Case-based Library Instruction

About a week ago, I read Andy Spackman and Leticia Camacho's article, "Rendering Information Literacy Relevant: A Case-Based Pedagogy." This article, which is published in The Journal of Academic Librarianship talks about promoting actual information-literacy skills among undergraduate students. By creating a scenario in which students must solve a problem, they engage students with real-life situations.

In each case study students must determine which sources or kinds of information they must consult to solve the problem. Spackman and Camacho created the Library Instruction Case Wiki "to assist in implementing a case-based pedagogy" (548). Moreover, these authors included three example cases within their article, which proved valuable in illustrating their points and the value of their efforts.

For them and others, they believe "that students learn and retain more when they are involved with the conditions of the problem, seek alternatives, and find their own solution" (549). They have gone away from the one-shot session dumps that try to teach the students everything they need to know about the library. Instead, they work on "meaningful problems" that grab student attention, and they focus on achieving the Association of College and Research Libraries' Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education.

Spackman and Camacho also cite data from student evaluations that further underscore the value of the case study as a teaching and learning tool. This method of teaching engages students. They find more meaning participating in an activity such as this. Handouts can serve as supplemental materials to demonstrate usage of a database or outline a series of resources that would be particularly useful.

To understand how to develop or implement case-based library instruction, read their article and refer to their bibliography.

Spackman, Andy and Leticia Camacho. "Rendering Information Literacy Relevant: A Case-Based Pedagogy." The Journal of Academic Librarianship 35.6 (26 Sept. 2009): 548-54.

P.S. Spackman and Camacho are business librarians, so their cases may be particularly useful to other business librarians. They are also interested in cases developed by other librarians for other disciplines. See their Library Instruction Case Wiki.

Brief Follow-up on Jing

Thank you to everyone who has come and visited my blog in the last week. If I interpreted the Google Analytics report correctly, then 180 individuals have looked at my most recent post on Jing, which is screencast software. Honestly, that tops all other personal records as far as individuals looking at one of my posts. I must have hit on a popular topic.

I am still quite excited about Jing and its potential for demonstrating search techniques and database demonstrations, which would open up library instruction for actual information-literacy activities. I may have mentioned this in the first post on Jing, but it seems that it would be a great reference tool, particularly when working with patrons over the phone, IM, or email. It's quick and easy.

Jing! An Awesome Way to Promote Information Literacy

Jing offers free downloadable software that enables you to create audio tutorials, simple screen shots, and then share them freely with others. It seems that reference librarians could easily create an audio tutorial while serving a patron on the phone or via chat reference. By creating a free account with Screencast.com, you can have 2 GB of storage space for your screen shots and screen casts.

Look at the table showing the difference between the free Jing and the Jing Pro version.

Creators of this software have made it relatively easy to share your screen casts with email messages, web code to embed it into a web site or blog, and a stable URL however you wish to share it. Naturally, Jing created a video introducing their product, which I do recommend.

For library instruction, this could really be beneficial. Quick audio tutorials can be created and shared in the ways just mentioned, leaving more time to focus on information-literacy standards. The URLs can be distributed on handouts, to instructors, on Libguides, etc. (Recently, I took the time to learn about Google Sites, which is how I may begin creating my own Libguides, since my institution cannot afford the real Libguides.) With a good pair of headphones that include a microphone, an audio tutorial can be creating lickety-split.

Some might consider the limitation of 5 minutes to be detrimental, but it seems that many students do not appreciate lengthy demonstrations. Most are of the following mindset: "Get in, get done, get out." Of course, if any humor can be inserted, all the better.

Take a look at a couple of my spontaneous audio tutorials:

• Course E-Reserves: Finding Your Professor's Electronic Documents (2 minutes 34 seconds)


• Reference Books: Limit Results by Location in the Library Catalog (2 minutes 30 seconds)

CQ Researcher: A Tool to Jump-start Research Projects

CQ Researcher continues to create great reports that can facilitate student research. These reports provide basic background on their topics, which are usually of current interest. The bibliographies point to other sources the students can cite, and the Pro/Con section can point to different viewpoints from respected experts.

The following are some titles of CQ Researcher reports that might be of interest to students who need to decide on a topic for a term paper, project, or speech. If you are a college student or instructor, check your libraries listing of databases. At ISU, CQ Researcher can be found in the alphabetical listing of databases in the C's.

Agriculture
“Biofuels Boom: Can ethanol satisfy America's thirst for foreign oil?” (Sept. 29, 2006)
“Global Food Crisis: What’s causing the rising prices?” (June 27, 2008)
“Factory Farms: Are they the best way to feed the nation?”(Jan. 12, 2007)
Business, Banking, & Economics
“Middle-Class Squeeze: Is more government aid needed?” (Mar. 6, 2009)
“Business Bankruptcy: Are U.S. bankruptcy laws effective?”(Apr. 10, 2009)
“Socially Responsible Investing: Can investors do well by doing good?” (Aug. 29, 2008)
Communications and the Mass Media
“Online Privacy: Do Americans need better protection?”
(Nov. 6, 2009) “Cyberbullying: Are new laws needed to curb online aggression?”
(May 2, 2008) “Conspiracy Theories: Do they threaten democracy?”
(Oct. 23, 2009)
Culture, Sports, and Recreation
“Stolen Antiquities: Should museums return relics to their country of origin?”
(Apr. 13, 2007)
“Extreme Sports: Are they too dangerous?”
(Apr. 3, 2009)
“Prostitution Debate: Should the United State legalize sex work?” (May 23, 2008)
Education
“Student Aid: Will many low-income students be left out? (Jan. 25, 2008)
“The Value of a College Education: Is a four-year degree the only path to a secure future?”(Nov. 20, 2009)
“Drinking on Campus: Have efforts to reduce alcohol abuse failed?” (Aug. 18, 2006)
Employment, Labor, & Income
“Straining the Safety Net: Is joblessness overwhelming aid programs?” (July 31, 2009)
“Rethinking Retirement: Can Americans afford to retire?” (June 19, 2009) “America’s Border Fence: Will it stem the flow of illegal immigrants?” (Sept. 19, 2008)
Energy>
“Confronting Warming: Can states and localities prevent climate change?” (Jan. 9, 2009)
“Coal’s Comeback: Can coal become a clean energy source?” (Oct. 5, 2007)
“Oil Jitters: Are the days of cheap oil gone forever?” (Jan. 4, 2008)
Family and Domestic Life
“Future of Feminism: Are women returning to a 1950’s mindset?” (Apr. 14, 2006) “Cyber Socializing: Are Internet sites such as Myspace potentially dangerous?” (July 28, 2006)
“Sex Offenders: Will tough new laws do more harm than good?” (Sept. 8, 2006)
Health
“Heart Health: Is America ready for the coming cardiac crisis?” (Sept. 12, 2008)
“Regulating Toxic Chemicals: Do we know enough about chemical risks?” (Jan. 23, 2009)
“Stem Cell Research: Is Pres. Bush blocking important medical research?” (Sept. 1, 2006)
Religion
“Religion and Politics: Is President Bush too vocal about his faith?” (July 30, 2004)
“Understanding Islam: Is Islam compatible with Western values?” (Nov. 3, 2006) “Protestants Today: Can U.S. Protestants survive today’s challenges?” (Dec. 7, 2007)
Science & Technology
“Human Spaceflight: Are missions to the moon and Mars feasible?”(Oct. 16, 2009)
“Science in America: Are we falling behind in science and technology?” (Jan. 11, 2008)
“Intelligent Design: Should alternatives to evolution theory be taught?” (July 29, 2005)
Social Movements
“Changing U.S. Electorate: Are demographic trends reshaping U.S. politics?” (May 30, 2008)
“Gay Marriage Showdowns: Will voters bar marriage for same-sex couples?” (Sept. 26, 2008)
“Hate Groups: Is extremism on the rise in the United States?” (May 8, 2009)
War & Conflict
“New Strategy in Iraq: Will President Bush’s troop surge work?” (Feb. 23, 2007)
“Mexico’s Drug War: Is the violence spilling into the U.S.?”(Dec. 12, 2008)
“Cost of the Iraq War: Are economic woes a casualty of unexpectedly high costs?” (Apr. 25, 2008)

Elements of a CQ Researcher Report

• Overview
  
• Background
  
• Bibliography
  
• Pro/Con Discussion
  
• Outlook
  
• Current Situation
  
• Chronology
  
• Maps/Graphs
  
• Contacts (Addresses and websites of reputable organizations)
  
• Next Step (Additional articles and resources to explore the issue.)
  
• “Cite Now!” shows you how to cite in various formats.
  
• You can email a pdf copy of the whole report or individual sections.
  
• Search by Keyword
  
• Browse by Topic or Date

Ideas for Papers & Speeches

Children
• Raising children in affluent America
• Child geniuses: how smart are they?
• Breast feeding vs. the bottle
• How to instill in children a respect for the natural world
• Shy children: causes, concerns, and corrections
• Disciplining children
• Pros & cons of marriage without children

Consumerism

• Frauds & deceptions in the used automobile market
  
• Would the consumer benefit from the breakup of large corporations?
  
• How electronic banking affects the consumer
  
• Financing abuses: common instances, current regulations, and techniques for avoiding misleading & dishonest practices

Contemporary Issues

• Should sex education be taught in school?
  
• What are human rights?
  
• Can democracy survive?
  
• Refute/defend: free enterprise & environmental issues are incompatible
  
• Substantiate or refute: America recovers from recessions by waging war
  
• Objections to legalized gambling
  
• The case for a stronger United Nations

Crime & Criminal Justice

• Police training standards
  
• Police weaponry
  
• Mental illness among law enforcement officers and national surveys
  
• Should prison be abolished?
  
• Women behind the badge
  
• Child molesters: detection, prevention, and punishment
  
• The correlation between education levels and crime

Health

• Preventive measures for common running injuries
  
• New ways to manage stress
  
• Problems of health care in rural areas
  
• Permanent effects of methamphetamines
  
• Exercise and pregnancy
  
• Prevalence of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) in the United States vs. other countries or Idaho
  
• How the United States controls epidemics

Family Life
• Changes in the American family since the 1950s
• Sex-role changes in the American family
• Complex problems single parents face
• Teenage suicide and families
• How children view divorce
• Why sibling rivalry develops and how to cure it
• Dealing with Alzheimer’s in the family

Essay Ideas

• Books that changed my life
  
• How to teach children manners
  
• How to flirt
  
• Advantages of honesty
  
• Why get married nowadays
  
• A little learning is a dangerous thing
  
• Absence makes the heart grow stronger
  
• Life’s most painful lesson(s)
  
• The very best way to make fool of yourself
  
• All’s fair in love and war
  
• Worst experience I ever had
  
• The ‘good old days’ weren’t so great
  
• Information overload

The Future

• Refute or substantiate: “By 2050 the world will consist of two cultures—the permanently rich and the permanently poor
  
• Potential energy sources
  
• What will be the effects of worldwide overpopulation on the environment?
  
• Can acts of international terrorism be forecast? How?
  
• United States’ funding of health care

Geography

• Current immigration issues and their possible solutions
  
• Birth defects and their demographic implications
  
• Impact of populations on tropical soils
  
• What are the geographic dimensions of poverty in the United States? Why?

Food & Drink

• A comparison of commercial and homemade baby food. Consider nutritive contents, convenience, additives, and appearance.
  
• The widespread mechanization of food production has affected food quality. Review some of those changes, both pro and con
  
• Cooking with solar energy
  
• Bioengineering and food: what’s ahead
  
• Are fast foods synonymous with junk food? Evaluate them from a nutritional point of view.

• These ideas come from 10,000 Ideas for Term Papers, Projects, Reports & Speeches. 4th Ed. REFDESK REF LB1047.3 L35 1995. Check Amazon.com for prices of this title in its several editions.

Term Paper, Project, and Speech Ideas

Websites with Ideas for Topics

• Speech Topics Help, Advice & Ideas

• Good Speech Topics

• Best Essay Topics: Essay Topics Suggestion

• About.com: Homework/Study Tips

• Custom Writing: Top 50 Ideas for Argumentative/Persuasive Essay Topics

Find ideas for all kinds of speeches and papers: persuasive, argumentative, funny, popular, demonstrative, definition, controversial, compare/contrast, informal, expository, research, response, etc.

Titles Worth Browsing
1. 10,000 IDEAS for Term Papers, Projects, Reports & Speeches (REFDESK REF LB1047.3L35 1995)
2. Encyclopedia of American Social Movements (REF HN57.E594 2004)
3. Encyclopedia of Social Issues (REF HN57.E59 1997)
4. Social Issues in America (REF HN57.S624 2006)
For more titles, see the Library Catalog.

Digital Titles to Explore Topics

1. Oxford Reference Online: Premium Collection
   
2. Encyclopedia Britannica
   
3. Social Issues in America
   
4. Wikipedia
   
5. Google
   
6. Google News
   
7. Google Scholar

How can reference materials be helpful?
• make it easy and quick to browse potential research projects.
• point to other sources that are quotable.
• provide basic background you should know.
• offer ideas that can help you narrow down your topic and create a more interesting report/project/paper/speech, etc.
• give keywords to increase searching efficiency & effectiveness in the databases.

Librarians as Bridges between Students and Teachers

Last week I read an article titled "Be the Bridge: Librarians can span the gap between students and their instructors" in the December issue of American Libraries. I recommend that everyone who helps students with assignments at the reference desk take a look at it and especially all those who give instruction. The author, Monty McAdoo, asserts that "Librarians have a professional responsibility to be involved with any assignment involving the library. [...] as bridge builders, the simple reality is that when a library is involved in completing an assignment, librarians do share responsibility for an assignment's administration and its ultimate success or collapse" (40).

His discussions on the repercussions of failed library assignments seem to be particularly relevant, considering some of the library assignments that have taken place in our own Library in recent months/years. I like that he discusses the negative consequences for all the constituents involved, namely students, faculty, and librarians.

Overall, the article is worth reading, especially if you give instruction as a librarian in the classroom or at the reference desk.

Full citation:
McAdoo, Monty L. "Be the Bridge: Librarians can span the gap between students and their instructors." American Libraries (December 2009): 38-40.

Sources of Information

Where do you get your information? Which sources do you trust the most? In a library teleconference offered by the College of DuPage Press called "Millennials in the Library," which is part of the series "Library Futures: Staying Ahead of the Curve 2010" they talked about where millennials get most of their information. Not surprisingly, the number one source was from their friends, then their family, and then their employers.

Millennials share a lot of information with each other via text messaging. In my notes it said that they send 8,000 texts per month per person, which seems extremely high to me and causes me to wonder if I heard this statistic incorrectly. I do not doubt that teenagers and college students do send large volumes of text messages; I see it regularly almost everywhere I go. The teleconference indicated that millennials do like to collaborate, be challenged, and stay connected to technology.

Individuals in the marketing industry know that word-of-mouth-marketing is essential for business success. A couple of librarians have also begun to realize this. In fact, they wrote a book on it called Building Buzz: Libraries and Word-of-Mouth Marketing. Today just happens to be its release date, according to Amazon.com. Additionally, Peggy Barber and Linda Wallace wrote an article in American Libraries about some librarians who involved word-of-mouth marketing techniques to promote their services. They involved circulation staff to demo databases, show how to do online reserves, and manage account records.

Judy Wright, the Head of Circulation at Winnetka-Northfield Public Library, describes what she learned from this effort:

We learned that this is one of the most successful ways to market. We've had better results from word-of-mouth than anything we've done--tangible results. We could see the statistics jumping. (39)

Where do you go for your information? Chances are good that you probably get plenty of information from friends, family, employers, and the internet.

Barber, Peggy, and Linda Wallace. "The Power of Word-of-Mouth Marketing." American Libraries 40.11 (November 2009): 36-39.

Changing Trends with Wikipedia

A short article in American Libraries cites statistics that Wikipedia's growth is slowing down. In 2007 the site averaged 60,000 new articles per month, and now it averages only 40,000. March of 2007 saw 820,000 editors creating and editing pages, but it vacillates from 650,000 to 810,000 per month currently.

Interestingly, "the most active 1% of editors make more than 55% of changes" (27). Some, such as Susan Beck the Reference and User Services Association (RUSA) president, wonder whether or not it is time for more librarians to step up and compose/edit articles.

Why are there fewer editors and fewer articles written? Do other online applications compete for Wikipedia editors? Who gets motivated to write Wikipedia articles? Just those with a special interest in the topic at hand? Has Wikipedia lost its newness?

G.L. "Wikipedia Growth Slows." American Libraries (November 2009): 27.

Should I use Wikipedia in my search for information?

"Don't use Wikipedia. Do not use any websites, except for .gov sites. Cite at least one print source." While teaching or helping some introductory English classes in Library workshops, I often hear these kinds of requirements imposed on the students. Instructors often have good reasons for setting these limitations. They want students to get out of their comfort zones. Students do fall back on what they know, using search engines to find their information. This may have worked well while they went to high school, but at the college level it usually does not suffice.

Typically, I like to talk about reference resources and how they can be useful for students when they begin their research. An encyclopedia article can provide background information, the kind that instructors may expect them to know already. College instructors expect more than a book report summary from college students. They want students to engage in the subject matter, evaluate sources, and analyze ideas critically. I suspect that some students rise to the occasion and begin to develop critical thinking skills when asked to look for quality sources.

Does this mean that students should not use Wikipedia? This ban of Wikipedia would not support appeals for critical thinking. Wikipedia, in many cases, provides background information that can be useful when starting a research project. Like other reference resources, it can inform individuals about the various aspects of the issue at hand, which can then prompt them to narrow their topic down a bit more. Additionally, its articles can bring to light keywords that would improve searching results when one goes to the article databases, or one's university catalog.

Most students are unaware of the fact that most academic libraries purchase subscriptions to online reference materials. Encyclopedia Britannica, Funk & Wagnalls New World Encyclopedia, and Oxford Reference Online are a few encyclopedias for which institutions purchase access.

I just finished a great article titled "Wikipedia: friend or foe?" written by Kathy West and Janet Williamson at the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Canada. In 2007 they began a study to assess the quality of Wikipedia articles. As librarians, they had not used Wikipedia very much, preferring more authoritative sources. How did they assess the articles? "In the absence of credentialed authors, what criteria can be used to measure article quality? We suggest that articles which are objective, accurate, complete and clearly presented are quality articles" (268).

Their thorough search of the literature, conscientious methods, and careful analysis of the results deserves some praise. I appreciate that they approached this study professionally, they they did not seem to let bias cloud their perspectives. For example, they acknowledge some flaws in their methods that influenced the results. In order to do a good analysis, they captured 106 Wikipedia articles as pdfs. They did not check the hyperlinks that would have explained certain concepts, and as a result they admit that "this significantly affected our ratings of individual articles' accuracy and completeness in that it limited the ability to achieve a full understanding of the articles. [...] Had we been able to view the outward links, the completeness scores would have been substantially higher" (267).

Go read this article. They give a listing of reasons why Wikipedia may be considered a friend, according to the results of their article assessments:

• "its breadth of information including a substantial amount of unique information;
  
• its ability to cover truly current events;
  
• its ability to meet the diverse needs of both general and specialist readers;
  
• its objectivity;
  
• its reasonable accuracy; and
  
• its accessibility -- it is available 24/7 from our desktops at no charge" (269).

How might it be a foe?

• "its inconsistency--there are articles which are poorly written, contain unsubstantiated information, and/or provide shallow coverage of a topic" (269).

It appears that the authors' perceptions of Wikipedia improved as a result of doing this study. They consider Wikipedia to be improving as well. Fewer cases of abuse are occurring i.e. vandalism. "In addition, more references are being added" (269). This last point hold true in my experience. On occasion, I will go to an Oxford Reference Online (ORO) article in class, encourage students to look for background information, find keywords, and look for a list of references. Too often it seems that there are not any cited sources in the ORO or the Encyclopedia Britannica, but there is frequently a list of references in the Wikipedia articles.

Students should be allowed to consult Wikipedia as a launching point for their research project, but they need to remember not to use it as a source for their paper. Rather, they should consult the references and cite them. It is not necessary to cite background information or common knowledge. That's what researchers are expected to know already. Cite the books and articles instead. Use criteria for analyzing your sources and develop critical thinking skills.

Full citation: West, Kathy and Janet Williamson. "Wikipedia: friend or foe?" Reference Services Review 37.3 (2009): 260-71.

Advancing Your Interests and Achieving Your Goals

Today I can sigh with relief. Yesterday I completed final touches on a promotion portfolio and delivered it to the correct office. Over the course of the last two years I endeavored to keep files and save materials for this portfolio, but I still had to spend a large amount of time organizing and composing documents to fulfill the requirements of our promotion and tenure document.

Now I have time to catch up on some professional reading. Like anything in life, if a person wants to become better at something, he/she can seek help from various sources, such as a friend, a family member, a colleague, a book, a programmed presentation, etc. For example, if I wanted to go backpacking, I could search out and even subscribe to a hiking/backpacking magazine to learn some tips and find out about equipment that may increase your chances for an enjoyable adventure.

Likewise, anyone wanting to progress in their chosen career might do well in reading the professional literature. Frequently, membership dues to a national association include a subscription to one of their magazines or journals. The Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) publishes College & Research Libraries News on a monthly basis.

They often print great articles for their intended audience--academic and research librarians. Not surprisingly, one such article by Mara L. Houdyshell caught my eye: "Ten tips toward tenure: Advice for the professional journey." She gives ten tips that are worthy of posting on the office wall, well, for those who seek tenure of course, though after I look at them again I believe they merit a spot on every faculty member's office wall. We could all benefit from occasional reminders now and then.

Though I would like to mention all ten, let me just mention two or three.
Tip #1: "Be reliable, flexible, and professional. People appreciate it" (470).
Tip #3: "Pay attention to your department and institution's guidelines for tenure. [...] If it is suggested that you do 'x, y, and z,' in a particular review, don't fritter away the time leading up to your next evaluation mulling over what you should do, do 'x, y, and z'" (470 emphasis retained).

So while I can take a momentary sigh of relief, I still need to move forward, publish, and keep working. For now, I ought to find a tack and put these ten tips on my wall.

Work Cited: Houdyshell, Mara L. "Ten tips toward tenure: Advice for the professional journey." College & Research Libraries News 70.8 (Sept. 2009): 469-70.

Information Literacy's Connection to Reading/Literacy

Many librarians love to read. Many also like to promote reading and ignite an interest in reading among others. Perhaps that's one reason Jennifer Burek Pierce's article "Inspiring Young Readers: There's more than one way to capture hearts and minds" finds such a welcome spot in American Libraries. She quotes Elizabeth Hardwick:

The greatest gift is a passion for reading. It is cheap, it consoles, it distracts, it excites, it gives you knowledge of the world and experience of a wide kind. It is a moral illumination.

Reading introduces people to new ideas, which can help people in all the information literacy ways: understanding your information need, accessing information efficiently, evaluating information critically, and applying information ethically. Cracking open a book and thinking about its content will help people develop skills just listed.

If you are interested in the issue of reading, you might begin searching for other articles that Jennifer Burek Pierce has written. You might consult some of the articles she references.

1. McDowell, Kate. "Surveying the Field: The Research Model of Women in Librarianship, 1882-1898." Library Quarterly 79.3 (July 2009): 279-300.
   
2. Motoko Rich. Students Get New Reading Assignment: Pick Books You Like:[Series]. New York Times. (Late Edition (east Coast)). New York, N.Y.:Aug 30, 2009. p. A.1.
   

I appreciate reading Jennifer Burek Pierce's articles in the American Libraries magazine. She taught my reference class while I attended the University of Iowa's School of Library and Information Science.

Big6 & Info Lit

Check out this SlideShare Presentation:

Big6 & Info Lit

View more presentations from Spencer Jardine.

Today I shared this presentation with high school teachers in Idaho who participate in the Early College Program here at Idaho State University. We talked about information literacy, including pathways for accessing the many ISU resources, and how to promote more significant learning among our students.

Helping Students Evaluate Sources

Students balk when it comes to evaluating sources. Perhaps it is because they do not have a lot of experience doing it. Maybe they think it is just another irrelevant academic exercise, but it can really help them begin to develop their critical-thinking skills if they take it seriously.

In library instruction sessions I have given, I like to use "Evaluating Information--Applying the CRAAP Test." It has worked rather well. Introducing the concept with a reference to the first Spider-Man movie grabs students' attention at least for a few minutes. When Peter Parker takes his photographs into the big hot-shot editor at the newspaper, the editor calls each photo "crap" as he flips through them. Then he makes his offer to the young Peter Parker, but Peter knows that his work is worth more than this offer. I explain that Peter understands the criteria of a good photograph, because he has done his homework and legwork to make high-quality photos. He stands to leave. Then the editor makes a better offer, because Peter did not fall to his bluff.

Students can also become experts in understanding sources by applying the criteria for good sources.

1. Currency
   
2. Relevancy
   
3. Authority
   
4. Accuracy
   
5. Purpose

Mary George's book The Elements of Library Research: What Every Student Needs to Know writes about evaluating sources in her last chapter, "Insight, Evaluation, Argument, and Beyond." She sympathizes with the novice student researcher:

But how is a novice supposed to figure out anything other than how current a source is and whether it points to other sources? I think it is absurd--not to mention frustrating--for you to apply these criteria on your own. Instead, the wise way to evaluate sources when you are new to a field or topic is to relate each item you are considering to your research question, keeping in mind the types of relevant sources you imagined when you brainstormed. (134 emphasis included)

It seems like most students would do this automatically, but experience sometimes shows that they take the first source(s) available, since they are crunched for time.

George goes on to explain some of the basic evaluation criteria researchers can apply to their sources. These "factors" are:
1. Date of the source
2. Author's credentials
3. Sponsor's reputation and intent
4. Leads (134-36)

Using her paragraphs in a classroom setting might be useful for educators as well as students. Dividing a class into groups to discuss what she has written regarding the criteria could produce some good discussions. Groups could summarize, ask questions, think of examples, and report on their discussions to the class.

The Power of Information That is Freely Available

A colleague from my library-school program shared this on Facebook, and I thought it would be useful to post here: Effects of introducing Internet at a village public library in Ukraine. President Barack Obama officially announced October to be National Information Literacy Awareness Month now. Take a look also at the National Forum for Information Literacy.

The power of information is immense, and the ability to access, evaluate, apply, and share information ethically is even more powerful.