Library Instruction
Information Literacy at CSUMB
Lower division information literacy (IL) outcomes
At CSUMB, the required lower division information literacy outcomes are embedded in the General Education (GE) curriculum, specifically in Written Communication (A2), Life Science (B3) and U.S. History (Area D) courses. Information literacy instruction supports students understanding of research and discovery methods through effective engagement with tools for the discovery, acquisition, and evaluation of information in an ethical manner.
Level one IL outcomes for Written Communication (A2 ) courses
Written Communication: the information literacy outcomes are embedded in the learning outcome for Written Communication under Writing. The IL outcomes are:
- Students will choose sources using criteria such as relevance, diversity of perspectives, and authority
- Students will integrate their own ideas with those from appropriate sources and attribute information to sources
Level two IL outcomes for Life Science (B3) and U.S. History (Area D) courses
Life Science: the information literacy outcomes are embedded in learning outcome B3 which states:
Students evaluate the credibility and scientific value of different sources of scientific information.
- Effectively search for and identify peer-reviewed articles on the topic.
- Select library databases appropriate to the topic. Identify and combine keywords and searches to develop a search strategy; effectively execute the search in appropriate library databases.
- Evaluate the credibility of information sources, using the following criteria: role of peer-review, quality of evidence, expertise and credentials, purpose and audience, point of view.
U.S. History: The information literacy outcome for area D U.S. History courses state that students will develop a strategy to conduct scholarly research on a historical topic or question. Students will utilize appropriate library databases, identify relevant and credible sources, and demonstrate an understanding of the distinctions between primary historical evidence and secondary historical sources.