Information
Literacy Framework for Philadelphia University:
Information
Literacy in the Curriculum at Philadelphia University
Listed below are specific, cross-curricular outcomes that focus on particular skills and competencies that are part of an operational definition of information literacy.
Freshman
Year
Sophomore Year
Junior Year (rev Fall '05)
Senior year
Freshman
Year
Goals:
 | Acclimation to academic library and library-based resources |
| Introduction to technological tools used in the academic environment |
| Introduction to critical evaluation and ethical use of information |
The Freshman student
will:
Learn what resources--both
physical and virtual--are available via Gutman Library, with emphasis on the
Library’s website
In the Library:
|
Where the Circulation / Reserve Desk is located |
|
Where the reference section of the book collection is located |
|
Where the circulating collection is located |
|
Where the current periodicals are located |
|
Where the microforms are located |
|
Where Media Services is located and what services are available for students from Media Services |
On the Library’s website:
|
Where links to the online catalog, online databases and e-journals are located |
|
Where links to the search engines and Internet Resources Page are located |
|
Where the Staff Listing, FAQ's and supporting documentation are located |
Learn to use the online catalog effectively
|
Demonstrate / explain the difference between Keyword and Subject Searching |
|
Explain what Library of Congress Subject Headings are |
|
Demonstrate / explain the different types of searches that can be conducted using the online catalog |
|
Define what a library classification system is, and how the Dewey Decimal system is structured |
|
Be aware that other libraries might use the Library of Congress classification system, and that serials might have call numbers in other libraries |
|
Locate a book in the library based on holdings information |
|
Locate a periodical in the library based on holdings information |
Use
both print and electronic tools to locate and access information
(at discretion of instructor)
|
Use general print indexing tools available in the Library, such as Reader’s Guide to Periodic Literature or the NYT Index |
|
Use a full-text, general interest or multidisciplinary online database, such as one of the Modules in the ProQuest group of databases or EBSCO's Academic Search Premier database |
|
Demonstrate understanding of “full citation information” |
|
“Read” the structure of a citation, and determine if a source is a book, a journal article, or a web page |
|
Know
what Interlibrary Loan (ILL) is, where the online ILL form is located, what
information is necessary to complete an ILL request |
Effectively use the Internet
for research: Guided research of the
|
Locate a website using Gutman Library’s Internet Resource pages |
|
Use websites provided by instructors or textbooks |
|
Locate a website using a web search engine |
|
Differentiate between a web directory and a web search
engine |
Critical thinking and evaluation of information
|
Evaluate date, authority, source, and appropriateness of information to research topic |
|
Learn the differences between “popular” and “scholarly” sources of information |
|
Apply the basic criteria for evaluating web sites |
Ethical use of information,
information resources and information technologies
|
Cite and document information correctly, according to instructor-designated citation style. (Styles include, but are not limited to, APA, MLA, AMA, Chicago, Turabian) |
|
Explain why citing the sources one has used is important |
|
Explain what plagiarism is, and what the consequences of
plagiarism at this University are |
|
Provide documentation / attribute credit for images
(paper-based and digital) used in projects |
|
Don’t use other people’s passwords to access
restricted information resources or private email accounts |
|
Introduction to ethical issues concerning the internet:
obtaining permission to use images / sounds / video; proper citation of
internet websites / images |
Effectively use appropriate information technologies
|
Use University E-mail, word processing and other software applications |
|
Use PhilaFIND, the Library’s online catalog |
|
Use E-Res, Blackboard CourseInfo |
|
Use an online periodical database |
|
Save work to Home directory on campus network |
|
Toggle between multiple browser windows and/or application windows |
|
Email and download from online databases |
|
Upload into word processor |
|
Send file attachments on email. |
|
Access the Public Folders in Microsoft Outlook |
|
Forward email from a university to another email account |
Sophomore Year
Goals:
| Using the Internet for independent research |
| Critical Evaluation and Use of Resources |
| Introduce students to the “Literature of their Fields” |
| Citation
and Documentation |
| Technology Skills |
The Sophomore student will:
Use Gutman’s and other libraries’ online catalogs to locate and access materials.
This includes:
|
Awareness of Classification Schemes (Library of Congress and Dewey Decimal) |
|
The ability to interpret holdings information in other libraries’ catalogs |
|
Using TCLC Libraries: connect to the TCLC Libraries Members page from Gutman’s Links to Local Libraries:, access information about the TCLC Libraries and use their online catalogs |
|
Interlibrary Loan: understand what it is and how to use it |
|
Use WorldCAT (a FirstSearch database) to locate materials
held in other libraries |
Use
both print and electronic tools to locate information
|
Identify appropriate resources for the information need, based upon knowledge of the structure, contents, and purpose of the information resources selected |
| Understand the structure of different online resources (databases, e-journals, online catalogs, internet directories). |
| Be aware that some finding tools (indexes) exist only in print, and not electronically |
|
Locate full-text using a citation |
| Use both the Journal Titles Search and the Serials List (located at the Reference Desk) to determine Gutman’s holdings information and format for a publication |
| Use JournalList to determine Gutman’s electronic full-text access to a publication |
|
Demonstrate the ability to “survey” the Library
collection to evaluate the feasibility of a proposed research topic
(construct an annotated bibliography) |
Perform online searching at a
basic to intermediate level: mechanics and concepts
This includes:
| What is a database |
| Specialized vs. multidisciplinary databases |
| Keyword vs. subject searching |
| Boolean searching |
| Constructing effective and syntactically correct search statements |
| Name the basic parts of a bibliographic database record |
| Controlled Vocabulary, Subject List/Thesaurus, BT NT RT Scope Note Use For |
|
Download, email, or print an article from an online database |
|
Upload from email of disk into a word processing program |
|
Locate the full text of an article in a periodical database, based on a citation |
| Conduct a publication search in an online database |
| Access database source lists, use source lists to determine appropriateness of database |
Effectively use the internet
for research: Guided research and transition to independent research
|
Locate an appropriate website using Gutman Library’s Internet Resource pages |
|
Use resource pages of other colleges and universities |
|
Locate an appropriate website using a web directory |
|
Be familiar with 3 search engines and be able to use them
effectively |
Comprehension of disciplinary
literatures: introductory level
|
What are the standard print and electronic resources for
different majors | ||||
|
How is information produced and disseminated within the different major fields of study
|
| Whether or not the Internet really is the best place to go for a particular information problem |
Critical thinking and evaluation of information
|
Articulate the difference between the Internet (World Wide Web) and online, fee-based databases and electronic journal collections |
|
Evaluate appropriateness of information to research topics in terms of: accuracy, authority, timeliness, scope, depth of coverage |
|
Understand differences between types of publications |
|
Understand the importance of source types in terms of the information and its evaluation |
|
Consistently apply the basic criteria for evaluating web sites |
|
Differentiate between different types of websites, e.g. academic, commercial, personal, advocacy, etc. |
Ethically
use information, information resources and information technologies
|
Citation and documentation |
|
Privacy and security issues |
|
Regard for hardware / computing policies, at this and other institutions |
|
Regard for material copyright |
|
Observance of policies regarding mutilation / theft of library materials |
Effectively use appropriate
information technologies
|
Use discipline/course-specific software, if applicable |
|
Toggle between multiple browser windows and/or application windows |
|
Email and download from online databases |
|
Upload into word processor |
|
Send file attachments on email. |
|
Access the Public Folders in Microsoft Outlook |
|
Forward email from a university to another email account |
|
Access the campus network / Home directory from a remote location |
Junior Year
Goals:
| Critical evaluation of information |
| Understanding of ethical issues surrounding information |
| Appropriate application of information |
| Increased skill in using information location and management tools |
| Practice in professional communications, information seeking needs, and applications of information appropriate to the student’s major |
The Junior student will:
Use other libraries’ online
catalogs to locate and access materials
This includes an understanding of:
|
Classification Schemes (Library of Congress and Dewey Decimal) |
|
Interpreting holdings information in other libraries’ catalogs |
|
Traditional Interlibrary Loan: understand what it is and how to use it |
|
EZ-Borrow: search EZ Borrow's combined catalog effectively, and use EZ-Borrow to place direct ILL requests for books |
|
Use WorldCAT (a FirstSearch database) to
locate materials in other libraries |
Expand basic
comprehension of the literatures of their fields and professional communication
within their fields
Actively contributing to the communications is
emphasized, as opposed to observing (reading)
|
Be able to name three trade or research publications pertinent to their field |
|
Know how to access these publications at Gutman or another library |
|
Be able to name at least one professional association that is important to their future career |
|
Join
an association or listserv appropriate to their future career |
| Social Sciences and Humanities resources for College
Studies requirements
| ||||||||||||||
| Disciplinary information resources used for their fields of study
| ||||||||||||||
| Construct efficient and effective search strategies to locate online
information
| ||||||||||||||
| Locate and access full-text articles or books using citation information
/abstracting and indexing tools |
Exhibit increased sophistication in the use of the free (public) web for research
|
Discern when the Internet is the appropriate tool to use, and when it is inappropriate or less efficient than a different source would be to satisfy the information need |
|
Locate and use specialized web directories, portals, and specialized search engines |
|
Locate and use “deep web” resources--such as searchable databases--pertinent to their field |
|
Use Internet Resource pages from other colleges, universities, or appropriate organizations |
| Subscribe to a listserv
or blog that is relevant to their future career |
Demonstrate critical
thinking and evaluation
During
the Junior year, students will grow in the ability to apply critical
thinking skills during the research process and the gathering of information
|
Drawing on their increased knowledge base, students will independently select resources appropriate to their information needs, and use system features of online databases to help themselves (read online documentation, view publication lists, etc.) |
| Engage in active evaluation of information retrieved, in terms of relevance, relative merit, and applicability to the information need, as that need develops during the research process |
| Demonstrate evidence of integrative learning, via targeted courses and
assignments (pending) |
Ethically use information,
information resources, and information technologies
|
Behave
appropriately in terms of information and resource use (have a code of
ethics):
| ||||
|
Observe University guidelines for the use of hardware, software and online resources for
|
Special related
technology skills
The technology skills outlined in the
Freshman and Sophomore years should be mastered and consistently applied at this
point. Additional technologies will vary according to school, as appropriate to
school and program
Senior
Year
The senior and fifth year are used as a refinement and
fusing of the skills and abilities acquired in previous years. Instructors and
Librarians can operate as facilitators to these students, and expose them to the
tools and resources they may need for assignments and in their professional
lives.
The students at this level would be expected to:
|
Possess
the basic abilities to use the information management and access/location
tools, so that Instructors and Librarians can concentrate on showing
students how to use the tools more efficiently and effectively |
|
Know
how Library-based resources are organized and accessed |
|
Access
and locate and retrieve information in various formats specific to their
major fields of study |
|
Consistently
apply critical thinking and evaluation skills as they find and gather
information |
|
Produce
a sophisticated end-product effectively applying the information they have
found |
|
Use
appropriate technological tools to manage and present information |
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