The following journal articles describe creative and engaging assessments that are intended to enhance information literacy skills:
Teaching information literacy through unresearch
Students write an essay on a topic, then conduct research for an annotated bibliography with sources that either support a claim, bring a new point to the paper, contradict a point, or enhance the paper. A twist on the familiar annotated bibliography assignment that was intended to guide students away from "satisficing" with their choice of sources and toward a better understanding of scholarship as a conversation.
Beyond the checklist approach: A Librarian-Faculty collaboration to teach the BEAM Method of source evaluation
Students were introduced to the BEAM Method with a video before an in-class session led by a librarian. A course reading was used to examine another writer's use of sources to develop an argument. Together, the class looked at a citation, first evaluating it for credibility using the checklist approach and then considering how the author used the source, what purpose it served, and finally categorizing it according to BEAM. Following the class session, students completed a structured annotated bibliography assignment on their own topics.
Scaffolding and support through information literacy: Reimagining a Geography of Sport class project
No longer responsible for a traditional ten-to twelve-page research paper, students were tasked with producing a professionally formatted scientific poster with component pieces that included economic data projections for the chosen location or relocation city, city employment data, relevant city history, newly designed team logos, and newly created team uniforms.
