Presented at QQML 2019 by Jade Geary.

1. HOW EFFECTIVE ARE CREDIT-BEARING
INFORMATION LITERACY COURSES?
A PRE-TEST AND POST-TEST SHOWS THE
POTENTIAL GROWTH FROM THESE COURSES
Jade Geary
Instructional Design Librarian
Doctoral Student in Curriclum and Instruction with an Ed Tech focus
Bjaded90 gearyja@mailbox.sc.edu

2. OUTLINE
•A bit about USC
•Information literacy instruction
@ USC
•Previous Findings
•Pre-Test & Post-Test findings

3. USC

4. USC
• R1 research university
• Undergraduates, master's
candidates, & doctoral
candidates
• Southeastern United States
• Main campus Columbia, SC
(where I work)
• 7 regional campuses
• Spring 2019 30,120 total
students enrolled @ USC
Columbia

5. ONLY 10 RESEARCH &
INSTRUCTION LIBRARIANS @ THE
MAIN LIBRARY

6. INFORMATION LITERACY INSTRUCTION
@ USC

7. USC
• One-shot instruction
sessions
• Credit-bearing course
• Research help desk
• Phone, email, & chat
assistance
• One on one consultations
• Tutorials and other digital
learning objects

8. PREVIOUS FINDINGS

9. STUDENT PRE-TEST TOTALS SUMMER 2015-
SPRING 2018
82
433
965
1096
1438
0
200
400
600
800
1000
1200
1400
1600
1800
2000
A B C D F

10. PRE-TEST & POST-TEST

11. POST-TEST & PRE-TEST
• 20 questions
• 18 content
• 2 demographic
• Highest possible score= 42
• Exactly the same test just administered at different points
in the semester

12. PRE-TEST & POST-TEST FINDINGS

13. POST-TEST & PRE-TEST FINDINGS

14. POST-TEST & PRE-TEST FINDINGS

15. POST-TEST & PRE-TEST FINDINGS

16. POST-TEST & PRE-TEST FINDINGS

17. WHAT SKILLS DID THEY STRUGGLE
WITH AT THE END OF 8 WEEKS?

18. WHAT SKILLS DID THEY STRUGGLE WITH AT THE
END OF 8 WEEKS?
Which of the
following sources
is most likely to
contain outdated
information?” with
the corresponding
answer options
(correct answer in
bold):
• Clapes, A. L. (1989). Software, copyright,
and competition: The "look and feel" of the
law. New York: Quorum Books.
• Bell, J., & Bell, C. (1797). The anatomy of
the human body. Edinburgh: Printed for
Cadell and Davies, London; and G. Mudie
and Son, Edinburgh.
• McNeil, D. G. (2016). Zika: The emerging
epidemic. New York: W.W. Norton &
Company, Inc.
• Nordenson, G., Candela, F., & Museum of
Modern Art (New York, N.Y.). (2008).
Seven structural engineers: The Felix
Candela lectures. New York: Museum of
Modern Art.
• I don't know

19. WHAT SKILLS DID THEY STRUGGLE WITH AT THE
END OF 8 WEEKS?
Which of the
following sources
is most likely to
contain outdated
information?” with
the corresponding
answer options
(correct answer in
bold):
• Clapes, A. L. (1989). Software, copyright,
and competition: The "look and feel" of the
law. New York: Quorum Books.
• Bell, J., & Bell, C. (1797). The anatomy of
the human body. Edinburgh: Printed for
Cadell and Davies, London; and G. Mudie
and Son, Edinburgh.
• McNeil, D. G. (2016). Zika: The emerging
epidemic. New York: W.W. Norton &
Company, Inc.
• Nordenson, G., Candela, F., & Museum of
Modern Art (New York, N.Y.). (2008).
Seven structural engineers: The Felix
Candela lectures. New York: Museum of
Modern Art.
• I don't know

20. WHAT SKILLS DID THEY STRUGGLE WITH AT THE
END OF 8 WEEKS?
Match the citation to
the correct source
type.
• Harrison, Jim. The Coca-Cola Art of Jim
Harrison. University of South Carolina
Press 2017. Book
• Craigon, Peter J., et al. "“She’s a Dog at
the End of the Day”: Guide Dog Owners’
Perspectives on the Behaviour of Their
Guide Dog." PLoS ONE, vol. 12, no. 4,
2017, pp. 1-19. Academic Search
Complete ,
doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0176018. Journal
Article
• Kuchment, Anna. "Man-Made Solutions for
Man-Made Quakes." Scientific American,
vol. 316, no. 2, Feb. 2017, pp. 10-12.
Academic Search Complete,
login.pallas2.tcl.sc.edu/login?url=http://sea
rch.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true
&db=a9h&AN=120664485&site=ehost-
live. Magazine

21. WHAT SKILLS DID THEY STRUGGLE WITH AT THE
END OF 8 WEEKS?
“Your professor says that
you need primary
resources what would be
considered a primary
resource. Check all that
apply.” The following
answer choices were
provided (correct answers
bolded):
• A book that explores the topic in depth
• A subject specific encyclopedia
• A journal article that discusses a variety of
experts on a particular topic but does not
complete an original experiment
• A book that contains personal
communications of people that
experienced the event
• A journal article containing an original
experiment
• Someone’s journal
• Original artwork
• None of these
• I don’t know

22. WHAT SKILLS DID THEY STRUGGLE WITH AT THE
END OF 8 WEEKS?
“Your professor says that
you need primary
resources what would be
considered a primary
resource. Check all that
apply.” The following
answer choices were
provided (correct answers
bolded):
• A book that explores the topic in depth
• A subject specific encyclopedia
• A journal article that discusses a variety of
experts on a particular topic but does not
complete an original experiment
• A book that contains personal
communications of people that experienced
the event
• A journal article containing an original
experiment
• Someone’s journal
• Original artwork
• None of these
• I don’t know

23. WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR OUR
STUDENTS?

24. THANK YOU!
Jade Geary
Instructional Design Librarian
gearyja@mailbox.sc.edu
@bjaded90