Research Essentials
Research Essentials is integrated into the UMKC General Education program to teach students skills that will help them meet key student learning outcomes related to finding and using information.
Within UMKC Essentials we offer instruction for First Semester Experience, Written Communications, and Oral Communications courses. Our curriculum covers information literacy skills and concepts—identifying source types; evaluating information needs; finding, using, and integrating sources—applied to the course research assignment. It consists of online tutorials that students complete through Canvas, as well as targeted class sessions. Our learning activities are intended to help students achieve identified learning outcomes while maintaining focus on the larger goals of their research projects, course outcomes, undergraduate education, and future careers.
Research Essentials Team

Mission
Our goal is to give students the skills they need to be information savvy for success in both academics and the real world.
FAQ
- First Semester Experience students learn about the information production cycle and a wide variety of information literacy concepts, with a focus on authors, authority, and types of sources.
- Written Communication students learn about the developing search strategies, searching skills, and the usage of primary and secondary sources.
- Oral Communication students learn about topic development, source types, searching skills, and source evaluation.
The Research Essentials curriculum is embedded in all sections of FSE, English 110 (online module only), English 225, and gen ed communication studies courses.
- Embed the Research Essentials online modules into your Canvas course. See “How do I embed Research Essentials in my Canvas site?”
- If the class is face-to-face or blended, you may schedule an instruction session in the library. (See “How do I schedule Research Essentials for my class?”) Next, provide syllabi and research assignments to the teaching librarian, who customizes the instruction to the assignment theme and requirements.
- Assign the Research Essentials online modules to your students. Students should complete the modules before the instruction session or online workshop–we use the flipped classroom to ensure that students can first absorb information literacy concepts and then practice applying those concepts for learning.
- Partner with the Research Essentials librarians. We’ll help guide your students to the next level of information literacy competency, encouraging them to think critically about their research topic choices, to seek better and more diverse sources, and recommending individual help from a librarian at any time in the research process.
For text-based instructions, access this Google Doc.
Research Essentials Team
Miller Nichols Library,
University of Missouri-Kansas City
askalibrarian@umkc.edu
(816) 235-1526
Research Essentials online learning content is available to import into your Canvas course site through the Canvas Commons. (See detailed instructions under “How do I embed Research Essentials in my Canvas site?”) Once embedded in your course site, the Research Essentials modules will generate a grade column in your course Gradebook. (FSE does not incorporate a graded quiz.)
- One grade column will be for the Quiz module.
- The Quiz will come with a default point value. You can edit the values for each question to match your course point scale as necessary.
- Scores will appear in the grade column as soon as your students complete the quiz. You will have editing capabilities for the grade column as well as for individual scores.
The Research Essentials Team at the library contacts relevant General Education instructors a week or so before the start of the semester to determine those who wish to schedule Research Essentials instruction.
Detailed scheduling instructions are provided to instructors every semester. Steps include completing a form with first and second date choices, receiving scheduling verification from the library, and being connected with the librarian who will be teaching your session.
UMKC Essentials Curriculum
First Semester Experience
- Academic Research Tools
- Exploring UMKC Libraries
Oral communications
- Source Evaluation
- Topic Development
- Types of Sources
Written communications
- Citing Sources
- Database Searching
- Search Strategies
What instructors are staying about Research Essentials



