Information Literacy Competency Program

Fourth or Final Undergrad Year Outcomes: Complete

Defining your information needs
- Recognizes that existing information can be combined with original thought, experimentation, and/or analysis to produce new information
- Knows how information is formally and informally produced, organized, and disseminated
- Identifies the value and differences of potential resources in a variety of formats (e.g.,multimedia, database, website, data set, audio/visual, book)
- Differentiates between primary and secondary sources, recognizing how their use and importance vary with each discipline
- Realizes that information may need to be constructed with raw data from primary sources
- Determines the availability of needed information and makes decisions on broadening the information seeking process beyond local resources (e.g., interlibrary loan; using resources at other locations; obtaining images, videos, text, or sound)
- Considers the feasibility of acquiring a new language or skill (e.g., foreign or discipline-based) in order to gather needed information and to understand its context
- Defines a realistic overall plan and timeline to acquire the needed information
Accessing Information
- Identifies appropriate investigative methods (e.g., laboratory experiment, simulation, fieldwork)
- Investigates benefits and applicability of various investigative methods
- Selects efficient and effective approaches for accessing the information needed from the investigative method or information retrieval system
- Develops a research plan appropriate to the investigative method
- Selects controlled vocabulary specific to the discipline or information retrieval source
- Implements the search using investigative protocols appropriate to the discipline
- Uses surveys, letters, interviews, and other forms of inquiry to retrieve primary information
- Uses various technologies to manage the information selected and organized
Evaluating information
- Restates textual concepts in his/her own words and selects data accurately
- Examines and compares information from various sources in order to evaluate reliability, validity, accuracy, authority, timeliness, and point of view or bias
- Analyzes the structure and logic of supporting arguments or methods
- Recognizes interrelationships among concepts and combines them into potentially useful primary statements with supporting evidence
- Extends initial synthesis, when possible, at a higher level of abstraction to construct new hypotheses that may require additional information
- Utilizes computer and other technologies (e.g. spreadsheets, databases, multimedia, and audio or visual equipment) for studying the interaction of ideas and other phenomena
- Determines whether information satisfies the research or other information need
- Uses consciously selected criteria to determine whether the information contradicts or verifies information used from other sources
- Draws conclusions based upon information gathered
- Tests theories with discipline-appropriate techniques (e.g., simulators, experiments)
- Determines probable accuracy by questioning the source of the data, the limitations of the information gathering tools or strategies, and the reasonableness of the conclusions
- Integrates new information with previous information or knowledge
- Investigates differing viewpoints encountered in the literature
- Determines whether to incorporate or reject viewpoints encountered
- Participates in classroom and other discussions
- Participates in class-sponsored electronic communication forums designed to encourage discourse on the topic (e.g., email, bulletin boards, chat rooms)
- Seeks expert opinion through a variety of mechanisms (e.g., interviews, email, listservs)
- Determines if original information need has been satisfied or if additional information is needed
- Reviews search strategy and incorporates additional concepts as necessary
- Reviews information retrieval sources used and expands to include others as needed
Presenting your information
- Organizes the content in a manner that supports the purposes and format of the product or performance (e.g. outlines, drafts, storyboards)
- Articulates knowledge and skills transferred from prior experiences to planning and creating the product or performance
- Integrates the new and prior information, including quotations and paraphrasings, in a manner that supports the purposes of the product or performance
- Manipulates digital text, images, and data, as needed, transferring them from their original locations and formats to a new context
- Maintains a journal or log of activities related to the information seeking, evaluating, and communicating process
- Reflects on past successes, failures, and alternative strategies
- Chooses a communication medium and format that best supports the purposes of the product or performance and the intended audience
- Uses a range of information technology applications in creating the product or performance
- Incorporates principles of design and communication
- Communicates clearly and with a style that supports the purposes of the intended audience
Understanding the issues
- Identifies and discusses issues related to privacy and security in both the print and electronic environments
- Identifies and discusses issues related to free vs. fee-based access to information
- Identifies and discusses issues related to censorship and freedom of speech
- Demonstrates an understanding of intellectual property, copyright, and fair use of copyrighted material
- Demonstrates an understanding of institutional policies related to human subjects research
- Selects an appropriate documentation style and uses it consistently to cite sources
- Posts permission granted notices, as needed, for copyrighted material