Information Literacy Learning Objectives for
First Year Students at the University of Notre Dame.

Locating, Retrieving, analyzing, and using information is an important part of the educational experience in the 21st century.  With this in mind, the Information Literacy Subcommittee has recommended the following Information Literacy Learning Objectives for First Year Students at the University of Notre Dame:

1. Locate the main library and library branches related to their studies.
2. Obtain general library assistance (Information Desk, Ask-a-Librarian, subject librarians).
3. Manage library resources with tools such as My Account, Interlibrary Loan, and RefWorks.
4. Create and refine an effective search strategy using controlled vocabulary and Boolean operators.
5. Locate background information using appropriate reference sources.
6. Find books or other resources on a given topic using the online catalog.
7. Locate journal articles, data, or other media (as needed) on a given topic by using online databases.
8. Distinguish between scholarly and popular sources.
9. Evaluate the credibility of a source (currency, accuracy, content, appropriateness, and objectivity).
10. Use information ethically and legally in accordance with copyright and intellectual property laws. 

March 2008