English 102 Information Literacy Activities and Lesson Plans: Home

This guide provides a menu of flexible lesson plans and classroom activities to help librarians design information literacy sessions for English 102. Research assignments in these courses can vary quite a bit in terms of purpose, required sources, and other aspects. Librarians are expected to tailor their sessions to the specific needs of the class, while working towards larger information literacy goals for lower-division courses as defined in the knowledge practices delineated on this page. These goals are aligned, where appropriate, with the Composition Program's English 101-102 Learning Outcomes.

Librarians should contact the composition instructor prior to the session and obtain information about the assignment and the instructor's goals for the session. It's also important to ask how far along in the research process the students will be by the time they come to the library. In planning the session (or sessions), keep in mind that the lesson plans and activities on the guide are flexible and open-ended. They can be mixed and matched and adapted, depending on time constraints and the needs of the class. Whatever the final lesson plan, be sure to frame the session for students with clear learning goals and explain the rationale behind the class activities. Finally, please include the student reflection at the end of the session.

How To Use This Guide: The individual tabs provide the full instructions for a particular activity and usually include a box that can be copied into a LibGuide that you create for the class. Some activities include optional worksheets, which are not located on this LibGuide but are available on the Information Literacy Program's Google Drive space and on Sharepoint. The worksheets are in a folder called "Information Literacy Worksheets 2017-Present."

Credits: The activities in this guide were designed by Rob Detmering, George Martinez, and Amber Willenborg.

The following knowledge practices are inspired by the ACRL Information Literacy Framework.

Students who are developing their information literacy abilities will:

• Formulate viable exploratory research questions, conceptualizing research as a process of critical inquiry and discovery. [Research as Inquiry; Searching as Strategic Exploration]

• Recognize search tools (such as library databases, online search engines, etc.) appropriate for specific purposes and conduct strategic information searches, revising research questions and search strategies as needed. [Research as Inquiry; Searching as Strategic Exploration]

• Distinguish among common types of information sources (including primary and secondary sources) and explain key differences in creation and dissemination processes (such as peer review) across digital and print contexts. [Authority Is Constructed and Contextual; Information Creation as Process]

• Evaluate the credibility and relevance of information sources, applying specific evaluative criteria appropriate for the research context or situation. [Authority Is Constructed and Contextual; Information Creation as Process]

• Identify select themes and several points of view within the “conversation” surrounding a particular issue or topic. [Scholarship as Conversation]

• Apply appropriate citation conventions, demonstrating knowledge of basic intellectual property concepts and ethics. [Information Has Value]