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Building Better Research Assignments

Information Literacy at Seneca

Information Literacy is one of the ten core literacies at Seneca. If you are asking your students to do any kind of research for their assignments, then the learning outcomes should include the Information Literacy knowledge, skills or attitudes that you expect your students to demonstrate in their research.
 

What is Information Literacy?

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Information Literacy is a framework of six central concepts that encompasses:

  • reflective discovery of information
  • understanding of how information is produced and valued
  • the use of information in creating new knowledge and participating ethically in communities of learning (ACRL, 2016)

Sample Information Literacy Learning Outcomes

Faculty are welcome to copy and/or adapt these sample learning outcomes that speak to the information literacy skills that you want demonstrated in research assignments.

Students will:

  • Determine the suitability of their sources based on an evaluation of the currency, relevance, authority, accuracy and purpose of those sources.
  • Discuss the ideas and facts found in the research sources and relate them to the arguments the student makes in the research paper.
  • Produce accurate in-text citations and a reference list using the assigned citation style.
  • Demonstrate an understanding of the sources cited by incorporating the intended concept of the original source.

For more information on building learning outcomes, see the resources provided by The Teaching & Learning Centre.

Best Practices for Promoting Information Literacy

1. Encourage students to consult with a librarian.
2. Direct students towards a variety of print, electronic, and multimedia sources.
3. Suggest specific databases or other library resources by name to students.
4. Discuss what constitutes plagiarism as well as the consequences.
5. Review criteria for evaluating sources.
6. Define research.
7. Embed a research guide in Blackboard or request one from your librarian. (Library Packages | Subject Guides)
8. Break the research assignment into manageable parts.
9. Explain how research will be evaluated.
10. Collaborate with a librarian to design a research assignment that employs critical thinking.

(adapted from Temple University's Improving Student Research Guide)

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