Kean University Library
Information Literacy Program
Lesson Outline for Library Instruction
Course: Transition to Kean (First Year Seminar)
Course Number: ID 1001
Kean University Undergraduate Catalog Course Description:
“First Year Seminar is a one-credit, graded course for all students with 9
credits or less. Classes meet with 20 students, an instructor and a peerliaison (now called Academic and Instructional Mentor [AIM]). Students use
Kean’s textbook, Gateway to Your Success. The goal of the course is to
assimilate students into an academic world and to motivate them for
excellence. The course is administered by the Center for Academic
Success.”
Typical Course Research Assignment:
Students must complete a library assignment, which includes basic
questions about the library’s services and collections as well as basic
research questions. Students also choose a topic relating to a potential
career interest, then search for and locate resources including at least one
book and one article from a popular periodical source (magazine or
newspaper). Ultimately, students will write a 2-3 page paper with
references cited using MLA style format.
Prerequisites (Assumptions) for Students Attending the Library Instruction
Session:
It is assumed that students in the class are first-year or transfer students who have
less than 9 credits.
Equipment and Materials:
Computers with Internet access in a dedicated computer lab; library handouts;
examples of print periodical types (scholarly/professional, popular magazines, and
newspapers).
Goals and Objectives for Library Instruction Session:
General goalsThe student:
1. Has knowledge of the physical layout, service points, and circulation
procedures of the library, i.e., library barcode and online book renewal
processes.
2. Has the ability to articulate his or her research topic of interest.
3. Has the basic skills needed to find course-related information in books from
the Reference and Main Collections.
4. Has the basic skills needed to find course-related information in newspapers,
popular magazines, and scholarly/professional journals.
5. Has developed the basic critical thinking skills needed to select the
information access tools, keywords, and information sources that are most
appropriate for the information need.
Objectives(Cited in parentheses are the ACRL Information Literacy Competency
Standards, Performance Indicators, and Outcomes* that will be met upon
satisfaction of the objective.)
The student:
1. Is aware that individualized research assistance is available by telephone, email (Ask a Reference Librarian), and in person at the Reference Desk.
(Standard 2.2.c)
2. Knows how to formulate a research focus and refine the research focus if a
more specific and relevant focus is identified. (Standards 1.1.a; 1.1.b;
1.1.d;1.3.c; 1.4.a; 3.6.a)
3. Understands that dictionaries are readily available in the Reference Collection
and that these dictionaries can be quickly accessed to find definitions,
synonyms, and related keywords, as well as pronunciation guides.
(Standards 1.1.e; 2.2.b)
4. Understands that subject encyclopedias and other Reference books often
provide helpful background information on course-related topics, as well as
ideas for relevant keywords and key concepts. (Standards 1.1.c; 1.1.d;
1.1.e)
5. Knows how to search the Kean Catalog by author, title, and keyword to
determine the call numbers for library books that contain subject matter
addressing the information need. (Standards 1.1.c; 2.2.b).
6. Understands how to find books in the library by locating specific call numbers
within the appropriate library collection. (Standard 2.3.b)
7. Understands that periodical articles on a particular subject or by a particular
author are accessed through periodical indexes in both print and electronic
formats.
a. Knows how to select a periodical index database in electronic format
appropriate to the course-related information need (i.e., MasterFILE,
Academic Search Premier, WilsonWeb OmniFile, ProQuest Newspapers,
or Lexis Nexis Academic). (Standard 2.1.d)
b. Knows how to access the database, navigate within it, construct a
search strategy, and execute a basic search using appropriate
keywords, in order to retrieve citations, abstracts, and, in some cases,
full text for relevant articles. (Standards 2.2.b; 2.2.d; 2.2.e; 2.3.a)
c. Recognizes the difference between scholarly/professional journals
(such as Journal of Special Education) and popular magazines (such as
Newsweek or People Weekly). (Standards 1.2.d; 3.2.a)
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d. Understands that scholarly and reputable information sources are
more readily accessible by searching in a library’s subscription
databases, than by searching in freely available Internet search
engines and directories (such as Google and Yahoo). (Standard 3.2.a)
e. Understands criteria to consider (authority, currency, objectivity,
accuracy, and coverage) when evaluating retrieved information
sources, and checks that the retrieved information sources are
relevant to the topic of interest. (Standards 1.2.d; 2.4.a; 3.2.a; 3.4.a;
3.4.g; 3.7.a)
8. Can identify and understands the importance of recording the pertinent parts
of a bibliographic record retrieved in the Kean catalog and in periodical index
databases. (Standards 2.5.c; 2.5.d)
9. Understands that the concept of academic integrity requires that, when
information is used, the source of information must be cited in order to avoid
committing plagiarism.
a. Knows that sources must be cited whether the information is quoted,
paraphrased, or summarized. (Standards 3.1.c; 5.2.f)
b. Knows that MLA citation style requires using a system of parenthetical
cross-references to a works cited page. (Standards 2.5.c; 3.1.c; 5.3.a)
c. Understands that examples and explanations of MLA style may be
found in the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers, which is
shelved in the Reference Collection. (Standard 5.3.a)
* The ACRL standards satisfied by meeting the aforementioned objectives are available in
full at the following Website: American Library Association. Association of College and
Research Libraries (2003). Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher
Education. Retrieved July 20, 2004 from the World Wide Web:
http://www.ala.org/acrl/ilcomstan.html
Lesson outline prepared by librarians Linda Cifelli and Caroline Geck, July 2004.
[Last revision 08/30/04 LC]
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