Skip to Main Content

Information Literacy at Messiah University: Instruction Menu

Describes the information literacy program at Messiah College

Habits of Information Literacy

Habits of Information Literacy

Ethically locate, evaluate and manage credible, effective, and diverse information sources used in academic and professional endeavors

Outcome Statement

By graduation, a Messiah University student will be able to ethically locate, evaluate and manage credible, effective, and diverse information sources.

Best Practices for Library Instruction

Please consider these best practices to create a valuable session for your students:

1. Library instruction should occur at the point of need in a course.

2. Students should come prepared with research topics.

3. Please connect the information literacy learning objectives (located on the right) and student needs with your liaison librarian prior to instruction.

Your librarian is excited to work with you to deliver critical information literacy instruction to your students.

Request Instruction From Your Liaison Librarian

Contact your liaison librarian directly to arrange information literacy and library research instruction for your class.

 

Select an Instruction Session that Aligns With Your Curriculum

Identify library spaces and their purposes

Suggested Readings or Videos Suggested Instruction and Activities Suggested Assignment and Assessments
  • Watch library tour video
  • Watch Writing Center tutor video
  • Tour library
  • Quiz questions about library spaces

Navigate and find basic content on the library website

Suggested Readings or Videos Suggested Instruction and Activities Suggested Assignments and Assessments
 
  • Quiz questions about library website

Contact a librarian for research assistance

Suggested Readings or Videos Suggested Instruction and Activities Suggested Assignments and Assessments
  • Mandatory consultations with librarians about research assignment and search strategies

Identify liaison librarian

Suggested Readings or Videos Suggested Instruction and Activities Suggested Assignments and Assessments
  • Review Liaison Librarian page
  • Discuss how liaison librarians work with academic programs
  

Locate a print book using Library of Congress (LoC) call number system

Suggested Readings or Videos Suggested Instruction and Activities Suggested Assignments and Assessments
  • Discuss research topic and source types of information needed for research topic.
  • Find related book in Main Stacks. Take shelfie to show book in Stacks location.

 

Differentiate among information types

Suggested Readings or Videos Suggested Instruction and Activities Suggested Assignments and Assessments
  • Discuss research topic and source types of information needed for research topic.
  • Complete and assess Source Type and Database Selection worksheet (Word)

Identify information type needed based on topic, discipline and personal knowledge

Suggested Readings or Videos Suggested Instruction and Activities Suggested Assignments and Assessments
  • Discuss appropriate information type expectations based on disciplinary practices
  • Complete and assess Source Type and Database Selection worksheet (Word)

Identify similarities and differences between Primo and other databases

Suggested Readings or Videos Suggested Instruction and Activities Suggested Assignments and Assessments
  • Watch Search Strategies video
  • Compare sample searches in Primo and select subject databases
  • Complete and assess Source Type and Database Selection worksheet (Word)

Deliberately choose databases based on information need

Suggested Readings or Videos Suggested Instruction And Activities Suggested Assignments and Assessments
  • Read Googlepedia (article about starting research in Google and Wikipedia and ending in library databases) (Writing Resources Canvas Course)
  • Review and compare relevant subject databases
  • Discuss features and content of relevant subject databases
  • Complete and assess Source Type and Database Selection worksheet (Word)

Describe importance of diverse voices and sources for research

Suggested Readings or Videos Suggested Instruction and Activities Suggested Assignments and Assessments
  • Review Writing at Messiah Resources
  • Read They Say / I Say
  • Connect with Director of Writing
  • Connect with Director of Writing

Synthesize diverse voices and sources to form unique arguments

Suggested Readings or Videos Suggested Instruction and Activities Suggested Assignments and Assessments
Connect with Director of Writing
  • Connect with Director of Writing

Generalize and apply information from sources to support unique arguments

Suggested Readings or Videos Suggested Instruction and Activities Suggested Assignments and Assessments
Connect with Director of Writing
  • Connect with Director of Writing

 

Create search strategies including identifying appropriate search terms

Suggested Readings or Videos Suggested Instruction and Activities Suggested Assignments and Assessments
  • Read Gathering Sources, Writers Reference, (R1)
  • Brainstorm key terms
  • Create concept map of key terms and relationships
  • Demonstrate and discuss search strategies for relevant research topics
  • Complete and assess Search Strategy worksheet (Word)
  • Create and narrate screencast documenting search strategy

Combine search terms with Boolean logic to narrow or expand search results

Suggested Readings or Videos Suggested Instruction and Activities Suggested Assignments and Assessments
  • Watch Boolean Logic video
  • Demonstrate combination of search terms with Boolean logic in relevant database
  • Review impact on search results
  • Complete and assess Search Strategy worksheet (Word)
  • Create and narrate screencast documenting search strategy

Revise search strategies based on terms found in the database or relevant sources

Suggested Readings or Video Suggested Instruction and Activities Suggested Assignments and Assessments
  • Watch Search Strategies video
  • Demonstrate and discuss revision based on search terms
  • Demonstrate and discuss value of citation mining
  • Complete and assess Search Strategy worksheet (Word)
  • Create and narrate screencast documenting search strategy

Filter search to appropriately focus search results list

Suggested Readings or Videos Suggested Instruction and Activities Suggested Assignments and Assessments
  • Watch Search Strategies video
  • Review relevant filter options based on research topic and database features and review impact on search results
  • Complete and assess Search Strategy worksheet (Word)
  • Create and narrate screencast documenting search strategy

Locate and access sources in library collection

Suggested Readings or Videos Suggested Instruction and Activities Suggested Assignments and Assessments
 
  • Demonstrate access through Primo and relevant databases
  • Complete and assess Search Strategy worksheet (Word)
  • Create and narrate screencast documenting search strategy

Request sources not in library collection through interlibrary loan

Suggested Readings or Videos Suggested Instruction and Activities Suggested Assignments and Assessments
 
  • Demonstrate interlibrary loan system
  • Demonstrate how to log in to ILL system
  • Demonstrate how to request through ILL system
  • NOTE: Do not require or "test" ILL as this creates unnecessary work for busy library staff

 

 

Determine if a source is credible

Suggested Readings or Videos Suggested Instruction and Activities Suggested Assignments and Assessments
  • Complete and assess Website Evaluation Worksheet (Word)
  • Complete and assess Who is an Expert Scavenger Hunt (Writers Resource Canvas Course)
  • Complete and assess CRAAP Test Worksheet (Writing Resources Canvas Course)

Determine if a source is scholarly

Suggested Readings or Videos Suggested Instruction and Activities Suggested Assignments and Assessments
  • Read Determine if a Source is Scholarly, Writer’s Reference, (p380)
  • Read scientific publishing infographic
  • Read Reading Scholarly Articles (Writing Resources Canvas Course)
  • Watch Scholarly versus Popular Articles video (Vanderbilt University)
  • Discuss scholarly publishing and peer review process
  • Brainstorm and discuss scholarly source criteria
  • Distinguish between scholarly, credible, and popular resources.
  • Distinguish between primary and secondary research, as defined by the discipline.
  • Identify scholarly sources based on examples provided in class
  • Require students to identify sources as scholarly in annotated bibliography. Explain reasoning
  • Create and narrate screencast documenting identification of source as scholarly or not

 

Determine if a source is appropriate for topic, genre, discipline

 

Suggested Readings or Videos Suggested Instruction and Activities Suggested Assignments and Assessments
  • Read Selecting Sources Worth Your Time, Writer’s Reference, (R3b)
  • Read Information Literacy Thinking Guide (Writing Resources Canvas Course)
  • Discuss appropriate sources for assignments based on topic, genre or discipline
  • Create and assess annotated bibliography describing source and appropriateness

Identify and avoid predatory publishers

Suggested Readings or Videos Suggested Instruction and Activities Suggested Assignments and Assessments
  • Watch video about predatory publishing
  • Watch video about unintended consequences of mandatory repositories of federally funded research
  • Explain predatory publishing
  • Show example
  • Identify red flags to consider and evaluate
  • Provide known predatory article and identify red flags. Explain evaluation criteria.
  • Student search general web for research topic. Identify one quality item and one item from potential predatory publisher and explain evaluation.

Identify misinformation, disinformation and bias

Suggested Readings or Videos Suggested Instruction and Activities Suggested Assignments and Assessments

Assess data manipulation in research methodology

Suggested Readings or Video Suggested Instruction and Activities Suggested Assignments and Assessments
   

 

 

Determine source type

Suggested Readings or Videos Suggested Instruction and Activities Suggested Assignments and Assessments
  • Discuss which source types are most appropriate for discipline and why
  • Complete and assess Citation worksheet (Word)

Identify citation elements to use with appropriate citation style

Suggested Readings or Videos Suggested Instruction and Activities Suggested Assignments and Assessments
  • Identify citation elements to example sources in small groups
  • Discuss citation elements with entire class
  • Complete and assess Citation worksheet (Word)
  • Assign Canvas quiz about citation elements (ask librarian for example quiz)

 

Create correct citation in appropriate style

 

Suggested Readings or Videos Suggested Instruction and Activities Suggested Assignments and Assessments
Read Why are there Different Citation Styles
  • Access online and/or print citation style manual.
  • Review rules for citing specific source types.
  • Create citations in class or discussion board
  • Review and correct citations in class
  • Complete and assess Citation worksheet (Word)

 

Decide whether to implement and use citation management software

 

Suggested Readings or Video Suggested Instruction and Activities Suggested Assignments and Assessments
  • Watch video about citation management software (Zotero)
  • Review citation management software options (if not already selected). Choose the most appropriate citation management tool for discipline and/or project.
  • Create account and/or download software.
  • Save citation information and article pdfs from catalog and databases to software.
  • Create bibliographies through software.
  • Explore word-processing software features such as in-text citations.
  • Ask students to download software and create accounts following instructions. (Zotero instructions)
  • If software is not required, instead survey students about whether they plan to adopt new software

 

Identify shortcomings with citation management software

 

Suggested Readings or Videos Suggested Instruction and Activities Suggested Assignments and Assessments
 
  • Show citation examples created by software and databases
  • Ask students to identify citation errors based on citation style guidelines
  • Create quiz with citation examples from software
  • Students identify citation errors

Create appropriate file structures in secure cloud storage locations for file storage and efficient retrieval

Suggested Readings or Videos Suggested Instruction and Activities Suggested Assignments and Assessments
Read Digital File Storage resources from Messiah University Information Technology Services
  • Connect with Information Technology Services and Instructional Design
  

 

 

Describe scholarly research as an ongoing conversation over time using credible and scholarly sources

Suggested Readings or Videos Suggested Instruction and Activities Suggested Assignments and Assessments
  • Connect with Director of Writing
  • Connect with Director of Writing

Acknowledge and cite sources correctly to avoid intentional and unintentional plagiarism

Suggested Readings or Videos Suggested Instruction and Activities Suggested Assignments and Assessments
  • Read Managing Information, Writer’s Reference (R2)
  • Watch campus plagiarism video
  • Read campus plagiarism policy
  • Discuss intentional and unintentional plagiarism
  • Complete campus plagiarism module and quiz

Respect copyright and intellectual property

Suggest Readings or Videos Suggest Instruction and Activities Suggest Assignments and Assessments
  • Read copyright page on college website.
  • Read appropriate and relevant FAQs on Copyright webpage
  • Review copyright law.
  • Review fair use rules..
  • Discuss scenarios and propose solutions.
  

 

Ethically create, use and share information based on disciplinary standards and guidelines

 

Suggested Readings or Videos Suggested Instructions and Activities Suggested Assignments and Assessments