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Information Literacy is the ability to recognize when information is needed and have the ability to locate, evaluate, and use effectively the needed information. Students at all levels can benefit from information literacy instruction.

Just getting started...

• Identify types of sources, basic types of authority, and the differences between Google and library searches
• Conceptualize the beginnings of the research process, including the development of topics and research questions
• Demonstrate knowledge of strategies for avoiding plagiarism and correctly citing sources
• Possess a basic knowledge of the library space, the librarians’ roles, and the library’s physical and digital materials and services

Research papers, assignments, etc.

• Identify and articulate their own information needs related to course and research objectives
• Select and add synonyms and related keywords to search strategies in order to produce search results more relevant to research questions
• Search for and retrieve books and scholarly articles using the library catalog and databases
• Begin using discipline-specific databases and search strategies for finding resources

Senior thesis, Graduate courses

• Critically evaluate sources, especially within the context of the discipline at large and within differing arguments/perspectives in their field
• Master discipline-specific resources and demonstrate an understanding on how information is produced, shared, and applied in a discipline
• Successfully synthesize and cite the body of literature on a chosen topic 

Please contact Sonia Lisboa-Ochoa, Reference Librarian or Erin Irving, Manager Library and Information Services to schedule instruction.

More about the  ACRL (Association of College & Research Libraries) Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education.

Brief overview of the Frames:

• Authority Is Constructed and Contextual
  • Information resources reflect their creators’ expertise and credibility, and are evaluated based on the information need and the context in which the information will be used. Authority is constructed in that various communities may recognize different types of authority. It is contextual in that the information need may help to determine the level of authority required.
• Information Creation as a Process
  • Information in any format is produced to convey a message and is shared via a selected delivery method. The iterative processes of researching, creating, revising, and disseminating information vary, and the resulting product reflects these differences.
• Information Has Value
  • Information possesses several dimensions of value, including as a commodity, as a means of education, as a means to influence, and as a means of negotiating and understanding the world. Legal and socioeconomic interests influence information production and dissemination.
• Research as Inquiry
  • Research is iterative and depends upon asking increasingly complex or new questions whose answers in turn develop additional questions or lines of inquiry in any field.
• Scholarship as Conversation
  • Communities of scholars, researchers, or professionals engage in sustained discourse with new insights and discoveries occurring over time as a result of varied perspectives and interpretations.
• Searching as Strategic Exploration
  • Searching for information is often nonlinear and iterative, requiring the evaluation of a range of information sources and the mental flexibility to pursue alternate avenues as new understanding develops.