Section outline

  • Traditional information literacy instruction often begins with teaching students how to search for information. This progression reflects a recent instructional shift from the traditional search-first approach to a sources-first approach, where students first learn to recognize and understand information sources before developing skills with locating and using information. It is informed by the ACRL Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education (2015). The modules are organized in a series of paths beginning with foundations and progressing through finding, evaluating, and using information. They may be used in sequence or individually based on your course or assignment needs.

    • Path I: Foundations

      Introduces students to how information sources work. Students will build foundational understanding of the authority, structure, and purpose of information sources. They will learn to identify source types, understand publication contexts, recognize and navigate scholarly articles, and summarize main ideas. By building a solid foundation in these areas, students will be better equipped to search for, evaluate, and use information effectively. This is informed by the ACRL Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education (2015), with a focus on student's early understanding of the frames:

      • Authority is Constructed and Contextual
      • Information Creation as a Process
    • Understanding a Single Source: Source Type and Main Idea (7-10 minutes) H5P

      Helps students begin source evaluation by understanding where a source comes from and how to summarize the main idea.

    • What is a Scholarly Article? (5-7 minutes) H5P

      In this module, students will learn about the key features of scholarly articles to help them identify and differentiate them from other sources of information.

    • Navigating Scholarly Articles (7-10 minutes) H5P

      This module introduces students to the basic structure of scholarly articles and how that helps them locate information.

    • Primary, Secondary, Tertiary Sources (10-15 minutes) H5P

      Introduces students to primary, secondary, and tertiary sources and the role each plays in research.

    • Path II: Finding Information

      Introduces students to how good researchers find information. Students will learn how to craft a research question, develop search terms, use databases effectively, and refine search strategies to find relevant information. This path is informed by the ACRL Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education (2015), with a focus on:

      • Searching as Strategic Exploration
      • Research as Inquiry
      • Scholarship as Conversation
    • Research Starter: Topic and Keywords (5-7 minutes) H5P

      Helps students narrow a topic and develop effective keywords for searching.

    • Find Your First Article (5-10 minutes) H5P

      Helps students find their first scholarly article and understand how to search a database.

    • Path III: Evaluating Information

      Introduces students to how good researchers think critically about information. Students will learn the importance of evaluating sources and the different strategies and frameworks that will enable them to ask good, critical questions about information. Topics include the core evaluation frameworks such as CRAAP, SIFT, and BEAM as well as modules covering comparative source evaluation and extracting information from scholarly sources. This is informed by the ACRL Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education (2015), with a deeper focus on:

      • Authority is Constructed and Contextual
      • Information Creation as a Process
      • Research as Inquiry
    • Evaluating Source Credibility: The CRAAP Framework (10 minutes) H5P

      This module introduces the CRAAP framework and helps students practice asking critical questions when evaluating information sources.

    • Verifying Information Online Using the SIFT Method (10 minutes) H5P

      This module introduces students to the SIFT framework through guided lateral reading practice.

    • Practice Reading a Scholarly Article (15-20 minutes) H5P

      In this module, students will practice reading, extracting, and comprehending information in a scholarly article.

    • Comparative Source Evaluation (15-20 minutes) H5P

      In this module, students will compare two sources and learn how different sources present, use, and apply information on a similar topic.