Information Literacy and Critical Thinking rubric lines

RUBRIC for Information Literacy and Critical Thinking
General Education
Information Literacy
& Critical Thinking
learning outcomes
Excellent Good Satisfactory Poor Failing
Define a problem,
argument, thesis &
recognize need for
information to solve it
Research problem is
sharply focused
Key concepts and issues
are precisely identified to
facilitate search for
resources
Research
problem
defined with
clarity
Relevant issues
brought in
Research problem
clear and workable
Related concepts
referenced in
relation to
problem
Research
problem
lacks focus
Many issues
overlooked
No definition
of research
problem or
direction
Unawareness
of impact of
issues
Find information by
appropriate means of
searching & retrieve
resources in variety of
media
Discriminate among
sources for accuracy,
authority,
appropriateness to task
Employed effectively a
wide range of search tools,
databases, catalogs and
various formats and media
Information drawn from
the resources was
consistent, logical, crosschecked
for accuracy
Origin of information
verified, production of
information investigated
and considered for
authority and scholarly
dependability
Discerned objectivity from
bias or propaganda
Resources of high quality,
from variety of
perspectives, and in current
best-practice in area of
study
Variety of tools
used to find
wide range of
formats
Information
drawn from
sources
consistent,
logical,
generally
accurate
Origins of
information of
certified quality
Objective and
unbiased
Best practices
in discipline
Range of search
tools used and
representative
range of formats
Information
consistent and
logical
Origins of source
dependable
Facts employed
with objectivity
Characteristic of
best practices in
discipline
Limited
awareness
of available
tools
Information
used without
consistency
Some
problems of
logic in
application
of facts
Origin of
sources not
secure
Confusion
Unaware of
discipline
best
practices
No tools used
Erroneous
information
Contradictory
Origin of
sources
unconsidered
Unaware of
bias slant of
sources
Disregard for
best practices
in discipline
of study
Integrate information
appropriately to solve
the problem as defined
Source material integrated
with sensitivity to diversity
of points of view
Integrated others’ and own
ideas through process of
judgment and justification
Reflected on search
strategies
Source material
integral to
argument
constructed
from various
points of view
Source material
integrated
smoothly
Variety of ideas
presented clearly
Awareness of
strategic process
of problem solving
Source
material
presented
but not
integrated
Lacking
judgment
Unaware
Source
material not
used in
problem
solving
process
Cite resources ethically
and accurately
Identified uniquely salient
sources
Identified with a logical
and complete citation
system those sources of
original thought employed
in own argumentation
Recognized concept of
intellectual property, can
defend use of information
if challenged
Important
sources cited at
key points
throughout the
argument
Credit given to
original
thinkers
Key sources cited
fully & logically
Consistent use
throughout
Fluent in defense
of information use
Relevant
sources not
always cited
Incomplete
or confusing
citations
Unawarenes
s of method
of
intellectual
property use
No citation
method
employed
Evidence of
plagiarism
Rubric Line for Information Literacy and Critical Thinking
Rubric adapted by AUR faculty task force on Information Literacy, April 2007, from Association of College and 1
Research Libraries, Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education (2000), and rubric on
Information Competence available through the California States University Information Competence Initiative,
www.calstate.edu/LS/1_rubric.doc, accessed 16 April 2007; revised and condensed AUR General Education Advisory
Council, 9 April 2009.

Information Literacy & Critical Thinking
learning outcomes Excellent Good Satisfactory Poor Failing
Recognize need for information, find,
discriminate, use and cite resources
ethically
Rubric adapted by AUR faculty task force on Information Literacy, April 2007, from Association of College and 2
Research Libraries, Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education (2000), and rubric on
Information Competence available through the California States University Information Competence Initiative,
www.calstate.edu/LS/1_rubric.doc, accessed 16 April 2007; revised and condensed AUR General Education Advisory
Council, 9 April 2009.