What should a library media specialist do first when planning a lesson on bibliographic citation?

When planning a lesson on bibliographic citation, starting with a demonstration of how to locate key elements—such as the title, author, publisher, and date of publication—on the title page is fundamental. This foundational step equips students with the necessary skills to gather information accurately for their citations. Understanding the components of bibliographic references is essential, as students cannot cite sources correctly if they do not know where or how to find the relevant details.

Identifying these elements enhances their comprehension of what goes into a bibliographic citation. Once students grasp how to extract this information from texts, they can move on to applying it in practice, such as recognizing correct formatting or using style manuals. This early focus on information location lays a solid groundwork for the other activities mentioned in the options, which build upon the ability to identify bibliographic elements.