Instructional Services & Information Literacy

The Association of College & Research Libraries developed a set of concepts that define what an information literate person understands in the 21st century. These concepts create the Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education, and include the following ideas:

1. Authority Is Constructed and Contextual
2. Information Creation as a Process
3. Information Has Value
4. Research as Inquiry
5. Scholarship as Conversation
6. Searching as Strategic Exploration

Based on these frames, Pfeiffer Library has developed benchmarks for how and where we feel students should be in the scholarly process realistically within and outside the classroom.

TU Benchmarks

Pfeiffer Library has tried to identify key skills that students should have by the end of the year at different stages of their TU career. Whether or not students reach all of these benchmarks will vary on the courses taken, course instructors, and librarians met. Our hope is that by fostering collaboration between librarians, faculty, and faculty development, Tiffin University students will have a solid information literacy foundation for the future.

By the end of this year, Tiffin students should be able to do the following:

Year 1:

• Access the library (4, 6)
• Utilize basic search features in DragonQuest (4, 6)
• Distinguish between materials in full text and abstract-only format (3, 4, 6)
• Contact university librarians (4, 6)
• Differentiate source types (1, 2)
• Seek information and library services that may assist in the research and writing process (4)
• Define plagiarism and consequences within TU’s Academic Honesty policy (3, 5)

Year 2:

• Evaluate web resources for authority (1, 2)
• Utilize research and citation tools held via contract through Tiffin University (3, 6)
• Define what constitutes a “scholarly, peer-reviewed” resource (1, 2, 5)
• Demonstrate the art of summary, quotation, and paraphrase (3, 4, 5)
• Demonstrate correct citation and document formatting appropriate of style manual (3, 5)
• Limit and refine search results in DragonQuest (4, 6)
• Evaluate information relevance to assignment (1, 4)

Year 3:

• Locate topic-specific databases (2, 4, 6)
• Utilize advanced search features for web-based search engines (6)
• Identify the difference between primary and secondary sources within the field (1)
• Utilize citation resources for atypical situations (3, 4, 5)
• Evaluate source citation for potential in research (3, 4, 5)
• Formulate a research plan prior to essay construction (4, 6)
• Organize source material (4, 5)

Year 4:

• Synthesize material from multiple sources clearly and effectively (3, 4, 5)
• Identify bias within an argument (1)
• Recognize research as open-ended information engagement (4, 5)
• Articulate changes in conversation within the field (5)
• Identify standard creations processes and experts in their field (1, 2, 5)

Graduate:

• Persist during information challenges and seek guidance when needed (4, 5, 6)
• Identify information gaps and weaknesses in research (4, 5, 6)
• Contribute own information to the scholarly conversation (2, 5)
• Recognize the social nature of authority (1, 2, 3, 5)