FIU Libraries

Information Literacy
Library Instruction Outcomes

The FIU Information Literacy Program includes seven sequenced library experiences linked to courses in the core curriculum. The first four library class sessions are linked to specific lower division courses.

The following outcomes detail expectations for student learning for each of the four lower division courses. Assessment of student learning occurs through activities completed within class as well as out of class. Librarians and faculty may collaborate on the development of course assignments which may form the basis of course-embedded, performance-based assessment.

Outcomes for Lower Division

[yellow ball] Class 1: Linked to Freshman Experience

Students will be able to:

  1. demonstrate awareness of library collections and services (e.g. Circulation, Reserve, ILL/ ICL)
  2. use an internet browser to access the FIU Libraries homepage
  3. select appropriate information resource available through homepage
  4. use the FIU Catalog to find resources in various formats and locations in the libraries
  5. conduct a search using author, title, keyword and subject
  6. identify location and call number
Activities

Out of Class

Complete Information Literacy Tutorial #1

[yellow ball] Class 2: Linked to ENC 1101

Students will be able to:

  1. use the library homepage to access article indexes
  2. select appropriate databases for topic
  3. differentiate between searching by keyword and by subject
  4. construct and conduct an advanced search using AND
  5. select relevant articles
  6. identify parts of the citation to determine the availability of the articles (e.g., full-text in database, issue in library)
  7. use various options for retrieving articles
  8. identify an article held by the FIU Libraries
Activities

In Class

Use online index/abstracts to retrieve citations and full text.

[yellow ball] Class 3 Linked to ENC 1102

Students will be able to:

  1. select topic keywords/concepts
  2. identify synonyms/related terms and/or other forms of words (e.g., truncation)
  3. construct search strategy using keywords/concepts (using AND/OR)
  4. implement search strategy in appropriate databases(s)
  5. utilize online help options
  6. review search results and incorporate additional keywords/concepts as necessary (e.g., scholarly vs. popular, date)
Activities

In Class

Complete research strategy worksheet for individual topics.

Out of Class

Apply library class content to course research assignment.

[yellow ball] Class 4 Linked to ENC 1102

Students will be able to:

  1. conduct a refined search on the WWW
  2. distinguish between catalogs, databases, indexes, and the internet
  3. articulate the complexity of resources of the information environment
  4. evaluate/compare traditional versus web resources on a chosen topic using established criteria (e.g., relevancy, authority, date, objectivity, and accuracy)
Activities

In Class

Perform prescribed search on the WWW and evaluate the results.

[yellow ball] Upper Division Prerequisites & Assumptions

The committee agreed that there should be Prerequisite Upper Division Skills. Instruction librarians will assume the following:

  1. Faculty members will ensure that students will achieve requisite skills as outlined in classes 1-4
  2. Librarians will provide opportunities for the students to achieve requisite skills as outlined in classes 1-4

Outcomes for Upper Division

The next three library class sessions are linked to one or more core courses for the upper division within the major determined by the academic department in consultation with the library. Implementation will vary with each department, with the most common model being three library class sessions within one course.

Following are student outcomes for the library sessions for the upper division. These outcomes should serve as a framework for librarians and faculty as they develop outcomes specific for the discipline. These outcomes require a minimum of three library sessions.

Students will be able to:

  1. develop search strategies using advanced techniques (e.g., nesting, proximity, truncation, NOT, adjacency, wildcard)
  2. distinguish between catalogs, databases, indexes, and the internet as examples of the complex nature of the information environment
  3. Select appropriate databases for the discipline
  4. identify controlled vocabulary when appropriate
  5. conduct a refined search appropriate for the databases selected
  6. utilize online help functions
  7. locate instructions for remote access to library resources
  8. conduct an advanced search on the WWW
  9. utilize evaluation criteria on all retrieved resources
  10. identify and subscribe to discussion lists appropriate to the discipline
  11. select and use traditional resources for the discipline
  12. distinguish among various categories of information resources(e.g., scholarly, trade, popular, primary sources, technical reports)
  13. identify resources not owned by the FIU Libraries and determine most efficient way to retrieve them
  14. locate style formats for scholarly publication appropriate for the discipline
  15. demonstrate awareness of the scholarly communication process
This page is maintained by:
Stephanie Brenenson
Library Top Page Links