AAC&U'S VALUE RUBRIC
The Association of American Colleges & Universities created a definition and rubric for Information Literacy to complete their set of rubrics for an entire college experience. Their Information Literacy Rubric is available here.
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. - Adopted from the National Forum on Information Literacy
Determine the extent of information needed,
Access the needed information,
Evaluate information and its sources critically,
Use information effectively to accomplish a specific purpose, and
Access and use information ethically and legally.
Creating a Reference Page
Construct a properly formatted and cited reference page, including all materials used in a paper/project.
Concept/s: Access and use information ethically and legally
Use Different Types of Resources
Produce a paper/project that uses different types of resources (general reference materials, monographs, journal articles, data from statistics, interviews, websites, etc.).
Concept/s: Determine the nature of information needed, access the needed information, use information effectively to accomplish a specific purpose, and access and use information ethically and legally.
Explain Search Strategy
Explain in step-by-step detail the strategy used to find all/some of the resources used in paper/project.
Concept/s: Determine the extent of information needed, access needed information, and access and use information ethically and legally.
Known Bias of Producers and Creators Used (Footnotes or Annotations)
Construct paper or project using resources with known bias (theological leaning). Use one, or several, perspective/s. For each resource briefly detail the bias.
Concept/s: Access the needed information, evaluate information and its sources critically, uses information effectively to accomplish a specific purpose, and accesses and uses information ethically and legally.
Search a Time Period OR The Scholars' Conversation
Construct a paper or project, but limit resources to a specific period of time (historical or contemporary).
Concept/s: Access the needed information and use information effectively to accomplish a specific purpose.
The Works of One
Construct a paper or project in which all of the resources come from one author. The focus is on multiple works written by one author to hear an author's voice/perspective.
Concept/s: Access the needed information.
Reflection on Writing Process: From Primary and Secondary Sources to Own Tertiary Work (Appendix)
Secondary sources are commentaries on a primary source. Tertiary works are reflections/commentaries on primary and secondary sources. Student work is tertiary. Their work becomes a commentary on the state of research. Their work is a contribution to the field (some of it better than others). The student writes an appendix in which they reflect upon what they have done and how they are contributing to the world academics. They are a successor to the scholars that they read; they are standing on the shoulders of giants.
Concept/s: Uses information effectively to accomplish a specific purpose.
Evaluation of Medium/Format (Footnotes, annotations, or Appendix)
Evaluate the medium/format of resources in regards to the trade-off of one medium/format over another. Attention is paid to currency, accuracy, and authority.
Concept/s: Evaluate information and its sources critically.
Evaluation Form (Used in next Five Assignments)
The evaluation form is a generic Word document. The header is blank, but you may insert your department or college logo to "brand" the form. Use this or one created by your librarians for the above assignment.
Evaluation of Currency
Evaluate the currency of a resource; not just think about the resource, but the theories espoused and the date of their resources. Is the source appropriate for academic use?
Concept/s: Evaluates information and its sources critically.
Evaluation of Relevancy
Evaluate the relevancy of the resource. Is the resource on topic? It is easiest to find good information, data, from a relevant resource than finding good information from an irrelevant resource.
Concept/s: Evaluates information and its sources critically.
Evaluation of Authority
Evaluate the authority of all/some of the resource creators. What makes that person an authority; academic study, work experience, or special life experience?
Concept/s: Evaluate information and its sources critically.
Evaluation of Accuracy
Evaluate the accuracy of a resource. Is the resource "peer reviewed" or edited in some way? Are there errors in grammar or spelling? Is information resourced? Are citations available?
Concept/s: Evaluates information and its sources critically.
Evaluation of Purpose/Persuasion
Evaluate the purpose or persuasion of the resource (stated or implied). Critically evaluate any obvious, stated, or hidden agenda/purpose behind the production of the resource, be that, entertainment, political, religious/theological agenda, or commercial venture.
Concept/s: Evaluates information and its sources critically.