Where from, who, why and how? A study of the use of sources by first year L2 university students

Abstract

Knowing how to use sources effectively often poses considerable challenges for first year undergraduate students for whom English is a second language (L2). In this longitudinal case study we investigated the selection and self-reported use of source materials by thirteen first year L2 undergraduate students from a range of disciplines enrolled at a major Australian university. Our findings show that students at the beginning of their studies selected material from a wide range of sources but relied predominantly on Internet sources using Google as a search engine. The main criteria guiding students' selection of sources were authoritativeness, ease of understanding and relevance. By the end..