University of West Florida Libraries
Library Instruction & Information Literacy Program:
An Assessment Plan for Continual Improvement
Revised: May 13, 2013
I. Mission of the program
The Library Instruction and Information Literacy Program promotes the exploration of knowledge
and seeks to graduate information literate students who are equipped for lifelong learning in the
21st Century. The program accomplishes its mission through collaboration with departments
and faculty, aligning itself with institutional goals, providing engaging face-to-face and online
instruction, and making a commitment to the continual improvement of student learning and
faculty support.
II. Information Literacy in Context
The University of West Florida’s Mission Statement seeks “to empower each individual . . . with
knowledge and opportunity to contribute responsibly and creatively to a complex world.” In
support of the University’s mission, the University Libraries supports a comprehensive and
sustainable Library Instruction & Information Literacy Program that equips students with the
knowledge and skills they need in order to contribute meaningfully to this ever-changing world.
In the Association of College and Research Libraries’ Information Literacy Standards for Higher
Education (located:
http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/acrl/standards/informationliteracycompetency.cfm), an
information literate individual is defined as one who is able to:
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determine the extent of information needed;
access the needed information effectively and efficiently;
evaluate information and its sources critically;
incorporate selected information into one’s knowledge base;
use information effectively to accomplish a specific purpose; and,
understand the economic, legal, and social issues surrounding the use of information,
and access and use information ethically and legally.
These abilities transcend the classroom, sharpening students’ critical thinking and reasoning
skills, allowing them to grow as self-directed learners in the 21st Century. In this age of
information ubiquity, information literacy empowers individuals to: handle rapid changes in
information; critically discern and analyze information; problem-solve in the modern-day
workforce; engage in active civic participation; and become lifelong learners.
III. Information Literacy in Practice
Information literacy has been used in higher education since the 1980s. Various education
reports projected that students needed skills to adapt to the demands of a global economy and
information-driven society. College libraries, which traditionally provided bibliographic instruction
and subject-specific support, recognized this need for students to be able to transfer research
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competencies out of the classroom and apply them to a multitude of settings and so adopted
information literacy into their instruction goals.
To that end, the UWF Libraries supports student learning and the integration of information
literacy into the University’s curriculum in a variety of ways, including:
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Providing library and information literacy instruction sessions to classes;
Collaborating with faculty and departments to integrate information literacy objectives into
their courses and assignments;
Supplying information literacy resources to the UWF Community;
Developing online tutorials and guides; and
Assessing student learning outcomes for information literacy skills and engaging in a
cycle of continuous improvement.
IV. Goals & Objectives of Program
The Library Instruction & Information Literacy Program’s goals and objectives serve as a guide
to ensure the comprehensiveness of the program. Objectives will be set annually to move the
program forward in a directed and focused way. The goals of the program are to:
1.
Effectively teach library and information literacy skills to students and assess student
learning.
a. Using the Assessment Plan, assess student learning outcomes in library
instruction classes and adjust teaching strategies in an effort of continuous
improvement.
2.
Collaborate with faculty and departments to integrate information literacy objectives into
their courses and assignments.
a. Collaborate with faculty in integrating information literacy skills into assignments.
3.
Increase awareness of information literacy at the University through outreach.
a. Present at workshops or at meetings on campus in order to promote information
literacy and library instruction.
4.
Develop and enhance resources that support and teach information literacy skills,
including online tutorials and guides.
a. Enhance library tutorials (based upon quiz results or converting to new format) and
create videos that promote information literacy.
5.
Provide professional development opportunities for librarians.
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a. Explore new assessment techniques and provide assistance and support to librarians
in using them.
V. Assessment of the Program
The goals and objectives of the program will be assessed and discussed continually. Some
assessment measures of the program include:
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instruction statistics, including:
o the number of sessions taught and
o the number of students attending;
faculty and student satisfaction surveys (student surveys may include classroom
assessment techniques such as the one-minute paper and muddiest point);
workshop and assignment-assistance statistics;
library instructor self-evaluations;
attendance or participation in professional development opportunities; and
feedback concerning the Libraries’ web-based tutorials.
A comprehensive review will be made annually and recommended changes will be implemented
to ensure that the program retains the flexibility and fluidity to respond to student, faculty, and
institutional needs.
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Information Literacy Student Learning Assessment Plan
The Information Literacy Student Learning Assessment Plan supports the primary goal of the
Library Instruction & Information Literacy Program: to “effectively teach library and information
literacy skills to students and assess student learning.” Student learning is at the center of the
program, and all program goals aim to enhance and support students’ information literacy skills.
The following student learning outcomes have been created as a guide for librarians and faculty
who wish to incorporate information literacy skills into their classrooms, assignments, and/or
courses.
I. Goal & Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs)
Goal:
Students demonstrate the ability to recognize when information is needed and have the ability to
efficiently locate, critically evaluate, and use information effectively and ethically.
Outcomes:
Students will
 demonstrate general library skills;
 access and retrieve information effectively and efficiently;
 critically evaluate information sources;
 use information ethically; and
 further develop research skills within their discipline.
Outcome: Students will demonstrate general library skills.
Information Literacy Objective 1: Students will demonstrate general library skills.
Skills:
1a. Recognize that the library website acts as a gateway to valuable resources, including
scholarly sources.
1b. Identify ways to obtain assistance from the Libraries by identifying features and services,
such as subject research guides, library tutorials, library check-out privileges, interlibrary loan,
and/or ways to contact library staff.
1c. Identify the information need by articulating a topic of appropriate scope.
1d. Use the library catalog to identify and locate books on a particular topic.
1e. Use a multidisciplinary database or discovery tool to find scholarly journal articles on a
particular topic.
Outcome: Students will access and retrieve relevant information effectively and efficiently.
Information Literacy Objective 2: Students will identify the types of information needed and can
identify the appropriate resources needed to locate them.
Skills:
2a. Identify the types of information needed (e.g., journal articles, websites).
2b. Select appropriate databases and search engines for finding different types of information.
2c. Use appropriate reference materials to locate background and explanatory materials for a
topic.
2d. Identify and select discipline-specific databases and resources.
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Information Literacy Objective 3: Students will effectively search databases and access and
retrieve information efficiently.
Skills:
3a. Construct search strategies by identifying key terms, synonyms, and concepts that describe
the information need.
3b. Select controlled vocabulary and search strategies that are specific to the discipline or to the
information retrieval source.
3c. Refine and narrow searches using subject headings (or other limiting features appropriate to
the database).
3d. Retrieve sources (e.g, the full-text of a scholarly article) using the most efficient means
available (SFX, bound print journal, interlibrary loan).
Outcome: Students will critically evaluate information sources.
Information Literacy Objective 4: Students critically evaluate information sources.
Skills:
4a. Distinguish between scholarly and popular sources and understand the uses of each.
4b. Differentiate between primary and secondary sources and understand the uses of each.
4c. Judge the appropriateness of various types of sources by evaluating their currency,
authority, relevance, accuracy, and purpose.
4d. Describe the impact of context (cultural, physical, historical, etc) on interpreting information.
4e. Identify the purpose and audience of potential resources (e.g., popular vs. scholarly, current
vs. historical).
Outcome: Students will use information ethically.
Information Literacy Objective 5: Students will avoid plagiarism.
Skills:
5a. Define and recognize plagiarism in order to understand the importance of using others’
works ethically.
5b. Understand why paraphrasing is useful and know when/how to paraphrase.
5c. Define "common knowledge" and describe its relationship to plagiarism.
5d. Avoid plagiarism in their own writing.
5e. Understand the penalties and academic impacts of plagiarism at UWF and in the scholarly
community.
5f. Manage and organize information selected using various methods (i.e. Refworks), in order to
prevent plagiarism.
5g. Select an appropriate documentation style and use it consistently to cite sources.
Outcome: Students will further develop research skills in their own disciplines.
Information Literacy Objective 6: Students will further their research and information literacy
skills within their majors.
Skills:
6a. Locate and interpret information sources in order to identify key theories, studies, and critical
frameworks within the discipline.
6b. Examine and compare information from various sources in order to evaluate scholarly
writings critically.
6c. Explain the scholarly communication processes for the literature of the discipline.
6d. Describe the scope of information available in the discipline (beyond the library) and be able
to retrieve it.
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Outcome: Students will apply information literacy skills in their professions.
Information Literacy Objective 7: Students will acquire transferrable information literacy skills
that can be applied to the professional workforce.
Skills:
7a. Effectively and efficiently locate information from the variety of sources available (e.g.,
experts, databases, intranet, Internet, journal subscriptions, professional associations).
7b. Describe the evaluation criteria used to make information decisions and choices.
7c. Create new information individually or as part of a team by gathering and evaluating
information from a variety of sources.
II. Teaching & Assessing Learning Outcomes
Librarians teach and support the teaching of these skills in a variety of ways, including:
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Conducting library instruction sessions for specific courses at the request of teaching
faculty.
Conducting open workshops for students and faculty.
Providing one-on-one instruction to students and faculty via reference desk interactions,
research consultations, and through virtual means.
Creating materials that support information literacy, such as online, self-paced tutorials;
online research guides; and printed research aids.
Collaborating with faculty and departments to incorporate information literacy skills into
their own courses and/or assignments.
The assessment of these outcomes is paramount to ensuring the effectiveness and ongoing
improvement of library instruction services. The results of assessment efforts should inform
instructional pedagogy by identifying areas that need improvement and holding the Libraries
accountable for their instruction efforts. In line with other University departments, the Libraries
will conduct annual appraisals of its program (See Appendix B).
To gauge the effectiveness of the Program, the library will use a variety of assessment
methods, including:
Direct Methods
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Pre- and post-tests measures including quizzes, exercises, and student response
systems (i.e., “clickers”)
Observational assessment as librarians and/or faculty roam the instruction area while
students conduct course-related activities
Reviewing or scoring student skills or projects by applying a rubric (see Appendix B).
Analyzing quiz results of tutorials or worksheets, etc, of face-to-face exercises.
Collaborating with teaching faculty to measure IL outcomes in course assignments.
Indirect Methods
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Student and faculty surveys
Interviews and/or focus groups with students and/or faculty
Analyzing reference questions asked by students, e.g. do reference questions increase
in complexity over a semester?
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Appendix A: Rubric
Outcome: Students will demonstrate general library skills.
Objective 1: Students will demonstrate general library skills.
Information Literacy
Skill
1a. Recognize that
the library website
acts as a gateway to
valuable resources,
including scholarly
sources.
Below Expectations
Meets Expectations
Exceeds
Expectations
1a. utilizes the library
website as an
entrance point to
search for research
materials and
services and
understands the
breadth of information
that can be found
there.
1a. fails to recognize
the library website as
a starting point for
research.
1a. identifies the
library website as an
entrance point for
research sources,
including scholarly
materials.
1b. Identify ways to
obtain research
assistance from the
Libraries by
identifying features
and services, such as
subject research
guides, library
tutorials, interlibrary
loan, and/or ways to
contact library staff.
1b. does not identify
the library as a place
to receive research
assistance.
1b. names a variety of
ways to receive
research assistance
from the Libraries.
1b. identifies a variety
of ways to receive
various kinds of
research assistance
from the Libraries, via
both self-help and
staff assistance, and
through both virtual
and in-person means.
1c. Define the terms
catalog, database,
peer-reviewed, and
call number.
1c. does not know
what these library
terms mean.
1c. accurately defines
these library terms.
1c. defines and
understands these
library terms and can
relate them to each
other and to the
research process.
1d. Use the library
catalog to identify and
locate books on a
particular topic.
1d. cannot
appropriately search
the library catalog or
fails to recognize it as
a database in which
to search for books in
the library collection.
1d. searches the
library catalog and
finds relevant books
on a topic.
1d. searches the
library catalog
appropriately (by title,
keyword, etc) and
locates books that are
directly related to the
topic or can be
applied to the topic in
a useful way.
1e. Use a
multidisciplinary
database to find
1e. fails to use a
multidisciplinary
database to find
1e. recognizes a
multidisciplinary
database as a
1e. recognizes and
uses a
multidisciplinary
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scholarly journal
articles on a particular
topic.
articles or fails to limit
the search to
scholarly articles.
resource for finding
scholarly articles and
can locate a relevant
scholarly article on a
topic by using one.
database as a
resource for finding
scholarly articles and
can locate relevant
scholarly articles by
using its search
features.
Outcome:
Students will access and retrieve relevant information effectively and
efficiently.
Objective 2: Students will identify the types of information needed and can identify the
appropriate resources needed to locate them.
Information Literacy
Skill
2a. Identify the types
of information needed
(e.g., journal articles,
websites).
Below Expectations
Meets Expectations
Exceeds
Expectations
2a. identifies a variety
of information types
that might be used
and selects the most
relevant materials to
fit the information
need.
2a. fails to identify the
type(s) of information
needed to fit the
purpose.
2a. identifies the
type(s) of information
needed to fit the
purpose based on
characteristics of the
information need.
2b. Select appropriate
databases and search
engines for finding
different types of
information.
2b. has little to no
knowledge about the
varying content in
different databases.
2b. uses the library
website and online
resources to identify
and select the
appropriate database
to find different types
of information.
2b. is familiar with
various databases
and the types of
information contained
within each one and
selects the
appropriate database
efficiently.
2c. Use appropriate
reference materials to
locate background
and explanatory
materials for a topic.
2c. does not consult
appropriate materials
for background and
explanatory materials
on a topic.
2c. uses relevant
reference materials to
locate background
materials on a topic.
2c. uses a variety of
relevant reference
materials to gain a
solid foundation of
knowledge about a
topic and uses the
information as a basis
for further research.
2d. Identify and select
discipline-specific
databases and
resources.
2d. cannot identify
discipline-specific
resources.
2d. uses library
services and
resources to identify
discipline-specific
databases.
2d. identifies and
selects disciplinespecific databases
and resources,
understands their
breadth and
limitations, and
consults additional
ones as needed.
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Objective 3: Students will effectively search databases and access and retrieve
information efficiently.
Information Literacy
Skill
3a. Construct search
strategies by
identifying key terms,
synonyms, and
concepts that
describe the
information need.
Below Expectations
Meets Expectations
3a. is unable to
describe the
information need
using key terms,
synonyms, and
concepts.
3a. uses key terms,
synonyms, and
concepts to construct
a solid search
strategy.
3b. Select controlled
vocabulary and
search strategies that
are specific to the
discipline or to the
information retrieval
source.
3b. is unable to
identify controlled
vocabulary or
terminology that is
specific to the
database or
discipline.
3b. recognizes
controlled vocabulary
and search terms
that may be used by
databases,
classification systems,
and disciplines, and
uses it effectively.
3b. recognizes
controlled vocabulary
that may be used by
different systems and
disciplines and is able
to create multiple
search strategies to
accommodate the
differences.
3c. Refine and narrow
searches using
subject headings (or
other limiting features
appropriate to the
database).
3c. is unable to
narrow a broad
search.
3c. uses subject
headings and other
features to effectively
narrow results to
those that are most
relevant.
3c. uses subject
headings and other
features of databases
to refine and narrow
results; revises
searches in other
databases
accordingly.
3d. understands
information retrieval
methods and uses
them efficiently.
3d. uses different
information retrieval
methods efficiently,
understands the time
implications of each,
and creates a
research plan
accordingly.
3d. Retrieve sources
3d. is unable to
(e.g, the full-text of a
retrieve sources or
scholarly article) using does so inefficiently.
the most efficient
means available
(SFX, bound print
journal, interlibrary
loan).
Exceeds
Expectations
3a. uses key terms,
synonyms, and
concepts to construct
a search strategy; is
able to revise search
strategy and gather
additional information
as needed.
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Outcome: Students will critically evaluate information sources.
Objective 4: Students critically evaluate information sources.
Information Literacy
Skill
4a. Distinguish
between scholarly
and popular sources
and understand the
uses of each.
Below Expectations
Meets Expectations
Exceeds
Expectations
4a. distinguishes
between scholarly
and popular sources,
identifies the
attributes of each,
recognizes the uses
and purposes of both,
and is able to
contextualize them in
a meaningful way.
4a. cannot distinguish
between scholarly
and popular sources.
4a. distinguishes
between scholarly
and popular sources
by identifying
attributes of each and
using them
appropriately.
4b. Differentiate
between primary and
secondary sources
and understand the
uses of each.
4b. does not
understand the
difference in primary
and secondary
sources.
4b. distinguishes
between primary and
secondary sources by
identifying attributes
of each and uses
them appropriately.
4b. distinguishes
between primary and
secondary sources,
identifies the
attributes of each,
recognizes the uses
and purposes of both
(e.g., that information
can be created using
raw data from primary
source material), and
is able to
contextualize them in
a meaningful way.
4c. Judge the
appropriateness of
various types of
sources by evaluating
their credibility,
authority, relevance,
accuracy, and
purpose.
4c. cannot evaluate
sources using initial
criteria.
4c. evaluates
appropriateness of
sources using an
“initial appraisal”
checklist.
4c. evaluates
appropriateness of
sources by using an
“initial appraisal”
checklist and
understands that
further in-depth
evaluation may be
needed to determine
the source’s value.
4d. Describes the
impact of context
(cultural, physical,
historical, etc) on
interpreting
information.
4d. cannot describe
how context relates to
the interpretation of
information.
4d. describes the
impact context plays
in interpreting
information and is
able to relate it to a
source’s meaning.
4d. applies contextual
information to the
analysis of
information on a
regular basis and
interprets and uses
contextual analysis
accurately.
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4e. Identify the
purpose and audience
of potential resources
(e.g., popular vs.
scholarly, current vs.
historical).
4e. does not
understand the
purpose and audience
of different resources.
4e. identifies the
purpose and audience
of resources and is
able to interpret
information by
recognizing elements
such as bias,
promotion, scholarly
communication, etc.
4e. identifies the
purpose and audience
of resources,
recognizes elements
of bias, promotion,
scholarly
communication etc.,
and is able to interpret
a source’s impact in
context and
incorporate the
source appropriately
into his/her
knowledge base.
Outcome: Students will use information ethically.
Objective 5: Students will avoid plagiarism.
Information Literacy
Skill
5a. Define and
recognize plagiarism
in order to understand
the importance of
using others’ works
ethically.
Below Expectations
Meets Expectations
Exceeds
Expectations
5a. defines
plagiarism,
recognizes it in one’s
own and others’
works, and
understands the
ethical importance of
avoiding it.
5a. does not
understand what
plagiarism is and/or
fails to see it as an
ethical issue.
5a. defines plagiarism
and understands its
ethical implications.
5b. Understand why
paraphrasing is useful
and know when/how
to paraphrase.
5b. cannot
paraphrase
appropriately and
does not understand
its use.
5b. paraphrases
appropriately and
understands
when/how to
paraphrase.
5b. paraphrases
appropriately and
understands when to
favor its use over
quotations; how to
meaningfully integrate
others’ works into
one’s own; and
understands the
importance of
representing others’
works accurately.
5c. Define "common
knowledge" and
describe its
relationship to
plagiarism.
5c. does not know
what “common
knowledge” is or
cannot identify what is
and what is not
common knowledge.
5c. recognizes what
constitutes “common
knowledge” and cites
sources, if needed,
accordingly.
5c. recognizes
“common knowledge,”
cites sources
accordingly, and
understands that
“common knowledge”
can vary depending
on audience.
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5d. Avoid plagiarism
in their own writing.
5d. intentionally or
unintentionally
plagiarizes; does not
cite appropriately.
5d. does not
plagiarize; cites
appropriately.
5d. does not
plagiarize; cites
appropriately;
understands the
nuances of attribution
(e.g., in-text vs.
parenthetical).
5e. Understand the
penalties and
academic impacts of
plagiarism at UWF
and in the scholarly
community.
5e. does not
understand the
penalties for
plagiarism at UWF or
in the broader
community.
5e. names the
penalties for
plagiarism at UWF
and understands the
academic impacts in
the broader scholarly
community.
5e. understands the
penalties for
plagiarism at UWF,
recognizes the
necessity of avoiding
plagiarism, and
understands how
plagiarism can impact
someone’s
professional career.
5f. Manage and
organize information
selected using various
methods (i.e.
Refworks), in order to
prevent plagiarism.
5f. fails to manage or
organize information
(e.g., takes poor
notes), making
preventing plagiarism
difficult or impossible.
5f. manages and
organizes information
using methods that
are clear and can
easily avoid
plagiarism by
consulting research
records.
5f. manages and
organizes information
using clear methods
and is able to track
research back over an
extended period to
understand where an
idea was incorporated
into his/her own in
order to prevent
plagiarism.
5g. Select an
appropriate
documentation style
and use it consistently
to cite sources.
5g. fails to cite
sources or does so
inconsistently.
5g. cites sources
consistently, using a
documentation style
that is appropriate to
the discipline or
assignment.
5g. cites sources
consistently, uses a
documentation style
appropriate to the
discipline or
assignment, and
gains familiarity with a
style guide allowing
for accurate and
efficient proofreading.
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Outcome: Students will further develop research skills in their own discipline.
Objective 6: Students will further their research and information literacy skills in their
majors.
Information Literacy
Skill
6a. Locate and
interpret information
sources in order to
identify key theories,
studies, and critical
frameworks within the
discipline.
Below Expectations
6b. Examine and
compare information
from various sources
in order to evaluate
scholarly writings
critically.
6b. cannot evaluate
scholarly writings
critically or does not
gather/compare a
variety of scholarly
sources.
6b. compares and
critically examines
scholarly writings in
relation to each other.
6b. compares and
critically examines
scholarly writings, can
distinguish between
nuances in the
research, and is able
to situate one’s own
research among
them.
6c. Demonstrate
awareness of the
scholarly
communication
processes for the
literature of the
discipline.
6c. does not
understand the
scholarly
communication
process within the
discipline.
6c. explains how
scholarly
communication is
conducted in the
discipline and can
name important
journals/works/sites
where scholarly
communication takes
place.
6c. explains how
scholarly
communication is
conducted in the
discipline; names
important
journals/works/sites
where scholarly
communication takes
place; participates in
scholarly
communication.
6d. Recognize the
scope of information
available in the
discipline (beyond the
library) and be able to
retrieve it.
6d. does not realize
the breadth of
information available
in the discipline or
does not know how to
retrieve it.
6d. uses databases
and other search
engines to identify
breadth of information
available in the
discipline and uses
services (ILL, etc) to
be able to retrieve it.
6d. researches
comprehensively,
realizing the scope of
information available
in the discipline and
uses appropriate
databases to locate it
and services (ILL, etc)
to be able to retrieve
it.
6a. is not able to
locate or recognize
key works that have
had an impact on the
discipline.
Meets Expectations
Exceeds
Expectations
6a. knows how to
6a. locates, identifies,
locate and identify key and interprets key
works in the discipline works within the
and understands their discipline and is able
impacts.
to explain their
relationships to each
other (via
interpretation, citation
tracking, etc).
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Appendix B: Annual Form
This form follows academic department assessment forms used in annual reports. For internal
purposes, Library Instruction Services will discuss and report assessment. Assessment data
may also be reported externally to faculty if they wish to assess information literacy and may be
included in the Libraries’ Annual Report.
Based on departmental assessments, student learning in information literacy was (check one):
Worse than last year
Equivalent to last year
Slightly better than last year
Moderately better than last year
Dramatically better than last year
Cannot be compared (this is the first year for this assessment)
Describe the direct measure(s) used to assess student learning in information literacy (e.g., answers to
questions included on an exam, performance on a paper or project scored with a rubric, etc.). Include
information about any additional measures used to assess learning outcomes in this domain.
If you observed changes in student performance on this measure when comparing the two years, briefly
describe (in one or two sentences) the nature of these changes.
Use of Assessment Data for Making Decisions. Describe the process used in your department to evaluate
assessment evidence and make decisions (include dates of relevant department meetings if known).
Describe the decisions made to improve student learning in your program. Describe how these decisions
are related to the assessment evidence collected by your department.
Use of Assessment Data for Improvement of Assessment Procedures. Describe any changes made to
assessment methods. Explain the relation between these changes and the information obtained from
previous assessments.
Describe the Department’s Commitment to Assessment Activities in the next year.
Aspects to be examined from department’s multi-year assessment plan in the next year.
Assessment question(s) to be addressed in the next year.
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