Information Literacy Instruction Program: Assignments & Classes

COMM 1000 -- Effective Public Speaking -- Informative Speech Assignment-- Debra Dobbs

Lakeland Information Literacy Outcome
This workshop addresses indicators 1, 2, 3, and 4 of the college's IL outcome. Particular emphasis is placed on indicators 2 (Uses technology to access and manage information) and 4 (Uses information responsibly).

Objectives
The students will

• Identify important elements of the topic for further research
• Develop mind maps of their topics using Popplet
• Develop strategies to locate relevant resources
• Utilize databases and the web to retrieve articles and multi-media resources
• Utilize image searches, such as Google Image and Flickr, to retrieve Creative Commons licensed images
• Incorporate relevant resources including document links, images, and videos into their mind maps

Background
Students in this class are working on a five minute, informative speech. The speech will include visual aids and a brief Q & A session. The topic of the speech is presented in the form of a travelogue to a "location of their choosing--anywhere on Earth, 'off-Earth' or in a cyber/fantasy world." The instructor requested that the librarian "assist the class to understand how to: (1) locate valuable resources for review. (2) note sources in MLA format, and (3) develop a working outline." Additionally, the instructor wanted the librarian to "review methods for infusing their creativity and individuality in the resource gathering process" because she is "pushing students to think outside of the box for resources that will yield greater depth and interest for themselves and their audience."

IL Class Session & Workshop
Often the students in this class have had intro level IL instruction in either FYEX 1000 or ENGL 1110/1111. So, this COMM class provides a nice opportunity to teach and reinforce some of the concepts that would have been covered in those earlier librarian-led instruction sessions. At the same time, it is essential to take a different approach to teaching the material.

I have designed this session as a workshop. Students have their topics. I work with a sample topic using the browser based version of Popplet. I show the students how to create free accounts. I demonstrate how to flesh out a topic, finding subtopics or relevant areas for exploration, and begin to organize my concepts using Popplet, This correlates well to finding search terms and creating a rough outline of their final speech. I give students a little time to work on developing and organizing their topics using Popplet.

I use the mind map that I create in class to identify search terms. I take those search terms and locate sources in a variety of subscription and free web search tools. I search library databases such as FiSH and Films on Demand; I also search free web tools such as Flickr, Google Image, and YouTube. As I build my searches in the library databases, I ask students who have had instruction with a librarian to explain to the class why I am building searches a certain way. I also explain relevant database features such as the Cite tool and the Permalink tool. When I show them how to search in Flickr and Google Image, I discuss licenses and usage rights, focusing on retrieving Creative Commons resources. Throughout the search process, I demonstrate how to include citations, permalinks, web links, images, and videos in their Popplets. They are accessing information using the search tool and managing it using Popplet. In addition, I am showing them how to begin documenting or citing sources that support their ideas.

Popplet includes a Presentation Mode, and I demonstrate how to turn the static Popplet they have created into a dynamic presentation. The instructor will allow them to use Popplet as the presentation tool for their informative speeches. I do explain to the class that what I have created during the session is at best a rough draft of the final speech. Since the students have created Popplet accounts, they can save their mind maps and work on them later outside of class, developing them toward being finished presentations.

Supporting Materials
Databases--FiSH, Films on Demand, etc.

Flickr
https://www.flickr.com/

Google Images
https://images.google.com/?gws_rd=ssl

Popplet
http://popplet.com/

YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/

COMM 1000 Effective Public Speaking

Lakeland Information Literacy Outcome

• Develops an effective search strategy
• Uses technology to access and manage information
• Uses information responsibly

Objectives

Students will…

-learn how to build strong searches by brainstorming keywords related to their career topics and utilizing searching tools like Boolean operators.

-learn how to utilize FiSH discovery database and the Occupational Outlook Handbook to locate quality information sources for their career-based speech assignments.

-learn the mechanics of citation building to correctly cite resources in their speeches.

Background

This assignment is a career-based speech presentation. Students select career-based topics, which can include investigating the actual career (e.g. required education, salary ranges, challenges etc..) or another topic of interest that is related to the career (e.g. classroom safety and teaching). Students can use library resources or sources from the internet, but they must be cited in APA or MLA style within presentation slides. Many students taking this class have not yet had information literacy instruction in an English class.

IL Class Session & In-Class Exercise

1. Students will introduce themselves and their career-based topics.
2. Brainstorming: Students will brainstorm keywords related to their career-based topics. Librarians can demonstrate how to brainstorm through the use of another career topic.
3. Lecture: Search building utilizing keywords, quotation marks, truncation, and Boolean Operators.
4. Practice: Students will utilize suggested search building techniques to develop a few searches and share them with the class.
5. Demonstration: Searching for resources in FiSH discovery.
6. Demonstration: Searching for practical career information in the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupational Outlook Handbook website.
7. Review: APA/MLA citations for articles and websites, including examples from the library’s style guides.
8. Free search: Students will begin searching for resources using FiSH discovery and/or the Occupational Outlook Handbook and track their resources utilizing the handout.

Supporting Materials

• Librarians can use the detailed handout to assist with in-class search building exercise.  

ENGL 1120 -- Granger

Lakeland Information Literacy Outcome

This class and the exercise prepared for it address indicators 1, 2, and 3 of the college's IL outcome. In the in-class exercise, particular emphasis is placed on the 3rd indicator, Uses Selection Criteria to Choose Appropriate Information.

Lakeland Learning Outcome: 
Learning Outcome No. 4: Uses Information Effectively (Information Literacy)
Learning Indicator 1: Develops an effective search strategy
Learning Indicator 2: Uses technology to access and manage information
Learning Indicator 3: Uses selection criteria to choose appropriate information
Learning Indicator 4: Uses information responsibly

Objectives and Background

This hour and a half Information Literacy class is designed to prepare the students to complete the Composition 2 and the Search for the Mini Research assignment given by the instructor of the course. The directions for the assignment require the student to visit the library and "research the attached topics and questions and become a mini expert on each. Then write at least three sentences about six (out of seven) using a variety of sources, mostly college level." Further instructions are included in the assignment.
 

IL Class Session & In-Class Exercise

Brief instructions for the class, worksheet and bibliography:
1. Introduction: 1-on-1s, connecting to databases from off-campus, review of Boolean operators, search strategies, Lakeland Library catalog, OhioLINK.
2. Students are to use the pulled reference books to answer one of their questions.
3. Students will search the Lakeland Catalog for circulating books to answer one of their questions.
4. An overview of web evaluation criteria will be demonstrated by the instructor.
5. Students will evaluate three websites and conduct a group discussion.

Databases will be covered in session #2.

JRNL 1000 & 1100 -- LexisNexis Hot Topics: Fake News
 

Lakeland Information Literacy Outcomes
This IL session addresses indicators 1 (Develops an effective search strategy) and 3 (Uses selection criteria to choose appropriate information) of the college's IL outcome. 

Objectives
The students will

• Identify a search tool relevant to the discipline
• Use a database's interface options to develop and refine a search
• Use a relevant source to generate new search terms to find additional sources
• Discuss the credibility, reliability, and authority of news sources

Background
Students in this class may have had intro level IL instruction in either FYEX 1000 or ENGL 1110/1111. This class provides an opportunity to teach and reinforce concepts that would have been covered in those earlier librarian-led instruction sessions. This approach to teaching the material involves less lecture/demonstration and more active learning than typical FYEX 1000 or ENGL 1110/1111 class sessions.

JRNL 1000 & 1100 are both intro level courses aimed at students with an interest in the field of journalism. According to the course description, JRNL 1000 "reviews major trends in media research to provide an analytical framework for media consumption" and JRNL 1100 "emphasizes news style and routine news coverage." The library session provides the students with exposure to a central research resource in the field of journalism while encouraging them to think critically about news coverage and media consumption.

IL Class Session & In-Class Exercise

1. Hand out the in-class exercise.
2. Show students how to access library resources in myLakeland and briefly introduce the LexisNexis database.
3. Allow students to work collaboratively on the in-class exercise, actively exploring LexisNexis using the Hot Topics feature of the database.
4. Circulate to assist and answer questions.
5. Review the in-class exercise with them.
6. Ask them to respond individually on the exercise worksheet to the discussion questions.
7. Using their individual responses as prompts, have the students engage in a whole class discussion.

BUSM 1330 - Business Ethics: Buffalo Creek Disaster

Lakeland Information Literacy Outcome
This class and the exercise prepared for it addresses indicators 1, 2, and 3 of the college's IL outcome.

Objectives
The students will

• Read and summarize informative texts and select keywords for searching.
• Understand how broader concepts relate to the topic being researched and locate background and other relevant information.
• Learn to use general and subject specific databases to locate information on a topic.
• Learn how to find a legal case in LexisNexis.

Background
This 30 minute IL class will introduce students to performing research relevant to the Buffalo Creek Disaster. The assignment consists of an 8 page research paper in which students must respond to a number of questions. Here are a few examples:
Was the company in compliance with the law?

Explain some loopholes in ethical behavior.

Did the local government play a role in this disaster?

Could this disaster have been averted if the company had followed sustainable business practices?

IL Class Session & In-Class Exercise

1. As an introduction and ice-breaker, print copies of (or provide a link to) an article about the Buffalo Creek Disaster and distribute it to the class (http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/02/07/1062372/-40-Years-Later-The-Buffalo-Creek-Disaster-Its-Aftermath#). Place students in groups, then ask each group of students to read to one section and have one student from each group summarize what they have read with the entire class. 

2. Ask students to highlight/circle/underline names of persons, corporations, and other keywords and concepts throughout the text that would help them search for more information related to the Buffalo Creek disaster. Examples include: Arch Moore, Pittston, mining, etc. 

3. The article should also include a link or a printout of the “about” page of the website, ask students about the author, the purpose of the site, is there bias, etc. 

4. Have a class discussion about the ethical implications, what is this event actually about and how can you use that to frame your search for more information?

BUSM 1620 Introduction to Entrepreneurship

Lakeland Information Literacy Outcome

• Develops an effective search strategy
• Uses technology to access and manage information

Objectives
Students will…

- learn how to utilize the competitor list tool in the Nexis Uni database and Google Maps to create competitor lists for their business plan project.

Background

This assignment provides students with an introduction to marketing research. Students select a type of business and a location in order to generate a list of competitors.

IL Class Session & In-Class Exercise

1. Student introductions: Students introduce themselves and explain the businesses they have selected for their project.
2. NAICS code lookup: Explain NAICS codes and naics.com. Distribute detailed handout for students to track their business ideas, locations, and NAICS codes.
3. Demonstration: Nexis Uni competitor list tool and Google Maps local business finder tool.
4. Free search: Students will utilize lecture notes and instructions in the handout to find their NAICS codes, and create and email themselves competitor lists.
5. Exit slip: Students will be asked to complete an exit slip to gauge their confidence with creating competitor lists.

Supporting Materials

• Librarians can use the detailed handout and exit slips below to assist with in-class exercises. 

BUSM 1640 Entrepreneurial Management

Lakeland Information Literacy Outcome

• Develops an effective search strategy
• Uses technology to access and manage information

Objectives

Students will…

-learn how to utilize the Business Source Complete database to locate industry profiles (including business counts and sales) for their marketing plan project.  

-learn how to navigate additional government websites for consumer information, including the Small Business Administration, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, and the U.S. Census Bureau.

-learn how to utilize the competitor list tool in the Nexis Uni database and Google Maps to create competitor lists.

Background

This assignment is an advanced marketing research plan. Students select a type of business/industry, research components of the business such as sales, and determine how they might market the business by investigating characteristics of potential consumer populations. This class is sometimes offered online, and a video covering the information below is distributed to students in Blackboard.

IL Class Session & In-Class Exercise

1. Student introductions: Students introduce themselves and explain the businesses they have selected for their project.
2. NAICS code lookup: Explain NAICS codes and naics.com. Distribute detailed handout for students to track their business ideas, locations, and NAICS codes.
3. Demonstration: Business Source Complete database industry profiles.
4. Demonstration: Consumer information websites, including Small Business Administration, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, U.S. Census Bureau.
5. Demonstration: Nexis Uni competitor list tool and Google Maps local business finder tool.
6. Free search: Students will utilize lecture and instructions in the handout to find NAICS codes, locate industry reports, find consumer information, and create competitor lists.

Supporting Materials

• Librarians can use the detailed handout to assist with in-class exercises. 

CRMJ 1211 Community Corrections

Lakeland Information Literacy Outcome

This class addresses indicators 1, 2, and 3 of the college's IL outcomes.

LI 1: Develops an effective search strategy

LI 2: Uses technology to access and manage information

LI 3: Uses selection criteria to choose appropriate information


Objectives

The students will

•Learn to determine the appropriate databases to use in researching various topics

•Gain experience in accessing, selecting and searching databases

•Gain knowledge of print, email, save and citation features within databases

•Build a concise search query for the information need

•Use criteria to select reliable information


Background

This hour long class is designed to assist students in finding timely articles on chosen topics examining historical, current, or future correctional alternatives to incarceration for both juvenile and adult offenders. Students are required to find three scholarly articles on various topics using suggested databases. Subjects may include model institutional systems or programs, community-based interventions, ethical and legal issues or problems associated with the supervision of inmates with special needs.

Class Session

1. Introduction of the library website and general information about library services are given along with the form for requesting a One on One session with a reference librarian. Off-campus login is explained.

Included in the demo are:

Lakeland Library book catalog

OhioLINK book catalog

LexisNexis

Legal Collection

CQ Researcher

Subject Guide


2. Students are given an overview of accessing the criminal justice and law databases. The various criminal justice and legal databases are demonstrated including to the students using appropriate keywords for their various topics. Quotation marks, truncation and Boolean search terms are explained. Students are shown the Criminal Justice Subject Guide on the Lakeland Library. The Writing & Citing page of the Lakeland Library is explained with a brief demo.

CRMJ 2231 Juvenile Justice - Literature Review

Lakeland Information Literacy Outcome

This class and the exercise prepared for it address indicators 2 and 3 of the college's IL outcomes, Uses Selection Criteria to Choose Appropriate Information and Uses Technology to Access and Manage Information.

Objectives

• Students will learn to select appropriate subject-specific databases
• Students will gain an understanding of the components/organization of a literature review and a scholarly article and become familiar with discipline-specific scholarly literature

Background
The assignment for this course requires students to locate two scholarly articles in the area of juvenile justice and write a literature review. This 2000 level course presents an opportunity for a scaffolded lesson plan in which students learn about subject-specific databases and gain an understanding of the anatomy of a scholarly research article and a literature review.

IL Class Session & In-Class Exercise
This class can be divided into three parts:

1. Explore subject databases and federated searching. Locate a literature review, discuss, and respond to questions (see attached worksheet). 
2. Working in groups, each table gets a copy of a scholarly article, have them skim it as a group and identify the components, what makes it scholarly/research/etc? Followed by a class discussion, they could even come up to the board and write things out. Or use the SMART podium.
3. Begin working independently on topics, help them select and narrow their topic, find an article, and email/save it. 

NURS 1250/1610 Nursing Care of Adults II

Lakeland Information Literacy Outcome

• Develops an effective search strategy
• Uses technology to access and manage information

Objectives

Students will…

-learn how to build strong searches by brainstorming keywords related to their nursing topics and utilizing searching tools like Boolean operators.

-learn how to utilize the nursing-focused databases CINAHL and Ovid to locate peer-reviewed journal articles for their evidence-based practice project assignment.

Background

This assignment is an evidence-based practice group project. Most students will encounter clinical information in the form of scholarly journal articles for the first time. They will be seeking out articles to address their clinical question or a specific clinical problem. Students cannot utilize systematic review articles for this assignment. Research articles must also be published within the last five years.

IL Class Session & In-Class Exercise

1. Students will introduce themselves and their nursing topics.
2. Brainstorming: Students will brainstorm keywords related to their nursing topics. Librarians can demonstrate how to brainstorm through the use of another nursing topic.
3. Lecture: Search building utilizing keywords, quotation marks, truncation, and Boolean Operators.
4. Practice: Students will utilize suggested search building techniques to develop a few searches and share them with the class.
5. Demonstration: Searching for evidence-based practice articles in CINAHL.
6. Demonstration: Searching for evidence-based practice articles in Ovid.
7. Review: Components of an evidence-based practice research article and how to read these articles.
8. Free search: Students will begin searching for resources using CINAHL and Ovid and will track their resources utilizing the handout.

Supporting Materials

• Librarians can use the handout to assist with the in-class search building exercise.  

NURS 2260 Children & Families

Lakeland Information Literacy Outcome

• Develops an effective search strategy
• Uses technology to access and manage information
• Uses information responsibly

Objectives

Students will…

-create effective searches for their evidence-based practice nursing topics.

-learn how to utilize federated searching techniques in the Academic Search Complete database to locate peer-reviewed journal articles for their evidence-based practice group project assignment.

-learn how to locate and organize citation information for their clinical articles.

Background

This assignment is an evidence-based practice group project. Students will be seeking out articles to incorporate in study guides that they will create for their nursing topics. Research articles must be published within the last five years, and one article must include at least one author that is a nurse. Most students have received information literacy instruction for previous nursing classes, but review of strong searching techniques is useful.  

IL Class Session & In-Class Exercise

1. Introduction: Students will introduce themselves and their nursing topics. Librarians will introduce students to the NURS 2260 research guide (link below).
2. Review: Strong search building, including keywords, Boolean Operators, truncation, and quotation marks.  
3. Brainstorming: Students will brainstorm keywords and search strategies related to their nursing topics. Librarians can demonstrate how to brainstorm through the use of another nursing topic.
4. Demonstration: Searching for evidence-based practice articles in Academic Search Complete. Federated searching will be the focus of the demonstration, with the addition of CINAHL, MEDLINE with full-text, and Health Source Nursing-Academic databases to the search.
5. Demonstration: Searching in Google Scholar as an additional option for evidence-based articles, with focus on selecting library links in settings.  
6. Practice: Students will complete a digital understanding check to assess knowledge of efficient search construction and database searching techniques (link below).  
7. Review: Components of an APA citation, with emphasis on correcting citations generated by the databases.

Supporting Materials

• Librarians can use the NURS 2260 research guide to review useful searching tools and the digital understanding check for the in-class exercise.   

DNHY 1111 Orofacial Structures

Lakeland Information Literacy Outcome

• Uses technology to access and manage information
• Uses selection criteria to choose appropriate information

Objectives

Students will…

-learn how to utilize information evaluation criteria to select quality web resources for their orofacial cleft assignment.

Background

This assignment requires that students gather information about orofacial clefts, such as timing, incidence, causes, treatment, and support services. Information literacy instruction should emphasize the importance of finding quality web resources to address assignment questions, utilizing information evaluation criteria.

IL Class Session & In-Class Exercise

1. Review and discuss: Web evaluation criteria, utilizing handout.
2. Demonstration: Common web platforms, such as Google, YouTube, and Wikipedia, and how web evaluation criteria can be applied to information sources on each platform.  
3. Practice: Students will complete a “Wikipedia Challenge” exercise to practice web evaluation skills.   
4. Demonstration: Quality web medical sources from the best internet info research guide.  

Supporting Materials

• Librarians can use the handouts to review information evaluation criteria and practice evaluation of web (Wikipedia) resources for the in-class exercise.
• Librarians can use the best internet info guide to review quality web resources for medical information.

OTAS 1100 Foundations of Occupational Therapy

Lakeland Information Literacy Outcome

• Develops an effective search strategy
• Uses technology to access and manage information

Objectives

Students will…

-learn how to select current occupational therapy topics.

-learn how to build strong searches by brainstorming keywords related to their occupational therapy topics and utilizing searching tools like Boolean operators.

-learn how to utilize medical-focused databases like MEDLINE with full text to locate peer-reviewed journal articles for their evidence-based practice article review assignment.

Background

This assignment is a review of an evidence-based practice article on any occupational-therapy topic that students select. The assignment introduces students to the concept of evidence-based practice and teaches students how to read and analyze articles containing evidence-based research. Students in the class often have minimal experience with scholarly research and library tools.  

IL Class Session & In-Class Exercise

1. Introduction: Students will introduce themselves and librarians will introduce the occupational therapy research guide (see link below) and the concept of evidence-based practice research.
2. Demonstration: Electronic Book Center database and Google news to investigate ideas for current occupational therapy topics.
3. Brainstorming: Students will brainstorm keywords related to their occupational therapy topics. Librarians can demonstrate how to brainstorm through the use of another occupational therapy topic.
4. Lecture: Search building utilizing keywords, quotation marks, truncation, and Boolean Operators.
5. Practice: Students will utilize suggested search building techniques to develop a few searches and share them with the class.
6. Demonstration: Searching for evidence-based practice articles in MEDLINE with full-text database.
7. Review: Components of an evidence-based practice research article and how to read these articles.
8. Review: APA citation mechanics and citation resources.

Supporting Materials

• Librarians can use the occupational therapy research guide to review useful searching tools.
• Librarians can use the handout to assist with the in-class search building exercise

SURG 1100 Surgical Technology I

Lakeland Information Literacy Outcome

• Develops an effective search strategy
• Uses technology to access and manage information
• Uses information responsibly

Objectives

Students will…

-learn how to build strong searches by brainstorming keywords related to their surgical technology case study topics and utilizing searching tools like Boolean operators.

-learn how to utilize library databases like MEDLINE with full-text to locate peer-reviewed journal articles for their preclinical perioperative case study project assignment.

-learn how to utilize additional library tools, like the Electronic Book Center, to address all components of their case studies with scholarly resources.

Background

This assignment is a comprehensive case study on a surgical scenario that students are assigned. Surgical scenarios generally change each semester. Components of the case study include anatomy and physiology, pathology, preoperative phase, intraoperative phase, and postoperative phase. Students are required to locate at least three peer-reviewed medical articles to help them describe all the stages, tools, drugs, and procedures required for their surgery. Students will usually need to consult many more library resources to describe their surgery; e-books, print books, additional articles, and some websites are acceptable. Most students in this class have minimal experience with medical resources or library tools, and will need additional individual assistance from librarians following the information literacy session.

IL Class Session & In-Class Exercise

1. Introduction: Students will introduce themselves and their surgical case study topics. Librarians will introduce the SURG1100 research guide (see link below).
2. Brainstorming: Students will brainstorm keywords related to their case study topics. Librarians can demonstrate how to brainstorm through the use of another case study topic.
3. Lecture: Search building utilizing keywords, quotation marks, truncation, and Boolean Operators.
4. Review: Librarians will review e-books on the SURG1100 research guide that have been selected for each case study topic. This is the only resource that is specifically suggested so that students may gain at least a basic understanding of how their surgery may be described in the literature.
5. Demonstration: E-book searching in the Electronic Book Center.
6. Demonstration: Journal article searching in the MEDLINE with full-text database and select surgical technology e-journals.
7. Review: APA citation mechanics and citation resources.
8. Exit slip: Students will be asked to complete an exit slip prior to leaving class. 

Supporting Materials

• Librarians should use the SURG1100 research guide to review useful searching tips, tools, and suggested information resources.
• Librarians can use the handout to assist with the in-class search building exercise.
• Librarians can use the exit slip to gauge the need for additional help prior to leaving class. 

PHYS 1500 Astronomy

Lakeland Information Literacy Outcome

• Develops an effective search strategy
• Uses technology to access and manage information
• Uses selection criteria to choose appropriate information
• Uses information responsibly

Objectives

Students will…

-learn how to develop effective search strategies, incorporating Boolean Operators and other strong searching tools, to efficiently locate information resources related to the planets they select for their midterm research projects.

-learn how to identify appropriate library and web-based searching tools to conduct research for their planet-based midterm project and final project presentation that is on the astronomy topic of their choice.

-learn how to evaluate information sources in order to incorporate quality sources into their final project presentations bibliography.   

Background

This is an online class, incorporating two major projects each semester: A midterm “fact-finding” project on planets and a final project presentation that is on any astronomy topic that students select. Currently, librarians meet with students synchronously for information literacy instruction to introduce and teach searching skills for the midterm project. A video with quiz questions is embedded in the Blackboard course site by librarians to introduce and teach information evaluation skills for the final project presentation. Librarians also provide feedback on the quality of resources that students post in bibliography format in a Blackboard discussion board for the final project presentation.

IL Class Session & In-Class Exercise (Online synchronous session, midterm project)

1. Introduction: Midterm project assignment and research guide.
2. Overview: Brainstorming keywords, strong search building.
3. Exercise: Worksheet, part I (keywords, search building).
4. Demonstration: FiSH discovery for multiple resource types.
5. Review: Suggested information resources for midterm project, located on research guide.
6. Exercise: Worksheet, part II (locating information sources with FiSH, selecting a suggested resource).
7. Review: Writing and citing resources.

IL Class Session & In-Class Exercise (Asynchronous video with quiz questions, final project)

1. See final project research guide, linked below, for video.
2. Lecture: Information evaluation criteria, suggested final project resources.
3. Exercise: Quiz questions embedded in video.

Supporting Materials

• Librarians should utilize the midterm project research guide during the synchronous session. Both midterm and final project research guides should be posted in Blackboard via course announcement at the beginning of the semester.
• Librarians can use the handout to assist with in-class search building exercise during the synchronous session.  

Lakeland Information Literacy Outcome

This class and the exercise prepared for it addresses indicators 1, 2, and 3 of the college's IL outcome.

Objectives

The students will...

• be able to differentiate the type of information delivered across various platforms
• be able to run an advanced search in a discovery tool by narrowing the disciplines searched.
• be able to differentiate between the content in a trade publication and academic journal.
• be able to evaluate and determine the quality of information found on websites.

Background
This class presents a project designed to accommodate and meet the research needs of either an ENGR 1000 or ENGS 1000 course. The handout constitutes a major assignment for the students. Depending upon the size of the class and the preferences of the faculty, the project can be done independently or collectively. If the faculty chooses to make the assignment a group project, the students will collaborate through google.

IL Class Session & In-Class Exercise
Normally, depending on the class size, the ENGR1000/ENGS1000 exercise will be a group project where the students upload the assignment to google docs and work on the project collaboratively. Unlike many of the other IL sessions, the assignment for the engineering classes is graded, so the students are invested in the process. The first section of the assignment has the students search for the chosen topic across five different platforms to examine how information related to the topic is delivered via the individual platform and the type of information each platform provides. The second aspect of the assignment has the students use FiSH to refine their search through the advanced search option of the database and adding additional keywords to further narrow their search. After further limiting their search by date range and full text, they are then to find one academic journal and one trade publication. After selecting their resource, the students are to examine the content for the academic journal and trade publication then explain how the content for each resource differs. The third element of the assignment has the students explore Safari E-books as a resource for find supplemental engineering resources. The final portion of the assignment has the students evaluate five different websites using both quantitative and qualitative methods.

Supporting Materials