How to Contribute Cases

Four Easy Steps

1. Log in. You can create a log in here. Or you can send an email to casewiki@lib.byu.edu.
2. Enter the title of your case in the main search box. This results in a screen that says there is no page with that title, with a link you can click on to "create this page." Case titles should follow a TOPIC - TITLE format, for example, "International Business - Launching the Wii"
3. After clicking on "create this page" you will be taken to a page where you can input the text of your case. See below for more information on structure and formatting.
4. Click on "Save Page" and you're done. You may also want to click on the "Watch" tab at the top, which will send you email notification if your case is ever edited by someone else.

Case Structure

Most cases should follow this basic structure, and any case on the Library Instruction Case Wiki can serve as a model:

• Premise: The scenario or story behind the case. This is typically brief and simple, but generates interest for students because it represents problems or situations they are already familiar with or expect to encounter later in their careers or education. Interest can also be generated through humor or by linking the scenario to current events.

• Preliminary Discussion: After introducing the premise, the librarian should lead a preliminary discussion in which students can identify the information needs inherent in the case. In writing your case you can make suggestions here as to how the librarian might use such a discussion to introduce various principles of information literacy, especially in guiding students to research strategies appropriate for the case. Librarians should also be reminded to communicate objectives to students, namely that determining the correct solution to the case may not be as important as exploring resources, principles, and strategies that would be useful in addressing the case.

• Resources:
  • The body of the case should be occupied by a cycle of exercises where the librarian introduces a resource that meets an information need expressed in the preliminary discussion and introduces additional concepts of information literacy related to it.
  • The librarian challenges the students to experiment with the resource for several minutes, with a specific objective, such as identifying data that would assist in deciding the case scenario.
  • A small number of students should share what they have found with the rest of the group and explain their reasoning.

This cycle can be repeated with one to three more resources. However, the temptation to introduce every relevant resource must be resisted. Librarians should use laundry lists to provide their laundry lists (i.e. handouts). Only by focusing on a small number of key resources does the librarian have enough time to both introduce concepts of information literacy and to make learning active with hands-on, purposeful exercises.

Note that certain cases may follow a different pattern. For instance, Building a Company List - Trucking in Texas focuses on comparing only two resources, thought he cyclical structure of the case is preserved through the exercises.

Note also that while you may mention specific resources as appropriate for use in the case, it is wise to mention alternatives since library holdings, subscriptions, and licenses vary. Nor should cases endorse or be interpreted as endorsing any specific resource.

• Wrap Up: Include any summary principles or suggestions for librarians conducting your case. The librarians themselves should use the Wrap Up to review the strategies and principles learned during the case and point students to further resources or strategies, lest the artificial constraints of the library instruction context create in students a habit of quick or narrow research practices.

Formatting Tips

The easiest way to format a case is to first go to an existing case's page. Click on the "Edit" tab at the top. Copy the text of the case--but do not make any unintentional changes to the existing case. Then return to the home page, create the new page, and paste the copied case. You can then overwrite the old case with your new case, taking advantage of the old case's formatting.

Other tips:

• Bold: Type '''Bold text''' to get Bold text
• Italics: Type ''Italic text'' to get Italic text
• Bold and Italics: Type '''''Bold & Italic''''' to get Bold & Italic

Bullets: Type * Bullet 1 and ** Bullet 2 to get:

• Bullet 1
  • Bullet 2

Numbered Lists: Type # Number 1 and # Number 2 and ## Number 2.1 to get:

1. Number 1
2. number 2
   1. Number 2.1

Headings: Type ==Level 1== or ===Level 2=== or ====Level 3==== =====Level 4===== to get:

Level 1

Level 2

Level 3

Level 4

Type to get