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Information Authority and Credibility Guidelines

Navigating the Digital Landscape

The purpose of the course is to initiate and mentor students in their understanding of the uses, purposes, and functions of information in a digital landscape.  It is intended to serve as a primer on information science, research technologies, and analytics creation.  Students will learn about a multi-faceted framework of guidelines and competency standards to fully understand the innate ramifications of information creation, collection, usage, storage/recall, organization, and value.

UPON COMPLETION OF THE COURSE, THE STUDENT WILL BE COMPETENT IN:

  • Describing different types of information authority, such as subject matter expertise (e.g., scholarship), societal position (e.g., public office or title), or special experience (e.g., participating in a historic event);
  • Identifying research tools and indicators of information authority to determine the credibility of sources; and understanding the criteria that might change this credibility;
  • Assessing the fit between an information product’s creation to match a particular information need;
  • Stating the purpose and unique criteria of terms like copyright, fair use, open access, and the public domain as they apply to digital information;
  • Applying informed choices about online actions impacting privacy and the commodity of personal information;
  • Differentiating between various research methods, based on need, circumstance, and type of inquiry;
  • Critically evaluating contributions made by others in information community environments;
  • Confirming that a work of information may not represent the only or even the majority perspective on any given issue;
  • Matching information needs and search strategies to appropriate information search tools;
  • Discussing the increasingly social nature of the information ecosystem where authorities actively connect with one another and sources develop over time;
  • Distinguishing between correct and incorrect ethical and legal applications and uses of information within a society, community, or organization.

Syllabi