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Handy one-page guide on getting started with Zotero
Information Literacy Frame(s) Addressed: Information Has Value
Contributor: Sarah Hood
Resource Type(s): Learning Object
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Total Time: ~60-90 minutes (But you could pick and choose what parts you do)This lesson package introduces students to generative AI through a blend of foundational understanding, media and information literacy, ethical research practices, and hands-on prompting experimentation. Students begin by exploring what generative AI is, how it works, and why its ethical and effective use matters in academic and professional contexts. They then examine AI’s broader societal influence, including its benefits, risks, and the role of media and information literacy in navigating AI-generated content. Building on this conceptual grounding, students learn practical strategies for using AI responsibly in college research, such as refining topics, improving thesis statements, and verifying sources while avoiding overreliance and academic integrity concerns. The sequence culminates in a guided Prompt Lab where students choose a GenAI tool, test an initial prompt, refine it, observe how outputs change, and reflect on how AI interprets instructions and context. Together, these materials form a cohesive lesson that builds AI literacy, encourages critical engagement, and helps students develop ethical and intentional prompting habits.
Information Literacy Frame(s) Addressed: Authority is Constructed and Contextual, Information Creation as Process, Searching as Strategic Exploration
Contributor: Sarah Hood
Resource Type(s): Activity, Assignment Prompt, Lesson Plan, Worksheet
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Time: 60-90 minutesThis lesson introduces students to the powerful role algorithms play in shaping the information they encounter online, particularly within social media environments. Through a combination of brief readings, media clips, data visualization analysis, and guided reflection activities, students examine how algorithmic systems curate content to maximize engagement, amplify polarization, and contribute to misinformation circulation. The lesson connects these mechanisms to broader themes of bias, the “new digital divide,” and digital agency, emphasizing that algorithmic systems reflect human values, business models, and structural inequities rather than neutral technological processes. Students critically explore how awareness of these systems can influence personal behavior and civic participation, while also engaging with questions about transparency, regulation, and individual responsibility. By the end of the lesson, learners develop a more nuanced understanding of how algorithms affect attention, belief formation, and public discourse—and how emerging forms of algorithmic literacy can help individuals navigate, question, and respond to their digital environments more thoughtfully.
Information Literacy Frame(s) Addressed: Information Creation as Process, Information Has Value
Contributor: Sarah Hood
Resource Type(s): Activity, Assignment Prompt, Lesson Plan
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With media/news literacy, it's easy to focus solely on skills-based learning. But in today's increasingly stressful - and often toxic - news landscape, having strategies to safeguard our mental health is just as important. This handout offers practical, research-based strategies for managing stress and emotional fatigue caused by constant news exposure, including tips for setting healthy media boundaries, practicing mindfulness, and prioritizing self-care. It emphasizes balancing informed engagement with emotional well-being and encourages seeking support when needed.
Information Literacy Frame(s) Addressed: Information Creation as Process
Contributor: Sarah Hood
Resource Type(s): Learning Object
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This syllabus serves as a comprehensive, modular model for designing a contemporary, semester-long information literacy course that moves beyond basic research skills into critical engagement with today’s information ecosystem. The course integrates foundational library instruction (organizing systems, databases, search strategies, and citation practices) with media literacy, news literacy, data and visual literacy, social media analysis, OSINT methods, and responsible use of generative AI. Weekly topics are scaffolded to support an iterative research project, emphasizing inquiry-based learning, source evaluation, ethical information use, and reflective practice. Active learning strategies—discussion, applied exercises, milestones, and skill-building activities—would be embedded throughout, making the syllabus adaptable for librarians seeking to implement a holistic, theory-informed, and practice-oriented approach to information literacy instruction in fully online or hybrid environments.
Information Literacy Frame(s) Addressed: Framework as a Whole
Contributor: Sarah Hood
Resource Type(s): Syllabus
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Total Time: ~45-60 minutesThis lesson introduces students to the structure of the web and advanced Google search strategies, then guides them through playful, hands-on practice to deepen real-world information-seeking skills. Students first explore how the Open Web, Deep Web, and Dark Web differ in access, visibility, and risk, helping them understand where information lives and why not everything can be found through a basic Google search . They then learn a focused toolkit of advanced search operators and techniques, including quoted searches, Boolean logic, site- and domain-restricted searching, filetype filters, title and URL targeting, and wildcard use, with an emphasis on precision and selectivity rather than sheer volume of results . Finally, students apply these skills in the “Great Google Gauntlet,” a creative challenge where they craft complex search strings that must remain both functional and purposeful, explain their search intent, and reflect on the strategies used . The combined activities reinforce critical thinking about online information discovery while building practical, transferable search literacy skills.
Information Literacy Frame(s) Addressed: Authority is Constructed and Contextual, Information Creation as Process, Searching as Strategic Exploration
Contributor: Sarah Hood
Resource Type(s): Activity, Assignment Prompt, Lesson Plan
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Total Time: ~45 minutesThis lesson introduces students to core concepts of data literacy by combining short readings, an introductory video on graph types, and an applied analysis activity focused on identifying misleading data presentations. Students first learn to recognize common manipulation techniques, particularly truncated axes and cherry-picking, then examine real-world examples ranging from media graphics and advertising to climate data and public health reporting. Through guided comparison of manipulated and accurate graphs and a case study involving Purdue Pharma and the opioid crisis, students practice critical evaluation skills, asking how data framing can shape perception, decision-making, and public policy. The lesson emphasizes active interpretation rather than passive consumption of visual information, culminating in reflective discussion on how easily data can be distorted and why data literacy is essential for informed citizenship.
Information Literacy Frame(s) Addressed: Information Creation as Process, Information Has Value
Contributor: Sarah Hood
Resource Type(s): Activity, Assignment Prompt, Lesson Plan
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This is a resource for a potential dual reference interview or formal IL one-shot instruction lesson process that outlines a series of "flashcards" that connect stages of the reference interview to aspects of AI literacy using Research as Inquiry, Searching as Strategic Exploration, and Scholarship as Conversation. Some of the context for their development was as part of a potential collaboration with the Writing Center. Flashcard 5 is seen as more of a connect students to the Writing Center step in that potential collaboration.Gemini didn’t concretely connect the Stanford AI Literacy domains, but I did an initial mapping of example objectives from the Ethical and Rhetorical domains to each "flashcard. " Certain domains may be more or less relevant to different disciplines and class assignments. This resource may be of use to academic libraries exploring formal or informal collaborations with other learning support services on their campus. It may also provide an opportunity to measure library department adoption of AI tools to support learning and students' use of information resources and technologies in and outside of their college or university library. The overarching goal is to develop a foundation for broadening the scope of this approach from the reference interview, to the course, and then to a wider information literacy program that resonates outside of the library and builds relationships.
Information Literacy Frame(s) Addressed: Information Creation as Process, Research as Inquiry, Scholarship as Conversation, Searching as Strategic Exploration
Contributor: Hanz Olson
Resource Type(s): Lesson Plan
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Students learn what a database is and apply their understanding of what defines a database by analyzing real-world collections they encounter. Working individually or in small groups, students select an online organizational system and evaluate whether it meets the criteria of a searchable, structured database. They examine how the collection is organized, how information is retrieved, and how items are added or removed, while distinguishing between personal and externally created systems. Through this hands-on evaluation, students strengthen their ability to recognize information organization, search functionality, and access structures, building practical skills for navigating online databases. Time: ~45 min.
Information Literacy Frame(s) Addressed: Information Creation as Process, Searching as Strategic Exploration
Contributor: Sarah Hood
Resource Type(s): Activity, Assignment Prompt, Lesson Plan, Worksheet
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In a very routine set of events that are either more or fewer in between at times, this resource traces its origin to a scheduled research appointment following a one-shot information literacy lesson at a community college. In preparation of this scheduled research appointment, I made a roughly two-page document with steps to access questions on the student's topic via CQ Researcher's Pro/Con page and 4 QR code links to Boolean searches on different aspects of their topic with the "Viewpoints" filter selected. This also included an alternate way of conducting the searches from the library's homepage with a little added advice about doing follow-up searches with new keywords as an extension of the "Searching as Strategic Exploration Frame" emphasized during the one-shot lesson.The research guide used in the teaching of the one-shot lesson the class attended builds on an overarching research as exploration metaphor. The steps of this research as exploration metaphor are as follows:Creating a Meal PlanAssembling your Research GearResearching the Area and Getting your PermitChoosing a TrailSetting Up CampThese steps briefly go over developing a research plan, a critical pedagogy-inspired word cloud description followed by different types of searching, accessing information resources, the value of organized systems of information, and source evaluation and citing mapped to the metaphor of setting up camp.The research guide uses Appreciative Inquiry as an alternative to trying to emphasize some of the more theoretical aspects of the Framework and to encourage a level of metacognition. Being a community college librarian who has used the Framework as a teaching tool for information literacy for over 4 years after coming from a 4-year college, some of the work I've been doing has revolved around designing a metacognition scaffold in and through different research guides. I have attached the response prepared in advance of the requested research appointment to this resource. I was mindful that the student should have some existing knowledge of Boolean searching as a requested part of the one-shot. The enduring idea of research as iterative was less a known understanding, and so I thought using my response as an implicit way to draw back on the Framework toward the end seemed like a nice way to bring things back in a circle.There was a more direct way for students to reach out contextualized and placed at potential points of need in relation to the research as exploration steps added to this iteration of the one-shot. Adding this did result in more follow-up questions from students just getting started on their topic or wanting help narrowing it down to something a little more specific. This resulted in some changes to how I will present the content of the one-shot next time and it wasn't until a student requested an in-person appointment that I prepared a formal outline to guide my response. Making this outline of my response a small extension of the one-shot lesson as taught through the research guide helped me reflect on the 3 sessions I taught. It also gave me something the student could take with them or that I could email if they missed the appointment, which is what happened.Writing this ACRL Sandbox post has also made me reflect on my post of Uncovering Inquiry in Pre-classical Court Dance Research for Students in Beginning Ballet in September of this year. In writing that post, I found the idea of developing an assessment-informed lesson plan development process. A key juncture to note in this process now seems to be receiving and responding to a follow-up request in a way that extends the teaching of a one-shot.
Information Literacy Frame(s) Addressed: Searching as Strategic Exploration
Contributor: Hanz Olson
Resource Type(s): Assessment Material
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Este mapa permite al estudiante realizar, paso a paso, una búsqueda sencilla en dos fuentes similares y comprender el proceso para una investigación o el diseño de un paper. Sirve para una actividad presencial o en línea.Se adjuntan los originales editables. Alternative title. Search Challenge: Wikipedia and Google Scholar.
Information Literacy Frame(s) Addressed: Information Creation as Process, Searching as Strategic Exploration
Contributor: SONIA HERNANDEZ
Resource Type(s): Learning Object
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Con este ejercicio los estudiantes pueden crear su lista de palabras clave paso a paso y luego practicar esas búsquedas en un simulador para aprender el uso de operadores booleanos.[Considera que el diccionario integrado sólo está limitado para ejemplos específicos de alumnos de Bellas Artes, para quienes se diseñó esta tarea]
Information Literacy Frame(s) Addressed: Searching as Strategic Exploration
Contributor: SONIA HERNANDEZ
Resource Type(s): Learning Object
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This resource builds on a few years of developing an outline for a Framework-informed approach to teaching library research for college-level students in Beginning Ballet. The iterations of this lesson have seen the incorporation of the Appreciative Inquiry model, the use of Backward Design and most recently content signposts from the Wexner Foundation's "Backward Design Toolkit." The latter has informed definitions of enduring ideas and what it means to inquire in a way that supports thinking about the difference between having a question and having a line of inquiry. This is meant to be a contextual approach to using metacognition without trying to define it in the content of the lesson as such. The attached document is a sort of evaluation of the lesson's assessment as well as its teaching goal and brief description. The document highlights how I am using the ACRL Framework and lists supporting sources of guiding inspiration for trying to teach information literacy. One of these sources has been Envisioning the Framework (Finch, 2021). Uploading this as an assessment type of resource may not align perfectly with that category. A goal of mine though is to practice a cycle of uploading an assessment-reflection resource followed by a lesson plan for that resource to the Sandbox. The aim is to develop a process for reinforcing my own teaching and learning of IL through the Sandbox. If the Appreciative Inquiry model can be built into this cycle too, the better I think it will be. Exploring a connection between developing a line of inquiry and the positive idea generation over negative problem identification of Appreciative Inquiry seems worth practicing some reflection on too.
Information Literacy Frame(s) Addressed: Information Has Value, Research as Inquiry, Searching as Strategic Exploration
Contributor: Hanz Olson
Resource Type(s): Assessment Material, Practitioner Reflection
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The unstated goal of this series is to cultivate critical thinking about AI in a world dominated by enthusiasm. This series is an invitation to think critically about artificial intelligence—not just what it can do, but what it should do, and what assumptions shape that "should." While many discussions focus on utility and progress, this series draws attention to unspoken risks, misaligned incentives, and philosophical dilemmas—particularly as AI becomes embedded in decision-making, culture, and governance.This series represents a passion project designed to introduce most readers to AI ethics and existential risks. While the ideas aren't uniquely mine, I've carefully curated them into what I consider my own essential "critical AI literacy course." It's still a work in progress, with plans to eventually add a lesson on containment, and explicitly callout surveillance capitalism in name.Beyond its educational mission, this project holds personal significance—it marked my first opportunity to explore Articulate 360 through an instructional design lens.Apologies for any typos, this outline is secondary to my Articulate course found at USC.edu
Information Literacy Frame(s) Addressed: Authority is Constructed and Contextual, Information Creation as Process, Information Has Value, Research as Inquiry, Framework as a Whole
Contributor: Benjamin Hall
Resource Type(s): Assignment Prompt, Instruction Program Material, Learning Object, Practitioner Reflection, Professional Development Material, Research Guide, Tutorial, Other
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This is an outline of a session conducted by the Texas Tech Librarians in February 2025. Includes workshop description for entirely online workshop.Session Description:Many of the databases that you may be using (Web of Science, JSTOR, Scopus) are developing generative AI features. This workshop will discuss how search engines work, what adding generative AI has done to searching, and the interesting ways in which RAGs (retrieval-augmented generation) is being applied in the databases. This session was conducted solely online.Learning Objectives:Participants will learn which databases are developing generative AIWhat a RAG is and how databases and other library search functionsHow to use these generative AI models in the databasesTo make the session more interactive, create a padlet and allow particpants to "rate" or "thumbs up" a particular resource, and ask if they are planning on using it in the future and why or why not. Also give participants time to try the resources.
Information Literacy Frame(s) Addressed: Searching as Strategic Exploration, Framework as a Whole
Contributor: Erin Burns
Resource Type(s): Learning Object, Lesson Plan
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This is an outline of a session conducted by the Texas Tech Librarians in October 2024. Includes workshop description and sample Padlet questions for an interactive, hybrid (in-person and online) workshop.While some may want to believe the hype around generative AI and what it might be able to do for us, and we wonder if it is possible to be able to use this technology in responsible way. In this session, we will discuss aspects around responsible technology, including facets around Trust and Safety, especially privacy issues and the environmental issues surrounding the building and using of the tech, and how AI technology could possibly be used in the academic research process. This session will also act as a wrap-up session, and we will be available to answer any other questions you might have about the topic.This outline includes learning objectives.
Information Literacy Frame(s) Addressed: Framework as a Whole
Contributor: Erin Burns
Resource Type(s): Activity, Lesson Plan
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Resource is an outline of a workshop the Texas Tech Librarians gave in October 2024. Includes workshop description and sample Padlet questions for an interactive, hybrid (in-person and online) workshop.We’ve all seen deep fakes, misinformation, disinformation and “fake news” go viral on social media. With the current election season, it’s more important than ever that engaged citizens are able to evaluate and understand the things that go viral. Please see the second in our series for more about evaluation. This workshop will discuss the various ways in which AI is being weaponized in disinformation and misinformation campaigns to sway voters. However, we will also discuss ways that AI is being used in other democratic processes. This will include case uses from a variety of public sectors, looking with a critical eye towards using “big data” to make choices for the populace under the auspices of “neutrality.”This will be a discussion-based workshop. We will have some slides and/or demo a few tools or guides, but we also want to hear from you, the participants, about these topics. Come with your lunch, your questions, and your experiences. Learning ObjectivesUnderstand how AI effects democracies around the worldCritically evaluate any AI content related to the current election seasonWork to understand the ”bad actors” on social media platforms that produce misinformation, disinformation, “fake news,” cheap fakes and deep fakes
Information Literacy Frame(s) Addressed: Framework as a Whole
Contributor: Erin Burns
Resource Type(s): Activity, Lesson Plan
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Outline of a workshop session which includes description and sample questions for a discussion Padlet. This session was conducted in October 2024 in a hybrid learning environment (online and in-person participants). Artificial intelligence has had a hold on human imaginations from time immemorial—including robots, androids, cyborgs, and more. This session will discuss how AI is being seen in the visual art and other media industries, including things like AI beauty contests, and critically evaluate how these visions of electric sheep and robotics are undercutting the value of human produced work. This is also includes how AI is seen and sold in media, and we will discuss how it’s actually being applied in different contexts. This will be a discussion-based workshop. We will have some slides and/or demo a few tools or guides, but we also want to hear from you, the participants, about these topics. Come with your lunch, your questions, and your experiences. Learning Objective 1: How AI is being applied in the visual arts and other consumable mediaLearning Objective 2: The ways in which AI affects intellectual property rights and copyright
Information Literacy Frame(s) Addressed: Framework as a Whole
Contributor: Erin Burns
Resource Type(s): Activity
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What is one to do when asked to experiment with instructional strategies needed to integrate critical information literacy (CIL) into the university curricula? Design a Tabletop Role Playing Game (TTRPG) of course! The Metaliterati Project TTRPG (working title) is a customizable TTRPG where and instructor can set parameters and conditions for success on a collaborative task for 3-5 players who use CIL skills to research and compose an argument.
Information Literacy Frame(s) Addressed: Authority is Constructed and Contextual, Information Creation as Process, Information Has Value, Research as Inquiry, Scholarship as Conversation, Searching as Strategic Exploration
Contributor: Christopher Stuart
Resource Type(s): Activity
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In the Data Justice Workshop, students will:Reflect on their personal identities & characteristics and their positionality within social power structuresExplore data collection practices and the disparate impact of its use in algorithmic decision-making systemsExamine discriminating systems across society to challenge tech power's inevitability
Information Literacy Frame(s) Addressed: Information Has Value
Contributor: Alexandria Chisholm
Resource Type(s): Activity, Instruction Program Material, Learning Object, Learning Outcomes List, Lesson Plan, Research Guide, Slide Deck, Worksheet
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An Integrated Marketing Communication (IMC) approach to crisis involves managing and conveying information before, during, and after critical events, such as corporations handling crises that threaten their reputation or government responses to natural disasters. Effective crisis communication especially relies on CIL skills to navigate the torrent and complexity of information coming from diverse sources. Each crisis is unique and could involve diverse stakeholders, making CIL essential for creating ethical and effective responses.The activity will be completed in three steps.Learning CIL: Provide the students with resources and materials to define CIL and its frameworks. The activity particularly addresses the following three frameworks:Authority Is Constructed and ContextualScholarship as ConversationSearching as Strategic Exploration2. ApplicationThe students will identify a crisis and research information from various sources. They will formulate a response to a crisis scenario for an organization or company.Sample sources: peer-reviewed journal articles (e.g., case studies, discourse analysis), news articles, social media posts from various individuals, influencers, experts, and public figures.3. ReflectionEach student will write a reflection essay. Here are a few sample reflection questions:A.One of CIL’s frames states that authority is constructed and contextual. How does this concept apply to in your research on the crisis, would you embrace or challenge this framework?B.Could algorithmic biases in your search for news and social media posts influence your response? If so, how can we address this issue?C.How could information privilege potentially affect an individual's perception and response to the crisis?D.How did different sources characterize the crisis? What similarities and differences did you find in framing, language, stakeholders, perspectives, and problem definitions?This work was developed as part of the Critical Information Literacy Immersion Program.
Information Literacy Frame(s) Addressed: Authority is Constructed and Contextual, Scholarship as Conversation, Searching as Strategic Exploration
Contributor: Yiyi Yang
Resource Type(s): Activity
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This literature search handout was used to teach a third year Biology course (although it can be used in any discipline) with the assistance of a Generative AI tool (Copilot). It provides students with a roadmap for the literature search process and demonstrates how they can incorporate Copilot to support their research. The TIC (Task, Instructions, and Context) Framework and Chain of Thought prompting was used to teach students prompt engineering (slides to explain these are also provided).Note: In this handout, Copilot is used for brainstorming ideas and not for finding peer-reviewed journal articles. The handout covers the following steps:Step 1: Pick a research topic and create a research question with CopilotStep 2: Identify main keywords from research question using CopilotStep 3: Use Copilot to brainstorm for synonymsStep 4: Create a search strategyStep 5: Select a databaseStep 6: Conduct your search and examine your resultsStep 7: Identify peer-reviewed articlesStep 8: Cite relevant articles
Information Literacy Frame(s) Addressed: Research as Inquiry, Searching as Strategic Exploration
Contributor: Victoria Ho
Resource Type(s): Activity
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This is a simple lesson that can be done using a whiteboard type program (like Padlet) or with sticky notes in a classroom space. In the activity, students will practice brainstorming keywords together based on the topics they and their peers are researching. This activity is best done as students start their research on a topic. At the end of the lesson, all students should have at least a couple of keywords to use for searching based on the information they have shared about a topic.By participating in this activity students will be able to:Describe how keywords or search terms are useful for searching in databases in order to utilize them effectively.Create keywords for various topics/research questions in order to develop keywords for their own topics.
Information Literacy Frame(s) Addressed: Searching as Strategic Exploration
Contributor: Elise Ferer
Resource Type(s): Lesson Plan
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In the syllabus for the Advanced Legal Research class that I taught in fall 2024, I have included learning outcomes that are aligned with American Bar Association and American Association of Law Libraries standards as well as an overview of the topics that are discussed in class and references for these topics. Much of the information on the beginning pages is specific to the University of Virginia School of Law. Within the syllabus, I provide an overview of the assignments and Research Assignments One (The Cell Phone Search) and Three (The Vape Shop) are available in the ACRL Sandbox. The instructions for Research Assignments Two and Four are in the syllabus. I teach the class as a survey class and cover a variety of sources. The target audience for the class consists of second- and third-year law students who have taken a legal research and writing class during their first year of law school. As stated in the syllabus, students choose their own legal topics and write a research guide for these topics for Research Assignment Four. Some students choose to use Research Assignment Four to do their research for a paper that they are required to write for another class. Other students choose legal topics based on their interests or the type of law they want to practice in the future. For Research Assignment Two, students are also offered the option to create a mind map or concept map to show the progress of their initial research for Research Assignment Four. Multiple frames from ACRL's framework for information literacy can be applied to the syllabus, however, one frame that is particularly applicable to the syllabus as a whole is "Searching as Strategic Exploration."
Information Literacy Frame(s) Addressed: Searching as Strategic Exploration
Contributor: Latia Ward
Resource Type(s): Syllabus