First Year Seminar Goals
First Year Seminar Information Literacy Objectives and Learning Outcomes
Overall Program Goals
All First Year Seminar students at McDaniel College will be introduced to library research and information literacy concepts, including how to access, use, and critically evaluate electronic and print library information sources. The librarians at Hoover Library are committed to their shared role with faculty in preparing new students to engage with the academic research process.
These learning objectives are designed to:
- provide guidance for the development of a library component for the First Year Seminar experience through collaboration between librarians and faculty
- begin the process of building a student’s skills and cognitive abilities for effective and efficient use of print and electronic resources as the starting point a larger multi-year program to progressively build academic research competency and critical thinking skills based on the Association of College & Research Libraries information literacy guidelines
Scheduling a 1-hour FYS class/flex session with a librarian is necessary to cover the following outcomes and objectives:
1. Orientation to Library and Library’s Website
Learning Outcome 1: The student is acquainted with Hoover Library and has a basic understanding of the physical arrangement of materials and library services.
Objectives:
a. The student knows the location of service points and equipment.
b. The student knows the location of the Reference Desk, Reference Department, and Interlibrary Loan Services.
c. The student knows where to go to check out library materials.
d. The student knows where to go to locate items on reserve.
Learning Outcome 2: The student is able to find and effectively navigate the library’s website to locate library resources and services.
Objectives:
a. The student will be able to locate the library’s homepage.
b. The student will be able to identify the hours on the library’s website.
c. The student will be introduced to, and able to locate, the library’s subject guides, research databases and catalog.
2. Identifying Library Services
Learning Outcome: The student will have a basic understanding of library services.
Objectives:
a. The student will be introduced to the services provided by the Interlibrary Loan Department.
b. The student will know how to locate and complete Interlibrary Loan requests.
c. The student will be introduced to the services provided by the Reference Department.
d. The student will be introduced to the services provided by the Access Services Department.
e. The student will know how to make an appointment with a librarian for individual research assistance.
f. The student will know how to seek assistance using the Ask a Librarian feature.
g. The student have a basic understanding of the importance of using the library for academic research
3. Identifying, Locating, and Evaluating Resources
Learning Outcome: The student will be oriented to the skills necessary to select, use, and evaluate the appropriate information resources.
Objectives:
a. The student will learn to conduct basic searches in the library’s catalog using title, author, general keyword, and subject searches.
b. The student will be able to understand a record in the library’s catalog, identifying the title, call number, collection, and status of the item.
c. The student will understand how to login to the databases when off campus using the Off-Campus Access link.
d. The student will learn how to select appropriate databases.
e. The student will learn how to use a database to identify articles on a subject and how to locate the content in the library or online.
f. The student will be introduced to the difference between scholarly and non-scholarly resources.
g. The student will be introduced to the importance of citing resources to avoid plagiarism.
4. Conducting Searches
Learning Outcome: The student will be given the opportunity to practice a search strategy, determine useful search terms, and identify appropriate information resources.
Objectives:
a. The student will explore a topic in a database.
b. The student will identify appropriate search terms for their information need.
c. The student will narrow or expand their search as appropriate.