Project Information Literacy
WHAT COLLEGE STUDENTS SAY ABOUTCONDUCTING RESEARCH IN THE DIGITAL AGE
www.projectinfolit.org

Selected Handouts

Dr. Michael Eisenberg
Dean Emeritus & Professor
The Information School
University of WashingtonFebruary 16, 2011

2PIL Finding

Recommendation

Overloaded, busy, and do things at
the last minute.

• Recognize and structure courses &assignments accordingly.
• Assign readings carefully.
• Offer on-demand info services.

Immersed technologically –Facebook, txt messaging, mobile
devices – but not in/for school.

• Introduce Web 2.0 collaboration tools.
• Use Web 2.0 tools in courses.

Rely on Google and Wikipedia –because they can.

• Accept Wikipedia and expect citing.
• Use Wikipedia entries as assignments.
• Reconsider questions/assignments.

Say they use a narrow set of
approaches and skills – learned
mostly on their own in high school.

• Emphasize more than justreading/writing – information literacy.

Main problem areas: task
definition, using/combining
information, self-evaluation.

• Consider process as well as content inassignments.
• Require milestones in major assignments.
© Eisenberg 2011

3

Information Literacy Program DEFINED: Identify key information literacy goals and skills- link to the educational goals and outcomes acrossprograms.
 PREDICTABLE: Consistency in terminology, emphasis,and expectations – for students and faculty – withinprograms, courses, and assignments.
 MEASURED: Evaluate student performance, e.g., throughassignments. Assess the information literacy program
institution-wide.
 REPORTED: Document and communicate performance (tostudents and faculty) and information literacy programassessment across the college.

© Eisenberg 20114

5www.big6.com

The Big6™ Skills Model ofInformation Problem-Solving
1. Task Definition:
1.1
1.2
2.

Information Seeking Strategies:
2.1
2.2

3.

Engage (e.g., read, hear, view, touch).
Extract relevant information.

Synthesis:
5.1
5.2

6.

Locate sources.
Find information within sources.

Use of Information:
4.1
4.2

5.

Determine all possible sources.
Select the best sources.

Location and Access:
3.1
3.2

4.

Define the information problem.
Identify information needed.

Organize from multiple sources.
Present information.

Evaluation:
6.1 Judge the product (effectiveness).
6.2 Judge the process (efficiency).
© Eisenberg & Berkowitz, 1987

6Info Literacy Skills in Courses
Big6 Information
SkillsACRL Standard

Course Integration• Rethink course resources: move from reading andtextbooks to info use of a wide range of print, online, andmultimedia resources.
• Create interim “milestones” in major assignments.
• Consider evaluating and editing Wikipedia entries asassignments.

1. TaskDefinition

1. determines the nature and extent
of the information needed.

2.Information
Seeking
Strategies

3. evaluates information and its
sources critically.

3. Location andAccess2. accesses needed information
effectively and efficiently.
5. accesses information ethicallyand legally.

• Use eReserves extensively.
• Stress “articles” and article search engines (e.g., AcademicSearch Complete) as valued in addition to websites andGoogle.
• Require “annotated” bibliographies that note why a source
was selected and used.
• Analyze Wikipedia entries related to course content.

3. incorporates selected information
into his or her knowledge base andvalue system.
5. understands many of theeconomic, legal, and social issues
surrounding the use of information .
uses information ethically andlegally.

• Teach independently then combine:-- Selecting relevant information from a source.
-- Presenting information from multiple sources.
• Emphasize “citations in context.”• Consider evaluating and editing Wikipedia entries asassignments.
• Fight plagiarism by creating a “culture of citing.”

4. individually or as a member of agroup, uses information effectively
to accomplish a specific purpose.

• Teach independently then combine:-- Selecting relevant information from a source.
-- Presenting information from multiple sources.
• Encourage multi-modal presentations.

4. Use ofInformation

5. Synthesis

6. Evaluation• Include opportunities for student self-evaluation of productand process.
• Involve students in creating grading rubrics© Eisenberg 2011

7Fighting Plagiarism: Creating a Culture of Citing• Model citing in teaching and presenting.
• Show “bad” examples – exaggerate plagiarism.
• Have students cite sources all the time.
• Expect citing in class discussions as well.
• Do not accept work without citing.
• Focus on citations in context more than bibliographies.
• Require “annotated” bibliographies – with annotationsof “why” students selected a particular source as wellas their “credibility” analysis of the source.
© Eisenberg 2011Library• Library = the physical and virtual information
infrastructure of the university• Key Resources eReserves Articles and Article Search Engines• Services
 24/7, virtual and physical Digital reference• Librarians
 Information consultants
 Tech in instruction & learning consultants
 Information literacy teaching partners© Eisenberg 2011