ENGL 111 Library Session: Faculty Information

The Library Instruction Session for ENGL 111 is based on a set of guidelines called the ACRL Information Literacy Framework.  This framework is a guide for teaching people how to find, evaluate and use information effectively.

Outcome 1

Students will identify purpose and distinguishing characteristics of different types of information sources.

Corresponding ALA/ACRL Information Literacy Framework:  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.

Learners who are developing their information literate abilities...

• define different types of authority, such as subject expertise (e.g., scholarship), societal position (e.g., public office or title), or special experience (e.g., participating in a historic event);
• use research tools and indicators of authority to determine the credibility of sources, understanding the elements that might temper this credibility;
• understand that many disciplines have acknowledged authorities in the sense of well-known scholars and publications that are widely considered “standard,” and yet, even in those situations, some scholars would challenge the authority of those sources;
• recognize that authoritative content may be packaged formally or informally and may include sources of all media types;
• acknowledge they are developing their own authoritative voices in a particular area and recognize the responsibilities this entails, including seeking accuracy and reliability, respecting intellectual property, and participating in communities of practice;
• understand the increasingly social nature of the information ecosystem where authorities actively connect with one another and sources develop over time.

Outcome 2

Students will be able to utilize AI tools to narrow a topic and develop a set of targeted keywords to use in library database searches.

Corresponding ALA/ACRL Information Literacy Framework: 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.

Learners who are developing their information literate abilities...

• formulate questions for research based on information gaps or on reexamination of existing, possibly conflicting, information;
• determine an appropriate scope of investigation;
• deal with complex research by breaking complex questions into simple ones, limiting the scope of investigations;
• use various research methods, based on need, circumstance, and type of inquiry;
• monitor gathered information and assess for gaps or weaknesses;
• organize information in meaningful ways;
• synthesize ideas gathered from multiple sources;
• draw reasonable conclusions based on the analysis and interpretation of information.

Outcome 3

Students will be able to demonstrate the ability to search, filter, and access relevant sources using the library’s Search with Zahnow discovery platform for a research topic.

Corresponding ALA/ACRL Information Literacy Framework: 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.

Learners who are developing their information literate abilities...

• determine the initial scope of the task required to meet their information needs;
• identify interested parties, such as scholars, organizations, governments, and industries, who might produce information about a topic and then determine how to access that information;
• utilize divergent (e.g., brainstorming) and convergent (e.g., selecting the best source) thinking when searching;
• match information needs and search strategies to appropriate search tools;
• design and refine needs and search strategies as necessary, based on search results;
• understand how information systems (i.e., collections of recorded information) are organized in order to access relevant information;
• use different types of searching language (e.g., controlled vocabulary, keywords, natural language) appropriately;
• manage searching processes and results effectively.