Poster Presentation

Developing ESP Users’ Information
Literacy

Joanna Sycz-Opoń
University of Silesia, Poland
This article presents proposals for a series of classes aimed at developing information-seeking
skills of ESP users. The scenario of the classes is based on the results of a large observation
study into students’ information-seeking behaviour. The classes could possibly be integrated
into most ESP classes.

Information-seeking Skills in the Context of ESP

In today’s information-saturated reality, even the most comprehensive ESP course
cannot be expected to cover the entire range of knowledge in a specialised field.
Moreover, with the development of sciences, the fields of expertise are becoming
increasingly specialised, resulting in the constant creation of new terminology.
Thus, it is probable that in their future careers the students will have to deal with
topics that exceed the content of standard ESP classes.
One may argue that the current generation of students is tech savvy andas such does not need to be taught how to look for information. However, as
existing research shows (Madden, 2005; Margaryan, Littlejohn, & Vojt, 2011 ;Nicholas & Rowlands, 2008), there is “little evidence in the literature generated
for claims that young people are expert searchers, or even that the search prowessof young people has improved with time” (Williams, Rowlands, & Fieldhouse,2008, p. 170). As Kamińska-Czubała (2007, 2013) explained, this is because
information-seeking behaviour in various situational contexts is not governed by
the same rules. Moreover, it seems that the search strategy applied by a particularperson might not necessarily be the most efficient one. Subsequently, teachers211Sycz-Opońmay expect students to be adept at using social media or email but have limited
knowledge of specialist programmes or webpages that contain information
related to ESP translation.
Moreover, according to Béjoint (1981), Atkins (1998), and Chi (2003),
traditional dictionaries are also not handled well by the majority of students. Chi(2003), in her strong comment, provides an explanation why:
It is chimerical to believe that … N[on] N[ative] English-speaking users firstwould, without training, have the initiative, ability and knowledge to searchthrough the many new dictionaries available and find one to suit their needs.
This would imply that they understand the innovative features found incurrent dictionaries, are able to identify their own needs and match them withthe claims made by various dictionaries, and then successfully pick the rightone(s). The assumption goes further: that users will teach themselves how to
use a particular dictionary by referring to the introductory pages at the frontof the book, and be able to use the dictionary to solve their problems. Finally,
they will be so satisfied with the dictionary that they will continue using it intheir learning [or translation]. Such assumptions are unrealistic. (p. 2)
Taking the above into consideration, it seems that education in the area of
information seeking is necessary. Such education may aim to make students
more self-reliant during the learning process, which is especially important once
they leave their educational institutions and face new challenges related to theuse of ESP on their own.
Accordingly, what should such education look like? This paper herein
describes a series of proposals for classroom activities aimed at developing
information skills. The scenarios of these classroom activities are based on theresults of a large observation study into students’ information behaviour (SyczOpoń, 2015). The study aimed to discover the typical behaviours related tolooking for information during translation of a legal text, and at the same time
reveal common mistakes and problems encountered by the students. During theobservation sessions, the participants were divided into pairs. One person ineach pair was assigned the task of translating a legal text with the use of available
sources of information (printed, desktop, and online). Their conduct was212

Developing ESP Users’ Information Literacy, OnCUE Journal, 11(2), pages 211-218

observed by the other participant in each pair sitting nearby, who were asked torecord their colleague’s information behaviour by filling in a special Observation
Protocol (Appendix). The experiment sessions were also registered by means ofa screen and audio recorder. After statistical analysis of the results of the study,
recommendations related to teaching information-seeking skills were formed.
The recommendations constitute the basis of the following teaching scenarios.

Scenarios for Classes Developing Information
Literacy of ESP UsersClass 1: Presentation of Dictionaries
Class aims: to broaden students’ (usually superficial) knowledge of dictionary
content and structure
Teaching method: inductive learning, task-oriented approach
Duration: 1 hr 30 min
Scenario of the class:
1. The students are presented with various dictionaries available on themarket, with special focus on specialist dictionaries.
2. Students do a quiz containing questions referring to the macro- andmicro-structures of various dictionaries (e.g., Are phrasal verbs locatedwithin a dictionary entry, or do they constitute separate entries? Whatdoes C/UC abbreviation stand for, and which dictionaries provide thatinformation?).
Class 2: Presentation of Other Sources of Information
Class aims: to familiarise the students with unconventional sources of information,
especially websites that contain specialist linguistic knowledge. Moreover, topresent advanced search options offered by the sources, which facilitate theinformation-seeking process (e.g., use of asterisks or inverted commas).
Teaching method: workshop, practical approach
Duration: 3 hr
Scenario of the class:
1. The tutor presents various online sources and demonstrates how to use213Sycz-Opoń

them on an interactive whiteboard or projector. The students copy theirmoves and practice navigation of the sources on computers. Presented
sources: machine translators, professional translators’ forums (proz.com),
encyclopaedias, online text corpora (e.g., Google Books, Google Scholar),
online parallel texts (e.g., Glosbe, Linguee), and websites devoted tospecialist subjects (e.g., legal matters) that can be treated as ESP corpora
or a source of specialist knowledge.
2. Homework: students are asked to prepare the list of lexical items they
believe are difficult to find. At the beginning of the following lesson, thestudents are divided into groups and asked to compete against each other.
One group gives the other group a word or phrase that they have to locate
in available sources and measures the time until the task is completed.
The winner is the group that has been able to look up lexical items in theshortest time span.
Class 3: Strengths and Limitations of Various Sources ofInformation
Class aims: to make students realise that there exists no source of information thatwould contain answers to all their linguistic dilemmas, especially in the contextof ESP. The students should discover differences between various sources, so thatthey would know which one is most likely to contain required information.
Teaching method: inductive learning (i.e., students test the effectiveness of various
sources through trial and error).
Duration: 1 hr 30 min
Scenario of the class:
1. Students are divided into groups
2. They are asked to find equivalents to several terms in the sources madeavailable to them. Each group uses different sources.
3. The results of their search are compared and evaluated in classroom
discussion.
4. The class ends with students forming conclusions about the strengths andlimitations of the sources that they were able to test.
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5. Test (next class): students are provided with several terms and phrases(embedded in a particular context) and asked to find definitions,collocations, and equivalents.
Class 4 (Optional): Practicing Use of a Particular Type of Source
Class aims: motivating students to use new sources of information. Observationsof students during classes revealed unwillingness to try out new sources, evenwhen they realise that it might be beneficial for them in the long run. According
to Zipf (1949), people are generally reluctant to use a new solution, becausethat requires effort at the beginning before one learns how to use it. If a tutor
observes such attitude among their students, it is a good idea to prescribe the useof one particular source during several lessons. When given no other option, thestudents would use a given source and hopefully soon master it and appreciate its
functionality.
Teaching method: process-oriented classes
Duration: 4 hr 30 min
Scenario of the class:
1. Students are assigned exercises involving ESP
2. They are asked to use only a certain type of source (e.g., only parallel texts)
when they need to obtain information required to complete the assignedtask.

Conclusion

The above-presented classes mostly involve experimenting with the sourcesof information in order to learn their structure and form opinions about theirfunctionality. It is crucial that this experimenting phase is followed by the phaseof habit formation. During the remaining ESP classes, the students should form
good information-seeking habits, so that in the future they could automatically
apply effective search techniques when faced with linguistic problems. In order toachieve that goal, the topic of consultation of sources should be regularly raised
during classes (e.g., by asking the students: where did you find that information?).
Moreover, it is recommended that the teacher discretely observe the students
when they work on ESP exercises and step in when they exhibit wrong search215Sycz-Opońtechniques or encounter problems. The combination of the two aforementioned
approaches (experimenting/ discovery phase and habit-formation phase)should bring satisfactory educational results (i.e., make ESP students efficient
information researchers), which may help them purse their future careers in ESPrelated professions.

References

Atkins, B. T. S. (1998). Using dictionaries: Studies of dictionary use by language
learners and translators. Tübingen, Germany: Niemeyer Max Verlag GmbH.
Béjoint, H. (1981). The foreign student’s use of monolingual English
dictionaries: A study of language and reference skills. Applied Linguistics,
2(3), 207-222.
Chi, A. M.-L. (2003). An empirical study of the efficacy of integrating theteaching of dictionary use into a tertiary English curriculum in HongKong. Hong Kong: Language Center of Hong Kong University ofScience and Technology. Retrieved from http://repository.ust.hk/ir/bitstream/1783.1-1058/1/Amythesis.pdf
Kamińska-Czubała, B. (2007). Zachowania informacyjne w życiu codziennym:
wybrane aspekty teoretyczne [Information behaviours in everyday life:
selected theoretical aspects]. In M. Próchnicka & A. Korycińska-Huras(Eds.), Między przesłością a przyszłością. Książka, biblioteka, informacja
naukowa–funkcje społeczne na przestrzeni dziejów [Between past andpresent. book, library, scientific information – their social functions acrosscenturies] (pp. 195-202). Kraków, Poland: Wydawnictwo UJ.
Kamińska-Czubała, B. (2013). Zachowania informacyjne w życiu codziennym[Information behaviours in everyday life]. Warsaw, Poland: Stowarzyszenie
Bibliotekarzy Polskich.
Madden, M. (2005). Generations Online (Pew Internet and American Life
Project). Washington DC: Pew Research Center.
Margaryan, A., Littlejohn, A., & Vojt, G. (2011). Are digital natives a mythor reality? University students’ use of digital technologies. Computers &Education, 56(2), 429-440.
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Nicholas, D., & Rowlands, I. (Eds.). (2008). Digital consumers: Reshaping theinformation professions. London, England: Facet Publishing.
Sycz-Opoń, J. (2015). Information behaviour of trainee translators in the course oflegal translation (Doctoral dissertation). University of Silesia, Sosnowiec.
Williams, P., Rowlands, I., & Fieldhouse, M. (2008). The Google Generation- myths and realities about young people’s digital information behaviour.
In D. Nicholas & I. Rowlands (Eds.), Digital consumers (pp. 159-192).
London, England: Facet Publishing.
Zipf, G. K. (1949). Human behaviour and the principle of least effort.
Cambridge, MA: Addison-Wesley Press.

Author bio

Joanna Sycz-Opoń, PhD, is a researcher and lecturer at the University of Silesia,
Poland. Her research interests include lexicography, ESP, legal translation, andinformation behaviour. joanna.sycz@us.edu.pl
Received: October 1, 2017
Accepted: July 31, 2018217

Sycz-Opoń

Appendix

Fragment of the Observation Protocol translated into English
Consulted Term/Phrase:

SourceName (author):

If a dictionary:• bilingual• monolingual• printed• computer• internet

Why Is This Source
Consulted?

What Info Is Being
Sought?

• speed of search• easy-to-use• convenient• specialist• reliable• well-known• at hand• no particularreason• other, what?

• equivalent of theterm from theoriginal text
• meaning of theterm from theoriginal text
• meaning of
the equivalent
provided in abilingual dict.
• confirmation ofinfo• definition• collocation• context of use• grammaticalproperties• does not know
• other:

218

Look-Up Result• satisfactory• not satisfactory,why?
• partly-satisfactory,
why?