Weekly Outline

Each Module is tied to one or more course learning outcomes, indicated in the table below: LO1 means the module ties into Learning Outcome 1, and so on.

The order of the Modules is not fixed – we designed the course so that it could be rearranged and remixed based on the instructor’s need. In its original version, we taught the class in a compressed summer schedule of 5 and then 6 weeks. When we expanded to the full semester, we added modules and changed things around. The outline below is our suggestion for how the course might be arranged, but we don’t believe it has to be this way!

Course learning outcomes

1. Define important concepts such as: authority, peer review, bias, point of view, editorial process, purpose, audience, information privilege and more.
2. Critically assess information sources in pursuit of various purposes.
3. Ask thoughtful questions.
4. Turn questions into strategies for retrieving a variety of information sources.
5. Annotate and cite information sources accurately and ethically.
6. Reflect upon your own research process.

Week	Topics	learning outcomes
Week 1
	Orientation	Course Orientation & Introduction to Tools/Tech
Week 2
	The Research Process	LO6
Week 3
	Introduction to Evaluating Sources	LO2 LO6
Week 4
	Background Information and Preliminary Research	LO1 LO2 LO5
Week 5
	Asking Questions	LO3 LO4
Week 6
	Using Library Databases Part 1: Keywords & Boolean Searching	LO1 LO4 LO5
Week 7
	Using Library Databases Part 2: Selecting & Evaluating Databases	LO1 LO4 LO5
Week 8
	Reading strategies	LO2 LO3 LO6
Week 9
	Understanding URLs	LO1 LO2 LO4 LO6
Week 10
	Internet Search Engines	LO1 LO2 LO4 LO6
Week 11
	Information Privilege	LO1 LO4 LO6
Week 12
	Citation	LO1 LO5
Week 13
	Evaluating Sources Part 1: Fact-checking	LO2 LO3 LO5 LO6
Week 14
	Evaluating Sources Part 2: Authority & Expertise	LO1 LO2 LO3 LO6
Week 15
	Final Assignment and Final Reflection	LO1-6