Information Creation as a Process
The resources below relate to the Information Creation as a Process frame of the ACRL Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education. Learning outcomes include, but are not limited to:
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Identify differences between types of information sources (e.g., books, journal articles, trade publications, webpages) in order to use the most appropriate sources for a given context.
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Identify different “genres” within publication types (e.g., empirical vs. review article, edited book vs. authored book) in order to use the most appropriate sources for a given context.
- Recognize processes involved in creating different types of information sources in order to use them in a more informed way.
Videos and Tutorials | Instruction and Activities | Assignments
Videos and Tutorials
Introductory
- How Is Your Information Created?Describes what the format/package of information tell us about how the information was created.
→ Time: 4 mins - Popular and Scholarly Sources: The Information CycleExplores the differences between popular and scholarly sources in the context of the information cycle.
→ Time: 4 mins - From Idea to LibraryDescribes how research articles are created and how they end up in library databases.
→ Time: 2 mins - Research 101: Format MattersExplains how the information creation process affects the reliability and rigour of an information source and how it should be used.
→ Time: 4 mins - Primary vs. Secondary SourcesDescribes a variety of types of primary and secondary sources and the differences between them.
→ Time: 3 mins - Wheel of Sources (Primary and Secondary)An active learning tutorial that explores types of primary and secondary sources.
→ Time: 10 mins
Instruction and Activities
Introductory
- Ranking Academic SourcesStudents work in groups to organize sources from most to least academic. Source types could include journal articles, book chapters, webpages, technical reports, blog posts, social media posts, and newspaper articles.
→ Time: 30 mins
→ Computers: Not required - Using Sources to Support a ClaimStudents explore the concept of using information sources as evidence for claims by reading articles and evaluating claims made about them.
→ Time: 50 mins
→ Computers: Not required - Identifying Relevant Information Using Primary and Secondary SourcesStudents examine primary and secondary sources and complete a worksheet and reflection in which they consider the creators, purpose, and other contexts of the sources.
→ Time: 60 mins
→ Computers: Not required - Making a PACT: Determining a Source’s Purpose, Audience, Conventions, and Trouble SpotsStudents work in small groups to identify key characteristics of a source using information provided during an initial lecture.
→ Time: 60 mins
→ Computers: Not required
Intermediate
- Locating Academic SourcesStudents work in small groups to identify and locate original research studies being reported on in various popular media sources. Students learn how to recognize the information needed to track down the original source and some of the issues related to media coverage of research studies.
→ Time: 40 mins
→ Computers: Required - Information Needs, Types, and QualitiesThis activity uses Socratic questioning to explore the research process.
→ Time: 20 mins
→ Computers: Not required - The Scholarly Article AutopsyStudents work in small groups to systematically examine a scholarly article in depth, identify and evaluate its various components visually and in writing, and then compare it to a non-scholarly article on the same topic.
→ Time: 60 mins
→ Computers: Optional - Evaluating Authority of an Academic SourceEach student finds one scholarly article related to their research topic and explores its authority, credibility, and voice/perspective.
→ Time: 20 mins
→ Computers: Required - Who Cares? Understanding the Human Production of InformationUsing a specific topic relevant to the course, students consider who would produce information on the topic. They then find an article on the topic and complete a worksheet that asks questions related to the production and audience of the article.
→ Time: 50 mins
→ Computers: Required - Historical Newspapers and Critical ThinkingStudents search for historical news articles on their research topics and critically analyze the articles through class discussion and completion of a worksheet.
→ Time: 60 mins
→ Computers: Required - Louder Than WordsThis activity uses infographics to teach students about authority, credibility, and the different ways in which information can be presented.
→ Time: 50 mins
→ Computers: Required
Assignments
Intermediate
- Identifying Source FormatsThis assignment can be part of a course research assignment. Students identify each type of source that they find during their research and answer questions related to each source's context and use.
- Examining Representations of Scholarly Research in Popular SourcesStudents find a news/media article that refers to a peer-reviewed journal article. They then find the journal article and answer a series of questions in order to evaluate and compare both sources.
- Annotated Bibliography Using Different Source TypesStudents create an annotated bibliography that uses specific types of sources (e.g., reference book entry, scholarly source, popular source). Each annotation addresses specific questions that help contextualize the source. The assignment has multiple versions to be used for various disciplines (interdisciplinary, fine arts, humanities, social sciences, social sciences).
- Annotated Bibliography: HumanitiesStudents create an annotated bibliography with source types relevant to humanities topics (primary source, secondary source, theoretical or reference source). Each annotation answers the questions that help contextualize the source.
- Annotated Bibliography: Fine ArtsStudents create an annotated bibliography with source types relevant to humanities topics (primary source, review, secondary source). Each annotation answers the questions that help contextualize the source.
- Annotated Bibliography: SciencesStudents create an annotated bibliography with source types relevant to humanities topics (primary source, secondary source, grey literature). Each annotation answers the questions that help contextualize the source.
- Annotated Bibliography: Social SciencesStudents create an annotated bibliography with source types relevant to humanities topics (primary source (historical), research study, literature review). Each annotation answers the questions that help contextualize the source.
Advanced
- Transforming Information to a Different FormatStudents use an information source that they have created (e.g., an essay) and transform it into a different format. They reflect on the process of transforming the information into a different format.