Greetings! Welcome to the Information Literacy Canvas page for Alfred University.

This page has been created and curated by the Information Literacy Team of the University Libraries.

Here you will find resources and modules that you can import into your courses to help your students learn about information literacy and the library.

Below are descriptions of each module. See the Modules page to access each module. To import a module into your course, email Kevin Adams at adamska@alfred.edu. 

If you have questions, please contact Kevin Adams at adamska@alfred.edu. 

Modules

Introduction to Library Concepts

This module teaches students about the research tools and services available at Alfred University Libraries. Upon completion of this module, students will be able to

• select the appropriate library tool for your research need;
• access and save sources appropriately;
• identify and use library services available to students; and
• define frequently used library research terms.

Finding Sources

This module teaches students to identify and find the different types of research materials available through the library. Upon completion of this module, students will be able to

• identify the type of source(s) to use based on the research needed;
• describe the different types of sources; and
• determine where to find the required sources.

Research Question Development

This module teaches students that research is not always a linear process and gives them the tools they need to construct an appropriate research question. Upon completion of this module, students will be able to:

• brainstorm an initial idea or topic,
• think about what you already know and what you want to know about your topic,
• explore online to find some initial information for more ideas and search terms,
• generate possible research questions using question lenses,
• evaluate questions for research, and
• be ready to pick a research question!

Using Keywords, Subject Tags, and Filters

In this module, you will learn about keywords and why they are important for searching library databases, and how to use them. You will also learn how to use more advanced search features like Subject Tags and Filters. Upon completion, students will be able to:

• determine what a keyword is and why it is important;
• learn how to brainstorm keywords relevant to a research topic/question; and
• utilize advanced strategies, such as using existing literature and database tools to discover new keywords and subject terms.
• Filter your searches to better display results.

Evaluating Information Resources with Lateral Reading

In this module, you will use fact-checking strategies to evaluate information resources. This will allow you to quickly determine whether or not you trust an information resource. 

Upon completion of this module, you will

• Students will be able to read laterally to identify the bias within a website.
• Students will be able to answer the question “Who is behind the information?” in order to determine if a source is reliable.

APA Citation Style

This is a module to help students learn about APA 7 Citation Style. Upon completion of this module, students will be able to

• identify different varieties of in-text citations;
• identify the basic components of a reference entry;
• identify basic formats for common source types, including scholarly journal articles, magazines, newspapers, books, and webpages;
• find tips for formatting your reference entries; and 
• create citations for different types of resources.

Chicago Citation

This module teaches students about Chicago Style citation and how to create aproper citations in Chicago notes and bibliography style. Upon completion of this module, students will be able to

• recognize Chicago’s two systems of citation;
• identify the elements of a Chicago notes and bibliography citation; and
• format a note and bibliography entry in Chicago style.

MLA Citation

In this module, students will learn about MLA citation style and how to create proper citations in MLA. Upon completion of this module, students will be able to

• recognize the MLA core elements;
• format basic citations for a Works Cited page in MLA style; and
• format in-text citations in MLA style.

CSE Citations

In this module, you will learn about the Council of Science Editors (CSE) citation and how to create proper citations. Citation is an important (and required) part of the research and writing process. Upon completion of this module, students will be able to

• Format basic citations for a reference page in the CSE style
• Format in-text citations in the CSE style
• Recognize CSE citations
• And create citations for different types of resources

An Introduction to PubMed

In this module, you will learn about PubMed, a database containing over 30 million citations from the biomedical literature and an important health sciences resource. Upon completion of this module, you will be able to

• Conduct a basic search in PubMed on a topic or research question of interest;
• Apply select advanced search options and tools, such as Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) and filters;
• Find, save, and share the full text of PubMed results.

Understanding Student Privacy for Educators

This module will walk you through guidelines on using and protecting student data as an educator. The module introduces state and federal regulations and laws, as well as Alfred University polices and procedures. Upon completion, students will be able to:

• Understand FERPA, COPPA and PPRA what information and data is shared within apps and web tools.
• Become familiar with state regulations for student privacy data.
• Apply Alfred University policies and guidance to protect student data.