B2103 - INFORMATION LITERACY IN ENGLISH ed. 1

Learning outcomes

The “Information Literacy Workshop” aims to develop strategies for enhancing students’ information skills in order to find, understand, evaluate and create proper information. At the end of the workshop, students will be able to find their way through the information RESOURCES, using them more effectively and consciously, thanks to the expertise acquired in the use of the TOOLS (catalogs, databases, repositories, search engines, citation managers) and aware of the SERVICES the University makes available to them (remote access, interlibrary loans, reservations, online renewals, tutorials).

Course contents

The course covers the main bibliographic research methods and tools and the recognition of several documentary sources including those published according to the principles of Open Science. The module, developed in three steps, will focus on:

1. the main methods of querying information resources and retrieval of the documents needed to study and research through the most suitable tools;
2. the selection and synthesis of research results: the criteria for evaluating the most appropriate information based on the type of resource and research purpose; the organization of the retrieved data;
3. the proper citation methods from formal, ethical and legal point of view, thus avoiding unaware actions of plagiarism.

Teaching methods

Blended: frontal teaching on MS Teams & self-learning on VIRTUALE

Starting from a specific case (e.g.: retrieving the texts cited in a bibliography for an exam, or texts on a topic for a term paper, etc.) we go back to the possible solutions for setting the learning content, giving priority to an interactive and collaborative problem solving approach. We will proceed by drawing distinction between the research by document (e.g.: we start from a bibliography on a specific research topic) from the research by subject (e g: we arrive at the drafting of a bibliography on a specific research topic). We will use simulations and exercises to foster the active participation of students.

The workshop is designed to allow students to gain experience, help them understand how information is organized and to increase their ability to recognize, analyze and evaluate sources.

The six lectures will be held on these dates: 14, 16, 21, 23, 28, 30 November 2023 - from 09:30 to 12:30, on MS Teams Classroom.

Assessment methods

At the end of the course the student will be asked to set up a bibliographic search guided by a questionnaire. The student will have to describe the steps of the research, indicating the research question, the tools used, the sources chosen and indicated in a consistent citation style.

This sort of logbook will contribute to the learning assessment for suitability to be achieved, together with the minimum attendance required percentage (70% of the entire duration = 4 lessons out of 6, fully attended).

The planned tests on VIRTUALE platform are self-assessed.

Teaching tools

Virtuale Platform 

MS Teams - Microphone and webcam required

Open Education Tools

Links to further information

https://sba.unibo.it/en/about-us/projects/ongoing-projects/information-literacy-as-a-soft-skill