Having acquired basic information fluency skills in their FYW, students will...

• know how to identify and search the major discipline-specific databases and reference sources for their area of research.
• know how to evaluate potential resources and understand the concept of peer-review.
• understand the difference between primary and secondary sources within that discipline, knowing when and how to use each.
• understand, but not be intimidated by, the immensity and constantly changing nature of the information environment.
• begin to grasp larger, more abstract concepts related to information and research, including issues such as the need for diverse voices, equity in access to and creation of information, misinformation/disinformation/malinformation, and sustainability.
• see the librarian as their ally in meeting the challenges of research projects in their major course of study and other upper-level classes.

Authority Is Constructed and Contextual 
Information resources reflect their creators' expertise and credibility, and are evaluated based on the information need and the context in which the information will be used. Authority is constructed in that various communities may recognize different types of authority. It is contextual in that the information need may help to determine the level of authority required.

Information Creation as a Process 
Information in any format is produced to convey a message and is shared via a selected delivery method. The iterative processes of researching, creating, revising, and disseminating information vary, and the resulting product reflects these differences. 

Information Has Value 
Information possesses several dimensions of value, including as a commodity, as a means of education, as a means to influence, and as a means of negotiating and understanding the world. Legal and socioeconomic interests influence information production and dissemination. 

Research as Inquiry 
Research is iterative and depends upon asking increasingly complex or new questions whose answers in turn develop additional questions or lines of inquiry in any field. 

Scholarship as Conversation 
Communities of scholars, researchers, or professionals engage in sustained discourse with new insights and discoveries occurring over time as a result of varied perspectives and interpretations. 

Searching as Strategic Exploration 
Searching for information is often nonlinear and iterative, requiring the evaluation of a range of information sources and the mental flexibility to pursue alternate avenues as new understanding develops. 

Source: Association of College and Research Libraries. Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education

As you create or revise your WR courses, we would love to...

• help you design research assignments that are highly fulfilling as both learning and teaching experiences - i.e. fun for your students as well as interesting for you to read and/or grade
• purchase new library resources to meet your students' research needs for the course
• create web-based research guides to direct students to the most appropriate sources for your specific assignment(s)
• provide assignment-related research instruction to your students during full or partial class sessions, either in the library or in your classroom
• meet with individual students or small groups outside of class time to assist them with their research

BIO 222: Research and Analysis

HST 256: Women and Gender in India