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ILC Goals and Objectives

The Libraries Information Literacy Curriculum (ILC) Goals and Objectives represent the skills and competencies required of an information literate individual. A coordinated approach to information literacy, integrated into the curricula of the schools and departments throughout the University, will serve to prepare all Purdue students with the ability to identify, locate, evaluate and utilize information resources effectively throughout their lives.

Goal 1. User understands the role, value, and power of information in modern society.

Objective 1. User understands the importance and process of scholarly communication.

Enabling Objective 1. Within an academic discipline, the user can identify characteristics of scholarly communication.
Enabling Objective 2. Within an academic discipline, the user can identify the stages of scholarly communication.
Enabling Objective 3. Within an academic discipline, the user can describe the significance of scholarly communication.

Objective 2. User understands the role information plays in industry.

Enabling Objective 1.

Within industry, the user can illustrate how information supports decision-making (e.g. case studies).

Enabling Objective 2. Given an industry-related task, the user can identify and obtain critical information to support the decision-making process.

Objective 3. User knows how governments and organizations such as professional societies, universities, etc. generate and distribute information.

Enabling Objective 1.

Given an information need, the user can identify government agencies and organizations that generate and disseminate relevant information.

Enabling Objective 2. For a particular information need, the user can identify types of information produced by governments and organizations.

Objective 4. User appreciates how information may be used to improve one's quality of life.

Enabling Objective 1.

Given a variety of information sources, the user can identify and distinguish the importance of information for vocational, personal, and recreational purposes.

Enabling Objective 2. Given certain career and/or personal goals or objectives, the user can describe what and how information benefits his/her professional and personal lives.

Enabling Objective 3. Upon successful attainment of information skills, the user will develop interests in enhancing information skills to engage in life-long learning.

Objective 5. User comprehends the globalization of information.

Enabling Objective 1.

Having examined a variety of information resources, the user can identify culture-bound characteristics of information.

Enabling Objective 2. Given an area of interest, the user can identify resources that refer to information sources in a variety of languages and/or produced in a variety of countries.

Enabling Objective 3. Having examined resources representing information from around the world, the user can determine the scope of coverage of each resource.

Enabling Objective 4. Given an area of interest, the user can identify information sources published in different countries and in different languages.

Enabling Objective 5. After completing background instruction for the Internet, the user can explain the global networking capabilities of the Internet.

Enabling Objective 6. Within an area of interest, the user can describe how information technology may be used to communicate and disseminate information.

Goal 2. User understands and is able to communicate his/her specific need(s) for information.

Objective 1. User understands the role of information professionals and subject experts to assist in defining information needs.

Enabling Objective 1. For a given research project or assignment, the user can identify where in the research process it is appropriate to consult a classroom instructor.
Enabling Objective 2. For a given research project or assignment, the user can identify where in the research process it is appropriate to consult library staff.

Enabling Objective 2a.

User can identify appropriate service points in a library and the role of the staff in each area.

Enabling Objective 2b. User recognizes that there are varying types of libraries with differing levels of staff expertise (e.g. public libraries, research libraries, special libraries).

Enabling Objective 3. For a given research project or assignment, the user can identify where in the research process outside experts or sources may assist in topic formulation.

Enabling Objective 3a.

The user can identify types of outside experts or sources of information.

Enabling Objective 3b. The user can identify two to three sources of information other than the classroom instructor and library staff which may assist in topic formulation.

Objective 2. The user understands the factors which may determine how an interest area can be refined and can formulate a topic which can be pursued.

Enabling Objective 1. For a given research assignment or project, the user can state the impact of each of the following factors on his/her project: timeframe, length of presentation, type of presentation, audience, cost, availability of information (e.g. local vs. remote, amount published in field), an approach to topic/perspective (e.g. disciplinary focus, historical, comparative, theoretical).
Enabling Objective 2. Based on user's prior knowledge of a topic or area of interest, he/she can write a minimum of three questions related to the topic (e.g. Who? Where? What? How?).
Enabling Objective 3. Given an area of interest, user can identify methods of gathering preliminary information.

Enabling Objective 3a.

User can identify one or two essays or articles on the area of interest in relevant encyclopedia(s), handbook(s), or textbook(s).

Enabling Objective 3b. User can locate two to three essays/articles on the area of interest by browsing relevant journals, magazines, or newspapers.

Enabling Objective 3c. User can conduct a quick preliminary search of an index, catalog, or other database and select two to three titles on a common theme within the area of interest.

Enabling Objective 4. Having gathered background information in an area of interest, the user can state his/her topic in one sentence, and can construct broader and narrower statements.
Enabling Objective 5. Having formulated a preliminary topic statement, the user can identify the discipline(s) that would have appropriate information on the selected topic.

G3. User understands that information varies in its organization, content and format.

Objective 1. User understands that information sources may be grouped in a variety of ways.

Enabling Objective 1. Presented with materials of different physical types, the user can demonstrate the difference between them by grouping items of the same type together and naming the types (e.g. realia, microfiche, microfilm, videocassette, CD-ROM, book).
Enabling Objective 2. Presented with several items, the user can name at least two characteristics which distinguish one from another (e.g. subject, format, publisher, special audience, author, type of material, frequency of publication).
Enabling Objective 3. Given how vocabulary and fields are used within indexes and abstracts, the user can define "controlled vocabulary."
Enabling Objective 4. Within an individual record, the user can list the parts or access points of that record, which may be used to provide access to records containing similar information (e.g. author, title, subject headings, keywords from anywhere in the bibliographic record).
Enabling Objective 5. From index or database records the user can identify where sources use controlled vocabulary (assigned by an indexer, cataloger, etc.) as access points, and other access points (which may be dependent on the resource used and the subject covered).
Enabling Objective 6. Given book and journal records, the user can identify the main elements for a book (author, title, publisher, place, date) and a journal article (author, title, source, volume, issue, pages, date).
Enabling Objective 7. Given book and journal records, the user can distinguish between records for a book, a journal, and a journal article.
Enabling Objective 8. After examining a book or article and a relevant controlled vocabulary list, the user can demonstrate his/her understanding by determining likely subject headings.
Enabling Objective 9. Within an information seeking environment, the user can define and describe the importance of a classification system in the arrangement of information.

Enabling Objective 9a.

The user can identify two of the classification systems used at Purdue and explain the basis for each (e.g. Dewey Decimal-hierarchical subject arrangement; SuDocs-departmental arrangement; theses-arranged by author's last name).

Enabling Objective 9b. The user can recognize an additional classification system that is not used at Purdue but is commonly used in American academic libraries (e.g. Library of Congress, National Library of Medicine).

Enabling Objective 9c. The user can explain why books on similar subjects may or may not be shelved together (e.g. classification systems usually pull like subjects together; classification numbers change over time as interest in or knowledge on a subject expands or wanes; the book might be misshelved).

Enabling Objective 10. Given a brief Dewey Decimal chart, the user can select probable classification numbers for specific titles.
Enabling Objective 11. Within the Purdue Libraries system, the user can name at least five of the libraries, and list two subject areas or disciplines that the library probably covers.
Enabling Objective 12. The user can describe at least two ways journals may be arranged within a library and identify at least one library at Purdue with journals organized in that manner (e.g. call number order, alphabetically by title, current and bound).

Objective 2. User knows and appreciates the differences between the level of sources available (primary, secondary, etc.).

Enabling Objective 1. Given a list of primary and secondary sources, the user can mark which ones are primary and which ones are secondary.
Enabling Objective 2. In a given area of study, the user can identify and give three examples of primary and secondary sources.
Enabling Objective 3. When reviewing a list of primary and secondary sources, the user can describe the use of indexes and abstracts and distinguish them from other sources.

Objective 3. User understands how information is structured within an area of interest.

Enabling Objective 1. Given a timeline of how information in various disciplines is produced, the user can place relevant resource types in the timeline for a given discipline (e.g. lab notes earliest in timeline, preprints early in timeline, encyclopedias late in timeline, indexes latest in timeline).
Enabling Objective 2. For a given discipline, the user can identify current awareness tools from a list of resources.
Enabling Objective 3. Given a list of topics with various aspects, a user can identify which databases would be most appropriate for searching (e.g. business database for marketing aspects of rechargeable batteries, engineering database for technological aspects of batteries).
Enabling Objective 4. After examining the literature of social sciences/humanities and that of the natural sciences, the user can identify differences between them. (e.g. monograph vs. periodical intensive, individual vs. collaborative authorship).
Enabling Objective 5. For a given information need, the user will describe how cited references fit into the research process.

Objective 4. User can distinguish between various treatments of a subject.

Enabling Objective 1. Given an article from a popular magazine and one from a scholarly or trade journal on the same topic, the user can write at least three differences between the two treatments of the topic (e.g. format, authors, audience).
Enabling Objective 2. Given a journal article and a review article pertaining to the same subject area, the user can list at least two differences (e.g. breadth of coverage, original research vs. compilation, number of references cited).
Enabling Objective 3. Given a list of publications criteria, the user can explain how they differ between a sensational publication and a reputable news magazine.
Enabling Objective 4. Having seen specified sources found on the Internet, the user can give reasons why one source may be better than the other (e.g. authorship stated, date source revised is provided).
Enabling Objective 5. Given articles on the same topic showing different points of view, the user can note information about the articles which, if researched, might help explain the points of view (e.g. biography of the author/affiliation, types of publications from publisher, place of publication, period during which published).
Enabling Objective 6. Given an article from a magazine for juveniles and one for adults, the user is able to note three characteristics which distinguish one from the other. (e.g. language, level, length, detail).

Objective 5. User is aware of the different means by which information may be delivered (e.g. orally, microform, paper, electronically).

Enabling Objective 1. Having seen in class a demonstration and participated in a discussion of several ways in which information may be delivered, the user can name four major categories and give a specific example of an item for each (e.g. oral presentation of a speech, a printed book, a government document on microfiche, an encyclopedia on CD ROM).
Enabling Objective 2. Given a specific number of records, the user can identify an acceptable number of these as referring to items on paper, microform, CD ROM, audio tape, video cassette, slides, computer disk and motion picture.
Enabling Objective 3. Given a description of different means of delivery, the user can list an advantage and disadvantage for each.

Goal 4. User can retrieve information from a variety of systems and in various formats.

Objective 1. User can create an efficient plan based upon his/her information needs.

Enabling Objective 1. Having defined a need, the user can list at least four types of resources he/she will use (e.g. dictionary, encyclopedia, OPAC, index, CD-ROM, Internet).
Enabling Objective 2. Having refined this need, the user can evaluate the order in which these types of resources should be consulted for maximum success (e.g. dictionary, encyclopedia, THOR, index, CD-ROM, Internet).
Enabling Objective 3. Having defined a need, the user can describe different strategies for finding information (e.g. browsing, keyword to find subject heading, use of thesaurus, serendipity, directory, general-to-specific sources, bibliographies, citation indexes).
Enabling Objective 4. Upon failure to find useful (or adequate) information, the user can identify at least one additional strategy or can modify the existing strategy.
Enabling Objective 5. Having defined a need, the user can name at least two individuals who can provide additional guidance or expertise in developing an efficient plan. (e.g. librarian, professor, colleague, subject expert).
Enabling Objective 6. Given a specific resource (e.g. a book title), the user can select at least one appropriate tool to find local holding or access information.
Enabling Objective 7. Having identified specific resources for a given need, the user can defend a logical order in which they should be consulted for maximum success.
Enabling Objective 8. Having selected a topic, user can describe his information need in terms of time, types of resources, and alternate terminology.

Objective 2. User can accurately interpret bibliographic citations.

Enabling Objective 1. After basic instruction on the use of citations, the user can name and define the elements of a basic citation.
Enabling Objective 2. If given a list of citations, user can at least distinguish between a book citation and a journal citation, regardless of the origin of the citation.
Enabling Objective 3. If given a list of citations, user can identify journal title abbreviations and locate the full titles in appropriate resources.
Enabling Objective 4. If given a list of citations, user can identify at least two different types of Internet addresses.

Objective 3. User can successfully navigate within the libraries and other information realms they use.

Enabling Objective 1. Given a random list of locally used call numbers, the user can put them in order.
Enabling Objective 2. Having identified the title needed, user can locate holdings information for books and journals found in the Purdue Libraries.
Enabling Objective 3. When presented with information representing citations to serial publications, the user can locate the specific article.
Enabling Objective 4. When presented with information representing citations to books or monographs, the user can locate the item(s).
Enabling Objective 5. When presented with information representing specialized publications, the user can locate the item (e.g. patents, standards, reports).
Enabling Objective 6. Within the Purdue Libraries system, the user can differentiate between the functions of the various library services or locations and can indicate these areas on a map (e.g. reference, reserves, information desk, circulation desk, OPAC terminals, journal shelving, book shelving).
Enabling Objective 7. Within an individual library or from a remote location, the user can complete the log-on procedures for the local networked systems.
Enabling Objective 8. Within the Purdue Libraries system, the user can demonstrate use of at least two current navigation tools on networked systems.
Enabling Objective 9. Within the Purdue Libraries information system, the user can identify the types of items which can be retrieved in at least two of the sections (e.g. THOR; PCAT vs. Index; www).
Enabling Objective 10. In his/her area of study, the user can list titles of at least two appropriate indexes (print and electronic).
Enabling Objective 11. Within a given library, the user can describe the nature of information located in various sections of a library (reference, reserves, media, indexes and abstracts, OPAC) and can identify one appropriate resource in at least three of these sections.
Enabling Objective 12. Given an information need, the user can select the appropriate type of library to use based upon his/her information need (e.g., public, academic, undergraduate, subject-specific).
Enabling Objective 13. Given his/her own computer configuration, the user can identify at least two different ways to gain access to networked information systems (e.g. dial-in access to OPAC, gopher, Internet, America On-line).
Enabling Objective 14. For items not available at Purdue, the user can complete an Interlibrary Loan request.
Enabling Objective 15. Given a network system, the user can describe how to access OPACs at other institutions.

Objective 4. User can devise a search based upon the capabilities, structure, and access points of an information resource.

Enabling Objective 1. After examining a new resource, the user can identify the specific access points (e.g. subject, keyword, title, author, corporate author, identifier).
Enabling Objective 2. Given a specific resource, the user can identify sources of help for its use (e.g. introduction, preface, help screens).
Enabling Objective 3. Given a specific resource, the user can identify access points appropriate for a chosen topic.
Enabling Objective 4. The user can identify at least two methods to increase a search vocabulary (e.g. using a thesaurus or partially successful search to identify synonyms for key search concepts).
Enabling Objective 5. Given a specific electronic resource, the user can determine the capabilities of the search software and the database.

Enabling Objective 5a.

The user can give definitions for the Boolean search operators (and, or, not) and can demonstrate appropriate use in a search.

Enabling Objective 5b. The user can give definitions for the proximity operators (with, near, same, adjacent) and can demonstrate appropriate use in a search statement.

Enabling Objective 5c. The user can identify the default operator.

Enabling Objective 5d. The user can describe truncation and its value and can identify the symbol used for the database/search software selected.

Enabling Objective 5e. The user can describe how fields are used within databases, identify the various fields of an electronic record and construct a search strategy utilizing at least two different field qualifiers to limit search result retrieval (e.g. language, years, document type).

Enabling Objective 5f. The user can apply the concept of controlled vocabulary to maximize search retrieval in appropriate databases.

Enabling Objective 5g. The user can describe the concept of keyword searching and apply it as appropriate.

Enabling Objective 6. Given a citation index, the user can trace a cited reference.

Goal 5. User can evaluate information sources.

Objective 1. User can evaluate the relevance of the information retrieved.

Enabling Objective 1. After completing a search for information in a reference source such as an index or abstract, the user can identify elements within each record that aid in determining relevance in relationship to the user's needs for depth of information, language and time frame (e.g. length, article type, language, date).
Enabling Objective 2. After completing a search for information in a reference source such as an index or abstract, the user can make basic decisions about the usefulness of the content of the source by examining the title, subject headings, source, and abstract if available.
Enabling Objective 3. After completing a search for information in a library catalog database the user can identify elements within each record that aid in determining relevance to the user's needs for depth of coverage, language and time frame (e.g. date, length, publisher).
Enabling Objective 4. After completing a search for information in a library catalog, the user can make basic decisions about the usefulness of the content of the source by examining the title, subject headings, table of contents if included and abstract if available.
Enabling Objective 5. After completing a search for information using Internet based tools, the user can identify elements within each record that aid in determining relevance to the user's needs for depth of coverage, language, information format and time frame (e.g. date, length, origin).
Enabling Objective 6. After completing a search for information using Internet based tools, the user can make basic decisions about the usefulness of the content of the source by examining the title, subject headings, and description or abstract if available.

Objective 2. User can identify relevant factors that may constrain their retrieval of information.

Enabling Objective 1. Given an information need, the user can determine whether the information needed could be obtained free of charge. If a charge is necessary, the user can estimate the cost within a specified range.
Enabling Objective 2. Given an information need, the user can estimate the time needed to complete the process and the time available to obtain the information and create a plan which reflects the constraints of each.
Enabling Objective 3. Given an assignment to find information, the user can interpret the assignment and identify types of information that are readily available.
Enabling Objective 4. After encountering constraints in retrieving information, the user can revise the plan for finding information if necessary.
Enabling Objective 5. After being unable to retrieve information, the user can make a reasonable assumption about the possible lack of information on a given subject.

Objective 3. User recognizes that no one source is comprehensive.

Enabling Objective 1. Given an information need, the user can formulate a search strategy that utilizes a variety of resources to achieve a comprehensive retrieval (e.g. reference sources, databases, Internet resources).

Enabling Objective 1a.

After formulating his/her search strategy, the user can identify which individual resources are likely to yield the most relevant information.

Enabling Objective 1b. After identifying the most relevant resources, the user can select which additional resources will need to be consulted.

Enabling Objective 2. After using specific information sources, the user can identify the strengths and limitations of coverage in each source.
Enabling Objective 3. After examining several information sources, the user can extract information from each source relevant to his or her information need.

Objective 4. User can evaluate the quality and relevance of an information source.

Enabling Objective 1. Given an information source, the user can identify the authors(s) and his or her credentials if provided in the source [author is used as a generic term].
Enabling Objective 2. Given the name of an author, the user can identify reference sources that may contain biographical information about the author.
Enabling Objective 3. Given an information source, the user can identify all necessary elements within the source that indicate the treatment of information presented (e.g scholarly vs. magazine).
Enabling Objective 4. Within the user's field of study, the user can list at least three core journals.
Enabling Objective 5. After examining the information, the user can describe at least two features which contribute to the bias of that information (e.g. author affiliation, publisher, date).
Enabling Objective 6. Within an information source, the user can identify at least four elements that can be used to evaluate it (e.g. date, publisher, author, methods, sources, statistics).
Enabling Objective 7. After examining a piece of information, the user can analyze elements that aid in determining its purpose and future use (e.g. research methodology, conclusions, supported arguments, source for statistics).

Goal 6. User understands how to organize information effectively.

Objective 1. User is able to read, understand and create citations.

Enabling Objective 1. Given a list of references in various citation formats, the user can list at least three elements common to most citation formats (e.g. author, title, date).

Enabling Objective 1a.

User can list essential elements used to cite books (e.g. author, editor, title, publisher, date).

Enabling Objective 1b. User can list essential elements used to cite articles (e.g. author, article title, source, issue information, date).

Enabling Objective 1c. User can list essential elements used to cite other types of publications (e.g. conference proceedings, legal documents, Internet resources and standards).

Enabling Objective 2. Given a list of citations, the user can distinguish different types of information and locate the original source (e.g. book, article, Internet resource, conference proceedings).

Enabling Objective 2a.

User can distinguish between references to entire pieces of information and parts of larger pieces (e.g. book vs. book chapter, journal vs. journal article).

Enabling Objective 2b. User can distinguish between references to articles in scholarly journals, magazines, and newspapers.

Enabling Objective 3. Within a given citation format, the user can identify and cite a variety of sources (e.g. whole books, book chapters, sections of pages from books, articles in periodicals, personal conversations, papers presented at conferences, papers included in published conference proceedings, ftp files, World Wide Web sources, e-mail).
Enabling Objective 4. Having obtained a variety of information sources, the user can construct citations to this information in a standardized format and incorporate these citations into his/her research report.

Objective 2. User can organize information into personal information files or systems.

Enabling Objective 1. Given a need to organize retrieved information, the user can describe how different personal reference systems vary in complexity and mechanism (e.g. might be paper bibliography or sophisticated computer system).
Enabling Objective 2. After compiling a list of sources, the user can identify an information management system that would aid in organizing the sources for personal use.
Enabling Objective 3. After compiling a list of sources, the user can demonstrate use of an information management system to organize these sources for personal use.

Approved by Libraries Faculty 12/5/95

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