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new link as of May 1, 2008Assessments of Information Literacy
Available Online
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new link as of May 1, 2008
Forced-choice Tests (e.g., multiple-choice, true/false)
TRAILS (Tools for Real-time Assessment of Information Literacy Skills) -- from Kent State University -- "There are two general assessments (30 items each), as well as two 10-item assessments in each of the five categories (Develop Topic; Identify Potential Sources; Develop, Use, and Revise Search Strategies; Evaluate Sources and Information; Recognize How to Use Information Responsibly, Ethically, and Legally). The assessment pairs are parallel in terms of concepts addressed and may be used as pre- and post-tests." -- Free for use by library media specialists and teachers
SAILS (Standardized Assessment of Information Literacy Skills) -- also from Kent State University -- SAILS is a 45-item multiple-choice, college-level test aligned with the ACRL Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education. "Students are directed to the SAILS web site to take the web-based test. Each student may take the test once per administration. Responses are sent to a central database where data are analyzed and reports are generated and made available for download in PDF." "The SAILS test asks students questions about research strategies; selecting sources; understanding and using finding tools; developing and revising search strategies; evaluating results; retrieving materials; documenting sources; and legal and social issues related to ethical and effective use of information. The test identifies areas where students have strong information literacy skills and where skills need to be strengthened." There is a per-student fee for participation.
Information Competency Assessment Instrument -- from California State University, Dominguez Hills -- 27 multiple-choice questions
Test Your Research Skills -- from Raritan Valley Community College / Evelyn S. Field Library -- 25 multiple-choice questions
Information Competence -- from UCLA Library -- 14 multiple-choice questions, with a very interesting table approach to some questions
NetTrail Quiz -- from the University of California Santa Cruz -- 17 multiple-choice questions
Legal Research on the Internet Quiz -- from West Virginia University College of Law Library -- 9 multiple-choice questions
Information Literacy Assessment -- from Ann Viles, Appalachian State University -- 28 multiple-choice questions
Authentic Assessments (see Authentic Assessment Toolbox)
Information Literacy Assessment -- from Rappahannock Community College -- a "research log" assignment in which students answer questions about a research assignment just completed -- apparently, meant less as a summative assessment to evaluate students and more as a formative assessment to provide feedback for instruction
Information Literacy Assessment -- from Pasadena City College (adapted from following assessment by Topsy Smalley) -- contains nine constructed-response or short essay questions
Information Literacy Assessment -- from Topsy Smalley at Cabrillo College -- contains nine constructed-response or short essay questions
Information Literacy and Research Skills Course Assessments -- from Minneapolis Community and Technical College -- An excellent and extensive set of authentic assignments and tests that accompany this course on Information Literacy and Research Skills from the Library and Information Studies faculty. On this page you can find links to several information literacy assignments with their accompanying (and detailed) rubrics. Additionally, you can find take-home mid-term and final exams that require students to apply these skills. Finally, there is a link to a research portfolio and accompanying rubric that can be used across disciplines. Oh wait, there's more . . . but I'll let you explore.
CSU Information Competence Questionnaire - Phase I -- from California State University -- section 2 includes a series of scenarios to which students respond
CSU Assessment Tasks - Phase II -- from California State University -- similar to the scenarios in Phase I, brief tasks are presented followed by a set of questions
Assessing Student Learning Outcomes -- from Dana Franks at Highline Community College -- scroll down page to find assessment which is a group activity in which students select a topic, complete a "Great Finds" task, and give a group presentation -- detailed rubrics are included
Alternative Research Assignments -- from Stauffer Library, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario -- a good list of authentic assessment tasks
Blended Assessments (some combination of forced-choice and constructed-response or performance items)
Information Literacy Assessment -- from the Network of Illinois Learning Resources in Community Colleges -- "The instrument consists of approximately 40 questions. There is a survey of library use attitudes, drawn (with the author’s permission) from Carol Kulthau’s book, Seeking Meaning. (See More Information Literacy Resources.) In addition to multiple choice questions, there are several open-ended questions. Several of these constructed-response questions are follow-ups to 'yes/no' questions. We found that these constructed responses, while not scored, provide valuable insight into how students seek, find and use information." You will have to login with the provided ID and password to view the assessment.
Bay Area Community Colleges Information Competency Assessment -- from -- includes 47 multiple-choice, matching, and short-answer items and 12 performance exercises -- see detailed rubrics
Rubrics
Rubrics for the Assessment of Information Literacy -- from Colorado Department of Education, State Library and Adult Education Office, Colorado Educational Media Association (scroll down page to find rubrics)
Research Process Rubric -- from Downers Grove (IL) North High School Library
Rubric for Resource-based Learning -- from Stauffer Library, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario
Tutorials
The Libraries at Washington State University has a long list of internally-developed information literacy tutorials.
Texas Lutheran University also has a long list of tutorials, collected by Mark Dibble.
Last updated: 5/07/08
Compiled by Jon Mueller (http://jonathan.mueller.faculty.noctrl.edu/), Professor of Psychology at North Central College, and author of the Authentic Assessment Toolbox.
Please let me know of any other assessments not listed above or of any changes in the above assessments or links. E-mail me at jfmueller@noctrl.edu. Thanks.