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Applicable Information Literacy Standards for Anthropology and Sociology Students
CHECK ALL OF THE "KEY BEHAVIORS" THAT APPLY: |
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| : Know what kind of information is needed |
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1.1 |
Define and articulate the information need |
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a. |
Identifies and describes a manageable research topic or other information need appropriate to
the scope of research questions in anthropology and sociology, using discipline-specific terminology,
methods and contexts. |
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b. |
Reads background sources in anthropology and sociology to increase familiarity with the
topic. |
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c. |
Identifies and lists key concepts, terms, social theories, culture groups, places, and names
related to the topic in preparation for searching for information on it. |
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d. |
Reevaluates the nature and extent of the information needed to clarify, revise or refine the
question after some initial research, reading, interviews, and work with data and/or a population have taken
place. |
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1.2 |
Select the most appropriate investigative methods for researching the
topic |
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a. |
Identifies and evaluates anthropological and sociological qualitative and quantitative research
methodologies applicable to the project that will provide the kind of data or information needed. |
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b. |
Discusses and demonstrates an understanding of institutional policies related to human subjects
research, including access to subjects, informed consent, and institutional review board requirements. |
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c. |
Identifies and discusses privacy, confidentiality, security, and other ethical issues related to
the research methodology employed in accordance with principles in the American Anthropological Association
Code of Ethics or the American Sociological Association Code of Ethics. |
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1.3 |
Identify a variety of formats and sources in which anthropological and
sociological information may appear. |
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a. |
Describes how information used in anthropology and sociology is formally and informally produced
and disseminated. |
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b. |
Recognizes that anthropological and sociological knowledge is organized in certain ways and in
various formats which may influence how it is accessed and evaluated. |
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c. |
Differentiates between primary and secondary sources in anthropology and sociology, recognizing
the use and value of each type. |
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d. |
Recognizes that existing information can be combined with original thought, experimentation,
and/or analysis to produce new information and insights into society, social phenomena, aspects of culture,
and social theories. |
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1.4 |
Consider the costs and benefits of acquiring the needed information |
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a. |
Determines the availability of needed information and broadens the search beyond the local
resources to obtain materials not at one's own library or institution or online. |
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b. |
Defines a realistic overall plan and timeline to acquire the needed information, do the field
work, analyze data, or learn new skills. |
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c. |
Identifies and discusses issues related to free vs. fee-based access to information, including
pertinent inequalities of access in the U.S. and abroad. |
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| : Access needed information effectively,
efficiently, and ethnically |
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2.1 |
Select the most appropriate sources and databases for accessing and
obtaining the needed information. |
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a. |
Identifies and selects article databases, library catalogs, data sets, and other sources most
appropriate for information need. |
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b. |
Distinguishes between databases that provide up to date indexing of a variety of
journals, book chapters, dissertations, and conference proceedings in anthropology and sociology, databases
that provide online text of journals from many disciplines but which are typically limited in date
and/or scope for anthropology and sociology, and the companies, organizations, or systems that simply
license the databases or online text of journals. |
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c. |
Accesses scholarly materials published in non-traditional ways. |
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d. |
Understands when it is appropriate to use Web search engines such as Google to supplement
anthropology, sociology and other social science databases, and distinguishes between the types of sources
one can expect to find with these different tools. Understand when Web search engines are not the
appropriate means for finding the type of information needed. |
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e. |
Knows about and complies with laws |
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2.2 |
Construct, implement, and refine well-designed search strategies that use
a variety of methods to find information. |
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a. |
Uses appropriate sociological and anthropological terminology for searching databases,
recognizing the different effects of using keywords, synonyms, and vocabulary from the database's own
particular list of subject indexing terms. |
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b. |
Creates and uses effective search strategies in multiple anthropology and sociology databases
using advanced search features, such as Boolean operators, truncation, and proximity searches; refines
searches as needed later in the process to obtain additional or missing information. |
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c. |
Searches for and finds books, scholarly journals, and sources appropriate to the inquiry, such
as surveys, interviews, text from online communities, audio and visual sources, and data, and seeks out
knowledgeable individuals in the library, academic department and community as part of the research
plan. |
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2.3 |
Keep track of the information and its sources. |
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a. |
Produces accurate citations and reference lists using the documentation style of the American
Anthropological Association, the American Sociological Association or the American Psychological
Association. |
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b. |
Records systematically all pertinent citation information for future reference. |
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c. |
Knows when citations of sources is necessary in order to respect authors' intellectual property
rights and accurately indicate where the words and ideas of others have been used. |
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| : Evaluate information and its sources
critically; Incorporate selected information into knowledge base and value system |
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3.1 |
Summarize the main ideas to be extracted from the information gathered
and synthesize main ideas to construct new concepts. |
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a. |
Selects the main ideas from texts (books, scholarly articles, interview transcripts,
ethnographies, etc), chooses concepts to restate in his/her own words, and identifies verbatim material that
can ben appropriately quoted. |
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b. |
Recognizes interrelationships among concepts, social theories, field observations, and other
data and combines them into potentially useful primary statements with supporting evidence. |
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c. |
Utilizes technologies (such as audio or visual equipment, spreadsheets, and statistical and
software packages) for studying the interaction of ideas and other phenomena. |
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3.2 |
Apply appropriate criteria for evaluating both the information and its
source. |
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Examines and compares information from various sources in order to ascertain the reliability,
validity, accuracy, authority, timeliness, and point of view or bias of a given source. |
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b. |
Recognizes that a large quantity of database search results or information signifies nothing
about their quality, and that it is necessary to evaluate the suitability of sources for the project. |
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c. |
Seeks differing viewpoints in alternative databases, books, Web sites and articles, always
evaluating the source of the information or argument, and determined whether to incorporate or reject
viewpoints encountered. |
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d. |
Analyzes the structure and logic of supporting arguments or methodology within an anthropology
or sociology framework, understands what constitutes valid evidence in the discipline, analyzes the
reasonableness of the conclusions, and recognizes prejudice, deception or manipulation. |
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e. |
Recognizes the cultural, physical, or other context within which the information was created and
accessed, and understands the impact of context on interpreting the information. |
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f. |
Identifies and discusses issues related to censorship and freedom of speech in the U.S. and in
countries/cultures being studied. |
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g. |
Identifies and discusses issues related to privacy and security of information. |
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h. |
Identifies and discusses the social consequences of new forms of information technology. |
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3.3 |
Compare new knowledge with prior knowledge to determine the value added,
contradictions, or other unique characteristics of the information and take steps to reconcile
differences. |
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Maintains a record of the information seeking process in order to explain and evaluate the
research concluded. |
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b. |
Determines whether the information that was collected satisfies the research need, and selects
information that provides evidence for the topic, integrates new information, and draws conclusions based
upon information gathered. |
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c. |
Seeks expert opinion through interviews, email, etc. with anthropology and sociology faculty and
practitioners, and subject-area specialists in the library to validate sufficiency and interpretation of the
information. |
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d. |
Reformulates initial query if necessary based on findings, and reviews and extends search
strategies for additional concepts of broader synthesis. |
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| : Use information effectively and ethically to
accomplish a specific purpose |
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4.1 |
Apply new information and research results to the planning, creation, and
revision of a particular project, paper or presentation. |
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a. |
Organizes and integrates the content, quotations, and paraphrasing's in a manner that supports
the purposes and format of the product or presentation. |
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b. |
Reflects on past successes, failures and alternative strategies for integrating new and prior
information and creating the presentation. |
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c. |
Demonstrates an understanding of what constitutes plagiarism and does not represent work
attributable to others as his/her own. |
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d. |
Represents team member contributions in collaborative projects accurately. |
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4.2 |
Communicate the project, paper or presentation effectively to
others. |
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Chooses a communication medium, format and style that best supports the purposes of the product
or performance and the intended audience. |
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Uses a range of formats and technologies, incorporating principles of design and communication,
in presenting a research project. |
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c. |
Demonstrates an understanding of intellectual property, copyright, and fair use of copyrighted
material. Obtains and posts necessary permissions from authors and organizations where needed to use
copyrighted material in writing or presentations. |
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d. |
Shares the product of the research, e.g., the report, data, or ethnography, with groups and
sponsors in keeping with ethical principles of the AAA or AsA. |
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