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Overview
In the RLS Instruction Program, students become information literate by
- discovering information reflectively,
- understanding how information is produced and valued,
- using information to create new knowledge, and
- participating ethically in communities of learning.
(Adapted from the ACRL Framework for Information Literacy.)
Instruction Policies
Timing
Library instruction sessions usually take place after students are familiar with their assignment requirements and before significant work toward a draft has begun.
Location & delivery
The library's computer lab, Edmon Low 206, your regular classroom, and Zoom are potential locations for library instruction. Suitable classrooms are outfitted with a projector. Students are encouraged to bring their own laptops.
Instructor involvement
Library instruction sessions work best when you attend with your students and are an active participant in the planning and delivery. We also encourage you to share the librarian's contact information with your students.
Requesting & scheduling
Please request instruction at least two weeks in advance via the applicable request form:
- First Year Seminar Instruction Request
- First Year Composition Instruction Request
- Subject and Upper-level Instruction Request
A librarian will be in touch within a few days to schedule your session.
Questions
Please send your questions to Library Help at libraryhelp@okstate.edu, and they will be routed to the appropriate specialist.
First Year Seminar Courses
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First Year Seminar Library Instruction
We offer two options for first year seminars:
- A mobile-ready orientation scavenger hunt
- An introduction to information "life skills" which can be delivered via a live, online session (such as through Zoom) or through the use of online tutorials and videos
Outcomes
Scavenger Hunt
- Students will:
- Identify what library services and resources are available and how to access/utilize them
- Navigate the physical and virtual spaces of the library
- Identify when and why they should use library or other academic resources versus performing a generic open web search
- Identify librarians and subject guides that may be relevant to their interests and majors
- Use the Library Catalog to locate books, articles, and other resources on a given topic
Information "life skills" session
- Students will:
- Develop, perform, and narrow a Google search keeping in mind Google’s functionality and limitations
- Utilize fact checking strategies in order to determine the authenticity and authority of information
- Recognize the social and ethical implications of information use, access, creation, and dissemination and its effect on a variety of communities
- Develop habits of inquiry that will serve them as life-long learners
Resources
First Year Composition Courses
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Composition I (Engl 1113/1313)
Outcomes
NOTE: Individual sessions will not cover all of the outcomes listed below. We suggest working with your librarian to select the most appropriate outcomes for your class(es).
- Utilize Google for finding popular information sources.
- Develop iterative search strategies that are transferable between popular search engines and library databases.
- Use fact-checking strategies to evaluate popular information sources for accuracy and authenticity.
- Identify bias, scope, and relevancy of a source as it applies to an information need.
- Identify traditional markers of authority and what they convey about information.
- Articulate multiple ways authority can be granted and described.
Resources
Composition II (Engl 1213/1413)
Outcomes
NOTE: Individual sessions will not cover all of the outcomes listed below. We suggest working with your librarian to select the most appropriate outcomes for your class(es).
- Identify keywords and articulate a search strategy based on the information need.
- Use the Library Search and databases to locate books, articles, and other information.
- Evaluate information for purpose, audience, and trustworthiness.
- Identify the standard structure of primary research articles.
- Strategically read scholarly information sources for understanding and synthesis.
- Use existing research to identify additional information sources.
Resources
Subject and Upper Level Courses
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Subject and Upper-level instruction
Library instruction in the subject-specific and upper-division courses will facilitate students' engagement in creative and critical thinking about research and information resources. Classes are often tailored to meet objectives to a particular research assignment or graduate theses/dissertation topics, preferably through hands-on instruction and emphasizing the Library's resources. Overall, our aim is not only to educate for academic success but facilitate lifelong learning in one's professional and personal life.