Information Literacy Program

Goal

Novice Outcomes

Intermediate Outcomes

Advanced Outcomes

Define the extent of the information needed. Ask questions that provide additional lines of inquiry. Approach research as a process of inquiry.

• Develop appropriately-scoped research topics or questions based on identified information needs
• Describe, at a general level, the scholarly research process
• Describe how library services may be helpful to the research process

• Recognize research as an iterative process; evaluate and revise research questions and scope based on results of the research process
• Follow multiple lines of investigation on research topic
• Recognize which part(s) of a research problem will need evidence or support

• Revise or develop new questions and lines of inquiry based on personal interest, gaps in existing information, or when confronted with new information
• Develop a working knowledge of the literature of their field and how it is produced

Goal

Novice Outcomes

Intermediate Outcomes

Advanced Outcomes

Design searches strategically using advanced search techniques and careful selection of a search system.

• Select appropriate general databases, catalogs, and search engines based on their information needs
• Demonstrate database search techniques (e.g. keywords,
  Boolean operators, limiters, filters) to locate relevant information
• Employ basic strategies for organizing sources

• Select and use appropriate discipline-specific resources and search strategies to find information on a given topic
• Refine search strategy based on the information need
• Browse bibliographies and citations to discover  additional sources

• Identify prominent individuals, articles,  organizations, and journals for a given topic or research area
• Discuss ways that search tools and algorithms might present challenges to objectivity when conducting research
• Systematically organize sources using  reference management software

Goal

Novice Outcomes

Intermediate Outcomes

Advanced Outcomes

Critically evaluate information to determine its appropriateness for a specific purpose.

• Categorize sources of information based on source type and purpose
• Evaluate information based on indicators of authority and
  scholarliness
• Discuss issues of credibility, authority, and trust as they pertain to information consumption

• Recognize that there may be multiple perspectives on a research topic and that a
  single source may not represent the entirety or
  majority view of the scholarly conversation
• Locate other trusted coverage to determine if a source is an outlier
• Trace claims and quotes to their original sources

• Identify biases in  their research field or topic that privilege some sources of information over others
• Describe how the cultural, historical, or other context in which knowledge or evidence is discovered or information is created or synthesized may
  impact its presentation (e.g. packaged formally or informally) and/or its interpretation

Goal

Novice Outcomes

Intermediate Outcomes

Advanced Outcomes

Apply information effectively to accomplish a specific purpose. Contribute to the scholarly conversation at an appropriate level.

• Apply information from various sources to support their research in appropriate ways (e.g. background information, evidence, analysis, methodology)
• Draw reasonable conclusions based on the evidence available

• Organize and  synthesize ideas from multiple sources and formats
• Identify the contribution a single source makes towards the scholarly conversation on a research topic
• Identify gaps in the scholarship
  on a particular research topic

• Summarize the scholarly conversation on a research topic
• Identify changes over time in a scholarly conversation
• Employ discipline-specific approaches for conveying research findings

Goal

Novice Outcomes

Intermediate Outcomes

Advanced Outcomes

Understand the value of information and practice contextually-appropriate attribution techniques when using others’ work.

• Use available citation resources to create and modify citations in at least one common citation style
• Demonstrate contextually-appropriate attribution techniques when quoting, paraphrasing, and summarizing
• Describe the role citation plays in facilitating the scholarly conversation

• Apply the rules of a citation style appropriate to their discipline to generate citations and bibliographies
• Recognize issues related to intellectual property and copyright as they pertain to finding and using information in their daily lives
• Understand issues of cost as it relates to knowledge
  production and access

• Demonstrate mastery over the citation style appropriate to their discipline
• Recognize issues related to privacy and the commodification of information and develop skills to manage personal and academic information accordingly

Content

Content

Content

Content

Critically reflect on the gaps and weaknesses in their own research practices, those of their field, and of the information ecosystem as a whole.

• Identify what they have learned from practicing research
• Reflect on their research to identify both their own errors and gaps and weaknesses in their literature search

• Describe what they would do differently the next time they research
• Reflect on the literature available on their topic and consider whose voices and contributions are missing and why

• Practice continuous reflection and revision of their own research process
• Reflect on how systems of information creation and dissemination can privilege some voices and contributions over others