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Lloyd Sealy Library
John Jay College of Criminal Justice

Teaching information literacy: Tools for teaching

A guide for faculty at John Jay College of Criminal Justice.

Tutorials & worksheets for students

Videos for learners (information literacy)

Books for students

An information literacy infused assignment should be

  • developed with clear objectives.
  • doable within the allocated time frame.
  • tested for feasibility using our library resources by the professor.
  • neither unmanageably broad, nor too narrow that no resources can be found.
  • modeled for the students by the professor giving an example of what an appropriate resource looks like, e.g. journal article.
  • modeled by the professor taking five minutes in class to demonstrate how to get to, and search, an appropriate discipline specific database.

Try to avoid

  • assuming that the students have library research capabilities that they do not have.
  • confusing the students by prohibiting the use of electronic formats of research level journals and books.
  • assuming the library has a particular resource that is actually not available.
  • expecting that all 30 of your students can use a single specific book/journal on the open shelves. The first student may be the only one who is actually able to find and use the item.
  • assuming the students can find items when the references may be incomplete or inaccurate.

An assignment should aim to improve students' information seeking skills.  The student explores information resources appropriate to the level of the class and the time available.  Planning assignments thoughtfully makes the experience more rewarding for both professor and  student.

Rubrics