This competency starts with academic research, but gets a lot deeper. Where do you start when you're looking for information online?
Developing this competency involves …
- Learning how to assess your information needs, identify appropriate digital information sources and finding aids, and recognize when digital and digitized sources are inappropriate or insufficient.
- Developing a critical understanding of how search engines and algorithms work, how to use them effectively, and their limitations and appropriate use contexts.
- Developing a critical understanding of how common indexing schemes work, how to use them effectively, and their limitations and appropriate use contexts.
- Learning to find and use database- or site-specific filters and Boolean, wildcard, or other specialized search functions to effectively refine searches.
See also: “Searching as Strategic Exploration.” Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education.
Student-Curated Resources
Bryn Mawr College Digital Competencies Initiative