»Information Literacy Program

The Leatherby Library’s information literacy program includes both general and subject-specific instruction at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Librarians collaborate with faculty to design research sessions that increase student information literacy skills and research strategies to successfully achieve their scholarly and creative goals.

The information literacy program supports and contributes to Chapman University’s institutional learning outcomes of personalized education and student/faculty research through its course-based and individualized library research instruction.

All first-year Chapman University students complete a course in the First-Year Foundations program. There is a great variety of topics in these courses, but for each one, we provide the same foundation of information literacy principles, skills, and knowledge.

There are 2 parts of the Information Literacy program for FFC, intended to be completed in the following order:

1. An Information Literacy Module in Canvas, which students complete outside of class.
2. The library instruction session with a librarian (in room 305 of the Leatherby Libraries).

The content and learning outcomes of the module are distinct from those of the library session, though the concepts are interrelated.

About the Canvas Module

• The Information Literacy Module instructs students on how to use the library to find sources and introduces students to a range of topics to increase their knowledge and abilities about accessing and critically evaluating information sources. The module takes about 1 hour to complete.
• There are five sections to the module:
  • Research
  • Evaluating Sources
  • AI Literacy and Data Literacy
  • Searching
  • Citing Sources

*Each section has text, videos, and a practice quiz.

• The module concludes with two assignments: a final quiz and a discussion post, which can optionally be used as graded elements in any FFC course.

About the Library Session

• The library instruction session for FFC occurs in the Leatherby Libraries, room 305 and takes approximately 75 minutes.
• The session with a librarian includes the following topics:
  • The mission, services, and resources available through the Leatherby Libraries.
  • Finding credible and high-quality information resources using the library resources.
  • Criteria and methods for choosing and evaluating information sources.
  • Using generative AI critically as undergraduate students.
  • A hands-on group activity where students seek and evaluate information resources on a given topic.

Student Learning Outcomes for the FFC Information Literacy program:

After completing the FFC Information Literacy program, students will be able to:

• Research:
  • Recognize that research is a part of students' lives across all disciplines.
  • Determine the steps necessary to evaluate a research question.
  • Recognize that a given scholarly work may not represent the only or even the majority perspective on the issue.
• Evaluate Sources:
  • Explain why the authority of a source matters, in order to choose appropriate sources.
  • Identify which types of information best meet particular information needs based on factors such as time to publication or trustworthiness, depth, or detailed analysis of research.
  • Apply the SIFT method (Stop, Investigate the source, Find better coverage, Trace claims to the original context) to critically evaluate the credibility and reliability of news articles and other web-based information.
  • Distinguish between the characteristics of publications intended for scholarly vs. non-scholarly audiences.
  • Differentiate between the creation processes of different information types such as peer-reviewed articles, books, news articles, and social media posts.
• Utilize AI Literacy and Data Literacy:
  • Describe how AI and Large Language Models (LLMs) produce outputs, and identify examples of bias or misinformation they may generate.
  • Reflect on the ethical use and reliability of AI in academic work.
  • Interpret and evaluate quantitative data used as evidence for a claim by applying key concepts of data literacy.
  • Assess the reliability of data sources and misleading data visualizations.
• Search:
  • Demonstrate understanding of how current scholarship/research is part of an ongoing discussion on a specific topic that will continue to evolve over time.
  • Search for resources using the appropriate search bar on the library homepage.
  • Recognize the potential to expand research on a topic by tracing the references within a publication.
  • Identify keywords in a given research topic and conduct an initial search using an appropriate search tool.
  • Apply search limiters or filters provided by the search tool to increase the relevance of results.
  • Find items and their call numbers in the library catalog if given the author, title, or keywords.
• Cite Sources:
  • Find the original source of statistics cited within a work.
  • Recognize what constitutes plagiarism.
  • Identify the reasons for citation and proper attribution.

Course-based information literacy sessions are available to Chapman faculty whose students would benefit from library instruction suited to their courses or programs. 

Faculty may to contact their subject liaison librarian directly to schedule a session. As a courtesy, please allow the librarian a minimum of 7 days' advance notice, when possible, if scheduling a course-based library instruction session.

Library instruction sessions are usually held during the time of regularly scheduled class sessions. They can be held in the Leatherby Libraries' instruction room, in another classroom on campus, or in a virtual environment via Zoom.  Faculty are strongly encouraged to be present during the instruction session to demonstrate to their students the importance of the library and its resources/services for research purposes, but librarians can also lead class meetings without the instructor present.

If you have any questions regarding information literacy instruction, please feel free to contact Taylor Greene, Chair of Library AI Literacy and Instructional Services, at tgreene@chapman.edu or (714) 532-7782.

Information Literacy Student Learning Outcomes for Undergraduate Students

The following student learning outcomes guide our instruction for undergraduate students, but are delivered differently to students based on their degree program and research needs. Each learning outcome is based on the ACRL Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education.

After completing the session with a librarian, students will be able to understand:

Authority Is Constructed and Contextual

• Evaluate the credibility of sources by analyzing the source’s origin, the context in which it was created, the expertise of its creator, and the intended audience or purpose.
• Explain how authority is shaped by context and creator, and varies across disciplines.

Information Creation as a Process

• Distinguish among source types (e.g., primary, secondary, scholarly, popular, trade) and understand their uses for particular information and research needs.
• Recognize how the processes of information creation for various types of sources create benefits and limitations to users.

Information Has Value

• Use and cite information ethically and accurately in an accepted citation style.
• Acknowledge the value of information and its influence on access, dissemination, and recognition.

Research as Inquiry

• Formulate and refine researchable questions of appropriate scope to match their research needs.
• Acknowledge the iterative nature of research and revise strategies as new insights emerge.

Scholarship as Conversation

• Trace and analyze the development of ideas through citations and academic discourse.
• Recognize the value of engaging with multiple perspectives on an issue.

Searching as Strategic Exploration

• Select appropriate search tools and systems for a given topic or discipline.
• Navigate and evaluate search systems to retrieve, organize, and assess information effectively.

Information Literacy Student Learning Outcomes for Graduate Students

The following student learning outcomes guide our instruction for graduate students, but are delivered differently to students based on their degree program and research needs. Each learning outcome is based on the ACRL Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education.

After completing the session with a librarian, students will be able to understand:

Authority Is Constructed and Contextual

• Evaluate scholarly sources with discipline-specific criteria, including the significance of author reputation and institutional affiliations.
• Analyze how systems of authority shape knowledge production in the discipline.

Information Creation as a Process

• Critically assess the purpose, format, and methodology of scholarly publications within the discipline.
• Understand and apply discipline-specific norms and expectations for information creation and dissemination.

Information Has Value

• Apply understanding of intellectual property, licensing, and publishing models (e.g., open access, embargoes).
• Discuss how legal, economic, and cultural contexts influence information availability and scholarly communication.

Research as Inquiry

• Develop original, discipline-appropriate research questions that contribute to scholarly discourse.
• Demonstrate iterative refinement of research questions and strategies as new insights emerge.
• Evaluate the quality of evidence and methodological soundness of scholarly literature.

Scholarship as Conversation

• Situate original research within existing scholarly debates and traditions.
• Synthesize diverse perspectives and contribute new knowledge to the field.

Searching as Strategic Exploration

• Use advanced search techniques (e.g., controlled vocabularies, citation chaining, discipline-specific databases).
• Identify and retrieve specialized and grey literature.
• Demonstrate fluency with research tools relevant to the field (e.g., bibliographic databases, data repositories).

IRC services are available to Chapman University faculty and students for individualized research assistance or guidance. Examples of research/information needs that fall within the scope of this service include: developing research strategies for identifying and locating authoritative resources; creating effective search strategies for databases; and proper citation of sources. This service is available by appointment with a librarian. To schedule a consultation, contact your liaison librarian, or ask for more information through the Reference Desk.