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Librarians are here to help you find what you need, whatever that happens to be. Contact us in whatever way is most convenient to you:

  • Email: Library@rockford.edu
  • Phone: 815-394-5045 (for research assistance) or 815-226-4035 (for all other inquiries)
  • In person: Drop by the library any time during regular hours

We can help with:

  • Narrowing down a topic
  • Finding quality resources on that topic
  • Citing those resources
  • Anything else you need to know about the library!

Students: Request a research consultation
Professors: Request library instruction for your class

 

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LIL 101: Introduction to Information Literacy

Course description

This course is a practical way to get the knowledge and experience you need to do in-depth research or find the answers to elusive questions. It provides an introduction to the principles, concepts, and practices of information literacy, including Internet research, citation formats, copyright and intellectual property, computer technologies, and the critical thinking skills necessary to identify, analyze, evaluate, and use diverse information sources effectively. Through exploration, you will learn to use effective methods and techniques of information gathering, evaluation and presentation. The knowledge and skills gained in the course will prepare students to conduct university level research and develop skills necessary for life-long learning and success.

We’ll think about questions like:

  • Is Google changing how we think?
  • How can we make it easier to start (and finish!) academic research?
  • What is Wikipedia good for?
  • Who owns information, and why does it matter?

Learning Outcomes:

Students of LIL 101 will be able to:

  1. Develop a research question of appropriate scope and specificity for an academic research paper
  2. Distinguish between different kinds of sources (e.g., popular, academic, reference, etc.) and determine which ones are useful for a particular research question
  3. Construct and implement effective searches in library catalogs, article databases, and internet search engines
  4. Evaluate sources for accuracy, authority, relevance, and timeliness
  5. Critically summarize, analyze, and synthesize information from a variety of sources.
  6. Understand the economic, legal, and social issues surrounding the use of information in order to make ethical and responsible decisions

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