoted and paraphrased information in a
bibliography by using a consistent and sanctioned format and methodology for
citations. (No. of questions on CST: 2) Grade 7, SPEAKING Applications 2.3:
Deliver research presentations...d. Cite reference sources appropriately.
(Not tested) Grade 8, WRITING Applications 2.3: Write research reports. No
mention of citations. (Not tested) Grade 8, LISTENING AND SPEAKING
Applications 2.3. Deliver research presentations. No mention of citations.
(Not tested) Grades 9 and 10, READING COMPREHENSION 2.2: Prepare a
bibliography of reference materials for a report using a variety of
consumer, workplace, and public documents. (No. of questions on CST: 2)
Grades 9 and 10, WRITING Strategies 1.7: Use appropriate conventions for
documentation in the text, notes, and bibliographies by adhering to those in
style manuals (e.g., Modern Language Association Handbook, The Chicago
Manual of Style). (No. of questions on CST: 2) Grades 9 and 10, WRITTEN AND
ORAL ENGLISH LANGUAGE CONVENTIONS 1.5: Reflect appropriate manuscript
requirements, including title page presentation, pagination, spacing and
margins, and integration of source and support material (e.g., in-text
citation, use of direct quotations, paraphrasing) with appropriate
citations. (No. of questions on CST: 1) Grades 11 and 12, WRITING Strategies
1.7: Use systematic strategies to organize and record information (e.g.,
anecdotal scripting, annotated bibliographies). (No. of questions on CST: 2)
Grades 11 and 12, WRITING Applications 2.4: Write historical investigation
reports...include a formal bibliography. (Not tested)
Here are a couple of examples from the released test questions.
Grade 4. Q 51. "If Carrie quotes an article when writing her report, her
bibliography should include all of these except the A. title of the article.
B page number of the article. C author who wrote the article. D date she
read the article."
Grade 9. Q26. "Which of the following questions is answered in the
bibliography in Document A? A Are special running shoes needed for
beginners? B Is Scanlon-Van Horn Publishers located in New York? C. Is James
Gleick related to Libby Mendez? D Is Runner's Magazine published weekly or
semimonthly?"
Grade 9. Q27. "If this book were to be added to the bibliography in Document
A, which of the following entries would be correct?" (Students offered four
choices of bibliographic styles. Only one right answer.)
ALTERNATIVE SUGGESTION
Don't write letters now. CFIR and the State Board will only tell you they
are not authorized to change the standards.
Instead, let's look at this as a professional development issue, perhaps for
a CSLA ad hoc committee to address. Whether it's a CSLA committee, a
district committee, or you alone, I hope this overly long message
demonstrates that bibliographic citations make up only one thread among the
many possibilities for teaching to the standards "in and with" the library.
You can see how important it is to student performance on the California
Standards Test. If you haven't taken the time to mark up a copy of the
standards or a framework that contains the standards, it is a worthwhile
activity. There will be sessions related to testing/libraries/student
achievement at the annual CSLA State Conference and one workshop for sure
'cuz Cindy Bender and I are doing it. In the meantime, if your end-of-school
schedule allows, please share with others on this listserv the positive
steps you have taken to identify information literacy-related state
standards and what you have done with that valu!
able information.
Barbara
Barbara Jeffus
School Library Consultant
California Department of Education
1430 N Street, Suite 3207
Sacramento, CA 95814
PHONE: 916-319-0445
FAX: 916-319-0172
bjeffus at cde.ca.gov
http://www.cde.ca.gov/ci/cr/lb/
>>> "Vickie Rabourn" <VRABOURN at slcusd.org> 5/31/2007 5:25 PM >>>
Please consider joining me in requesting that the English-Language Arts
standards that focus on bibliographic citations be altered. The
standards should reflect the way we currently teach citation
development: showing students how to locate and identify the essential
elements that make up bibliographic citations and plugging those
elements into one of the outstanding online bibliographic citation
instruments (such as KnightCite).
Knowing when and why it is essential to cite sources and knowing the
components that make up bibliographic citations is critical, but to
expect students to memorize the nitty-gritty of order and punctuation is
too much. There are more important matters on which to focus.
Letters may be addressed to the following:
Curriculum Frameworks and Instructional Resources Division
1430 N Street
Sacramento, CA 95814
California State Board of Education
1430 N Street, Suite #5111
Sacramento, CA 95814
Vickie Rabourn
Los Osos Middle School Library Media Teacher
San Luis Coastal USD
San Luis Obispo County, CA
"And he reads to them, as he does every night,
as if watering them, as if turning earth at their feet."
--James Salter
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