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Information Literacy Toolkit

This guide is intended to support Penn State University librarians, faculty, instructors, and teaching assistants in incorporating information literacy topics and tools into their teaching.

Foundational Information Literacy

The Penn State University Libraries has established foundational information literacy learning objectives. The tools and learning objects in this section of the toolkit support students in their development of these capabilities. 

At the foundational level, students will be able to:    

  • Critically evaluate different sources of information and identify key criteria needed in an authoritative source in order to select appropriate sources for a specific research need. 
  • Formulate research questions and identify keywords in order to chart a research path that will lead to a deeper understanding of a topic. 
  • Identify the library as a source of academic support, including information sources, research and writing consultation services, and spaces.  
  • Determine the most appropriate search tool (e.g. LionSearch, Google, or other database) for their information need.  
  • Distinguish between different information formats (scholarly article, newspaper article, blog, etc.) and determine the appropriate format for their research needs.  
  • Refine search results using built-in database features and/or search term refinement in order to locate resources that meet their specific information needs.  
  • Practice ethical use of information, avoiding plagiarism and copyright infringement, in order to produce academic-quality, original works.  

 

Foundational Research Skills

The Getting Started with Research module guides students through the process of beginning library research.  

Skills addressed:  

  • Selecting a research topic and refining it 
  • Identifying search keywords and navigating the library databases 
  • Evaluating information sources 
  • Creating a research log  

Timing: 

Recommended as a required assignment for students to complete when they have a known assignment that requires information research after they have general topic ideas and before they begin looking for information or writing/creating. The module takes 30-40 minutes to complete.

Method of delivery: 

Provide as a Canvas assignment and include a dropbox for students to submit their completed research logs.  

Proof of completion:  

Students will create their own online research logs, which they will receive via email upon submission and can optionally submit to instructors. 

 

 

The Credo Information Literacy Modules are third-party, licensed online modules that cover a variety of foundational information literacy skills.

Skills addressed: 

Timing: 

  • The asynchronous tutorials and modules are intended to be assigned at students’ point-of-need, in support of assignments that require use of information seeking tools or information evaluation.  
  • All module types can be embedded inside your Canvas course with the benefit of being integrated within the flow of a course.  
  • For a list of the estimated time it takes to watch each video and take each tutorial in the Credo module set see this spreadsheet.

Method of delivery: 

Over 80 Credo modules can be used in Canvas or via direct links and take the following forms: 

  • Multimedia and video 
  • Self-guided tutorials 
  • Quizzes 
  • Text 

Proof of completion: 

  • Quizzes can be integrated so that student scores are reflected in your gradebook. This requires a special LTI link which we can provide upon request.     

For more info: ul-credo@PennStateOffice365.onmicrosoft.com.   

library search box that says what can we help you find?

This tutorial guides students through the process of conducting a search for library materials, including journal articles, using the Find box on the Libraries web site.  

Skills addressed: 

  • How to navigate the library search interface 
  • How to narrow search results  
  • How to save or export resources and source lists from the library databases 

Timing:

Recommended as a required or optional support resource when students need to use the library to find information in any format.  The video takes about two and a half minutes to watch.

Method of Delivery: 

This brief video, hosted on YouTube, can be linked to or embedded from a website or Canvas. 

Proof of completion is not available for this video, but instructors could:

  • ask students to respond to a prompt asking what was learned,
  • ask students to submit their source lists for the related assignment,
  • include a line in the assignment rubric that includes demonstration/application of research skills presented in the library instructional video.