The document discusses the ACRL's framework for information literacy in higher education, emphasizing the importance of understanding the information ecosystem and engaging critically with information. It outlines six key frames, such as the contextual nature of authority and the iterative process of research, highlighting how each impacts scholarly practices. The framework encourages ethical participation and the strategic evaluation of information to foster deeper learning and inquiry.

1. Success with College Research
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HCPS Professional Learning Conference
November 24 & 25, 2014 Gina Calia-Lotz, Instructional Services Librarian
Harford Community College

2. ASSOCATION OF COLLEGE & RESEARCH
LIBRARIES (ACRL):
“Framework for Information Literacy for Higher
Education”
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(A work in progress…)

3. “Old” ACRL “Standards for
Information Literacy”
 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
 Understand the economic, legal, and social issues
surrounding the use of information, and access and use
information ethically and legally

4. ACRL’s expanded definition of
information literacy
“ Information literacy is a spectrum of abilities, practices, and
habits of mind that extends and deepens learning through
engagement with the information ecosystem. It includes:
 understanding essential concepts about that ecosystem;
 engaging in creative inquiry and critical reflection to develop
questions and to find, evaluate and manage information
through an iterative process;
 creating new knowledge through ethical participation in
communities of learning, scholarship, and civic purpose;
and
 adopting a strategic view of the interests, biases, and
assumptions present in the information ecosystem.”

5. Snapshots of the
ACRL Framework for
Information Literacy
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“The Six Frames”

6. Authority is Constructed & Contextual
various communities may
recognize different types of
authority
Novice learners may need to rely
on superficial indicators of
authority, such as type of
publication or author credentials,
where experts recognize schools
of thought or discipline-specific
paradigms.
Even authoritative should be
regarded with “informed
skepticism.”

7. Information Creation as a Process
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Unique capabilities and
constraints of each information
product determine how info can
and should be used.
information products are
valued differently in different
contexts, such as academia or
the workplace.
Researchers decide which
format and mode of
transmission to use when
disseminating their own info
creations.

8. Information Has Value
Information possesses several
dimensions of value, including as
a commodity, as a means of
education, as a means to
influence, and as a means of
negotiating and understanding
the world.
The flow of information through
systems of production and
dissemination is impacted by
legal, sociopolitical, and
economic interests

9. Research as Inquiry
Research is iterative: complex
questions develop new lines of inquiry.
Experienced researchers see inquiry
as a process that focuses on problems
or questions.
The novice works to understand
foundational ideas/methods, and over
time develops ability to formulate more
advanced research questions, and
employ a greater repertoire of
investigative methods.
Methods of research vary by need and
circumstance.
“Picking Your Topic IS Research”

10. Scholarship is a Conversation
Sustained discourse within a
community of scholars or thinkers.
Scholarly research resists simple
answers.
Scholarship is a discursive practice,
over extended periods of time.
The experienced researcher seeks
out many perspectives in a scholarly
conversation, not merely the one
with which the researcher already
agrees.

11. Searching is Strategic
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Knowing the universe of possible
tools, collections, and
repositories.
No single system works well for
all research needs.
Using appropriate search
vocabularies and protocols.
Refining and adjusting search
strategies during the process.

12. “Credible websites”

13. “Only academic sources”

14. “Develop a thesis.”

15. “Incorporate your sources,
don’t just quote.”

16. “Cite in MLA style”
“Cite in APA style”
“Cite using a standard format”

17. EVALUATION

18. Slideshare link:
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