Information Literacy and Research Instruction

Our librarians partner with Western Michigan University faculty and instructors to help students find, use and interpret information.

Introduction

Through our library instruction, we help students use critical thinking to strengthen their information literacy core competencies by:

  • Exploring topics and creating research plans.
  • Using search techniques to locate information for research.
  • Synthesizing and interpreting information.
  • Considering ethical and legal issues when using information.

Information literacy in your course

We can help you incorporate information literacy into your course curriculum in several ways:

  • Instructor consultations

    Our librarians can collaborate with you to create assignments, teaching strategies, rubrics and other approaches that integrate information literacy into your course curriculum and meet your instructional goals.

    Contact your subject librarian

  • Library instruction

    Librarians can provide instruction sessions in your classroom or in one of the University Libraries’ multipurpose rooms. Research has shown that library instruction has the biggest impact on student learning when tied to a specific class assignment or project. We’ll work with you to customize learning outcomes for your class.

    Request an instruction session

  • Elearning instruction

    Librarians can help you incorporate research instruction materials into your Elearning course, including video or chat-based research instruction, or provide one-on-one research consultations for students using discussion boards, email and chat features.

    Contact your subject librarian

  • Microcourse

    Our self-paced Information Literacy Microcourse teaches students college-level research skills to prepare them for research projects, advanced classes and future careers. All WMU students are auto enrolled in this course through Elearning.

    Learn about the Microcourse

Resources for your students

  • Student consultations

    Our librarians can provide one-on-one research instruction for your students. This is often most effective for students in upper-level courses in which research is individualized (e.g., senior thesis research or baccalaureate-level writing papers). For research projects assigned to an entire class, it is much more effective for a librarian to provide course-related research instruction to the whole class at once.

    Make an appointment with a subject librarian

  • Subject and course guides

    Created by WMU librarians, our subject and course guides can assist students with course work and research projects. These guides feature recommended resources and tools tailored to a specific academic topic or a specific course.

    Find a subject or course guide