“It was at the library; therefore it must be credible”: Mapping patterns of undergraduate heuristic decision-making

ABSTRACT

In this study, we explore the heuristic decision-making skills of undergraduate students as they incorporate information into their persuasive speeches. We interviewed 26 students enrolled in an introductory communication course to ascertain their information literacy for vetting sources for their public speeches. From their responses, we generated four patterns in students’ heuristic decision-making when they made appeals to justify or legitimize their selection of evidence within their persuasive public speech. We conclude by discussing our findings in the context of information literacy scholarship and providing pedagogical advice for instructors who teach public speaking in the introductory communication course.

KEYWORDS:

• public speaking
• information literacy
• introductory communication course
• heuristic decision-making

Notes

1 Although there are commonalities across instructor sections in the department, there is no uniform departmental pedagogy or syllabus and no departmental criteria for addressing information literacy. Thus, we believe the current investigation addresses students’ information literacy and heuristic thinking in a general sense rather than as a result of direct and intentional instruction.

Additional information

Funding

This project was funded by the University of Northern Iowa Provost's Pre-Tenure Award.