Minimum Standards for Information Literacy
Undergraduates...
- Can recognize the need for information.
- As apprentice scholars, students will understand that information is organized and accessible and that information is organized in recognizable patterns. Students will know how information is created and how disseminated and will be able to differentiate between scholarly and popular information. They will recognize that information comes in many and varied forms and that several sources are often needed for complete information.
- Can formulate a research topic and translate it into a research question.
- Students will use language appropriate to their discipline when seeking information. They will be able to formulate a research need, articulate that need into a research question, then develop an appropriate and flexible research strategy, including synonymous ways of stating their research needs.
- Can recognize that accurate and authoritative information is the basis of intelligent decision making in the research process.
- Students will be able to analyze appropriateness of sources for specific information needs Understand that sources of information have different values and will be able to analyze the appropriateness of sources to their research. They will be able to differentiate fact from opinion, the scholarly from the popular.
- Can recognize the differing roles of books, periodicals, electronic sources, etc., in the information-seeking process.
- Students will understand the use of various parts of particular information sources, e.g., tables of contents, indexes, hyperlinks, etc.
- Can identify information on a given topic, using a variety of resources, both internal and external.
- Students will be able to use both print and electronic resources, as appropriate. Students will be aware of mechanisms for obtaining materials not locally available.
- Can evaluate whether research meets requirements of a classroom assignment or other information need.
- Students can critically assess research findings to determine appropriateness of strategy and appropriateness of findings to need and can take corrective action, if necessary.
- Can physically locate resources in a library.
- Students will understand that the CSULB Library is arranged in a systematic order and will be able to use the system. They will understand that similar systems prevail in all libraries.
- Can arrange and document research appropriately.
- Students will understand the elements of citing.
Adopted by Library Administration, 1999
