Paper #: __________________________
Rater Initials: ______________________
Defines extent of information needed with a clear research question
Organizes content in a manner that supports the purposes of the project
(think form or style)
Synthesizes information
(think content)
Accesses enough information to explore research question
(think quantity or breadth)
Uses relevant, authoritative information (think quality)
Indicates sourced information clearly in the
body of the paper; sources referred to in the body of the paper are represented in the reference list or bibliography.
Cites sources clearly in the reference list and/or endnotes
Rubric for Longwood University’s Information Literacy Competency Assessment
4
Defines the scope of the investigation with a clear research question, problem statement, statement of purpose, or thesis.
Organizes information from sources in a manner that enables the reader to follow the student’s inferences.
Synthesizes information from sources to achieve a clear perspective on the research question or problem statement without oversimplifying.
Achieves sufficient coverage to consider a significant range of opinion on the research question.
Consistently draws from relevant, authoritative research sources.
Clearly and consistently indicates sourced information in the body of the paper with quotes, links, superscripts
(endnotes), or parenthetical citation.
Cites information clearly and consistently, making it easy for the reader to determine the source’s format and to track down the source.
3
Defines the scope of the investigation with a research question, problem statement, or thesis, but there is some vagueness.
Evidence of a logical organization of information from sources, with minor inconsistencies.
Some missed opportunities to synthesize information from sources result in minor shortcomings in achieving a clear perspective and handling complexity.
Consults a range of sources, with a few important gaps.
Most sources are relevant and authoritative; a few are problematic.
Minor inconsistencies and/or a few missing in-text citations; most information cited but with some ambiguity.
Cites information so that the reader can track down sources with effort/guesswork; reader has minor difficulties interpreting the format of the cited source (book, journal article, website, etc.).
2
Attempts to define the scope of the investigation with a research question, problem statement, or thesis, but it is too vague to give direction to the project.
Evidence of an attempt at logical organization of information from sources, with major inconsistencies.
Serious difficulties in synthesizing information from sources results in major shortcomings in achieving a coherent perspective.
A few sources are relevant and authoritative; the majority are problematic.
Major inconsistencies and/or multiple missing in-text citations.
Provides reference list and/or endnotes, but they are too garbled or incomplete to help the reader track down the sources; reader has major difficulties interpreting the format of the cited source
(book, journal article, website, etc.).
1
Does not define the scope of the investigation with a research question, problem statement, or thesis.
No discernible attempt to organize sources.
No attempt to synthesize information sources to achieve a coherent perspective.
No reference to outside sources (the textbook does not count as an outside source).
Sources used are not authoritative or relevant.
Does not acknowledge outside sources in the body of the paper.
Does not provide a reference list or endnotes.

Adapted from the Information Literacy VALUE Rubric ( http://www.aacu.org/value/rubrics/pdf/InformationLiteracy.pdf
)
Definition of Information Literacy: The ability to know when there is a need for information, to be able to identify, locate, evaluate, and effectively and responsibly use and share that information for the problem at hand. –The National Forum on Information Literacy