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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

Librarian Led Activities (Possible Activities) Instructor Led Activities (Suggested Activities)
  • Tour library space in person
  • View library tour video

Navigate and find basic content on the library website

Librarian Led Activities (Possible Activities) Instructor Led Activities (Suggested Activities)
  • Navigate library website with pair and share activity
  

Contact a librarian for research assistance

Librarian Led Activities (Possible Activities) Instructor Led Activities (Suggested Activities)
  • Demonostrate chat email
  • Demonstrate chat email

Identify liaison librarian

Librarian Led Activities (Possible Activities) Instructor Led Activities (Suggested Activities)
  • Open subject liaison librarian list
  • Ask students to identify liaison librarian based on major

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

Librarian Led Activities (Possible Activities) Instructor Led Activities (Suggested Activities)
  • Place book covers in call number order
  • Find books shown on book covers on the shelf
  • Find relevant books in Primo and find on the shelf
  • View video about finding book on shelf with LoC

 

Differentiate among information types

Librarian Led Activities (Possible Activities) Instructor Led Activities (Suggested Activities)
  • Discuss different source types appropriate for discipline
  • Discuss different source types appropriate for discipline

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

Librarian Led Activities (Possible Activities) Instructor Led Activities (Suggested Activities)
  • Discuss information need
  • Match source type with information need
  

Identify similarities and differences between Primo and other databases

Librarian Led Activities (Possible Activities) Instructor Led Activities (Suggested Activities)
  • Review features of Primo
  • Review features of subject database
  • Compare and contrast features
  

Deliberately choose databases based on information need

Librarian Led Activities (Possible Activities) Instructor Led Activities (Suggested Activities)
  • Review appropriate subject guide
  • Identify appropriate subject database(s)
  • Review features of subject database
  • Choose subject database based on information need
  

Describe importance of diverse voices and sources for research

Librarian Led Activities (Possible Activities) Instructor Led Activities (Suggested Activities)
   

Synthesize diverse voices and sources to form unique arguments

Librarian Led Activities (Possible Activities) Instructor Led Activities (Suggested Activities)
 
  • Review ideas from Writing Canvas resource
  • Discuss student needs with Writing Center

Generalize and apply information from sources to support unique arguments

Librarian Led Activities (Possible Activities) Instructor Led Activities (Suggested Activities)
 
  • Review ideas from Writing Canvas resource
  • Discuss student needs with Writing Center

 

Create search strategies including identifying appropriate search terms

Librarian Led Activities (Possible Activities) Instructor Led Activities (Suggested Activities)
  • Diagram question for keywords
  • Brainstorm and concept map keywords
  • Identify keywords through other sources such as websites and databases
  

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

Librarian Led Activities (Possible Activities) Instructor Led Activities (Suggested Activities)
  • Ask students to identify with specific criteria and combine with Boolean logic to see differences in search results
  • Watch video about Boolean logic

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

Librarian Led Activities (Possible Activities) Instructor Led Activities (Suggested Activities)
  • Demonstrate improved search results when revising search by subject terms
  • Watch video about revising search strategy

Filter search to appropriately focus search results list

Librarian Led Activities (Possible Activities) Instructor Led Activities (Suggested Activities)
  • Demonstrate search results after applying filters
  

Locate and access sources in library collection

Librarian Led Activities (Possible Activities) Instructor Led Activities (Suggested Activities)
  • Demonstrate how to access through Primo and subject databases
  

Request sources not in library collection through interlibrary loan

Librarian Led Activities (Possible Activities) Instructor Led Activities (Suggested Activities)
  • Demonstrate interlibrary loan system
  • Demonstrate how to log in to ILL system
  • Demonstrate how to request through ILL system
  

 

 

 

 

 

Determine if a source is credible

Librarian Led Activities (Possible Activities) Instructor Led Activities (Suggested Activities)
  • Review criteria for credibility
  • Evaluate example sources with credibility critieria in small groups
  • Discuss results with entire class

Determine if a source is scholarly

Librarian Led Activities (Possible Activities) Instructor Led Activities (Suggested Activities)
  • Describe the scholarly process and peer review.
  • Identify criteria that make sources scholarly
  • 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
  

 

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

Librarian Led Activities (Possible Activities) Instructor Led Activities (Suggested Activities)
 
  • Discuss source types appropriate for discipline

Identify and avoid predatory publishers

 

Librarian-Led Activities (Potential Activities) Instructor-Led Activities (Suggested Activities)
  • Explain predatory publishing
  • Show example
  • Identify red flags to consider and evaluate
  • Discussion if instructor desires
  • Watch video about predatory publishing
  • Watch video about unintended consequences of mandatory repositories of federally funded research
  • Student search general web for research topic
  • Identify one quality item and one item from potential predatory publisher
  • Explain evaluation criteria

 

Identify misinformation, disinformation and bias

Librarian Led Activities (Possible Activities) Instructor Led Activities (Suggested Activities)
   

Assess data manipulation in research methodology

Librarian Led Activities (Possible Activities) Instructor Led Activities (Suggested Activities)
   

 

Determine source type

Librarian Led Activities (Possible Activities) Instructor Led Activities (Suggested Activities)
  • Display example sources
  • Ask students to identify source type
  • Compare citations across different source types

Identify citation elements to use with appropriate citation style

Librarian Led Activities (Possible Activities) Instructor Led Activities (Suggested Activities)
  • Identify citation elements to example sources in small groups
  • Discuss citation elements with entire class
  • Assign Canvas quiz about citation elements (ask librarian for example quiz)

 

Create correct citation in appropriate style

Librarian Led Activities (Possible Activities) Instructor Led Activities (Suggested Activities)

 

Decide whether to implement and use citation management software

Librarian-Led Activities (Potential Activities) Instructor-Led Activities (Suggested Activities)
  • 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.
  • Demonstrate inaccuracies of software and need to review and correct citations.
  • Watch video about citation management software (Zotero)
  • 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

Librarian Led Activities (Possible Activities) Instructor Led Activities (Suggested Activities)
  • 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

Librarian Led Activities (Possible Activities) Instructor Led Activities (Suggested Activities)
   

 

 

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

Librarian Led Activities (Possible Activities) Instructor Led Activities (Suggested Activities)
   

Acknowledge and cite sources correctly to avoid intentional and unintentional plagiarism

Librarian Led Activities (Possible Activities) Instructor Led Activities (Suggested Activities)
   

Respect copyright and intellectual property

Librarian Led Activities (Possible Activities) Instructor Led Activities (Suggested Activities)
  • Review copyright law.
  • Review fair use rules.
  • Review copyright page on college website.
  • Discuss appropriate and relevant FAQs on Copyright webpage.
  • Discuss scenarios and propose solutions.
  

 

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

Librarian Led Activities (Possible Activities) Instructor Led Activities (Suggested Activities)