Rubric developed by Sean Stone and Char Booth fo the Claremont College Library to support curriculum mapping and instructional integration into the core course sequence of the Environmental Analysis Program. Curriculum map can be accessed at tinyurl.com/claremontlib-eamap

1. Environmental Analysis Information Literacy Rubric and Core-Integrated Library Instruction Plan – Sean Stone & Char Booth, July 2011
Social Sciences & Interdisciplinary
Research Performance Area General (EA10) Sciences (EA 30)
Humanities (EA 20) (Thesis)
Location/Scope of Information Student is capable of Student is capable of developing a Student can develop a Student can develop a
• Has the student independently identified developing a bibliography bibliography that is basic but bibliography with several thorough bibliography with
the extent of information needed for a using more than web-based begins to show an understanding sources of information and is multiple and diverse
project? or popular media sources. of coherent search strategies and beginning to use science sources of information
They are able to conduct an understanding of how to utilize sources and strategies that showing the student has
• Has the student included multiple sources of basic and general search social science and humanities require a deeper developed a personal
information and /or provided evidence of strategies. resources for EA research. understanding of sub- research identity within EA.
having employed a search strategy? disciplines within EA.
• Does the student grasp the diversity of and
major sources of EA literature?
Evaluate Information Sources are appropriate to Sources are more relevant to the Sources are all relevant to Sources explore multiple
• Has the student demonstrated an effort to the topic of the project but topic of the project but may be the topic and represent a contexts for how information
assess the relevance of retrieved sometimes tangential. derived from the most obvious of wide range of viewpoints as is crafted and student can
information? Student only understands “good” resources. well as types and levels of discuss the limits of current
the most basic categories EA information as information in the context of
• Has the student included an evaluation of and types of information. appropriate. current EA information.
potential bias in the information being
used to construct arguments?
Analyze Information Student analysis is Student begins to more effectively Student can perform Student effectively analyzes
• Has the student demonstrated proficiency segmented in such a way analyze EA information across original analysis of information from multiple,
with the tools necessary to understand that arguments are disciplines and recognizes multiple increasingly specific advanced sources into a
how information sources are related? sometimes poorly structured approaches to analysis based on information and integrate project that represents
due to a limited the type of information. the analyses into complex significant new or novel
• Has the student used appropriate analysis understanding in properly scientific projects. information in their field of
framework to integrate sources into an analyzing EA information. interest within EA.
argument?
Interpret Information Student has limited original Student expresses a greater Student develops unique Student organizes,
• Has the student used information and the synthesis and often understanding of disciplinary thoughts on diverse EA synthesizes, and articulates
analysis of it to offer a unique narrative? recapitulates arguments of literature by beginning to create topics and related fields and advanced information in
others with only minor wholly original ideas from an begins to recognize the a way that is accessible to
• Does the student understand how to changes. original synthesis of discovered importance of proper intended audience.
effectively communicate and interpret information. communication of their
information for an audience? ideas.
Ethics of Information Student is responsible for Student is able to access and cite Student can properly cite Student exhibits proper use
• Does the student display an awareness appropriate attribution of more advanced and non-traditional advanced and diverse of paraphrasing, citations,
and understanding of the social, ethical, basic information sources, information in an appropriate way, resources in a variety of footnotes, bibliographies,
and legal guidelines for the use and understanding and avoiding and begins to distinguish between styles and contexts, and is etc. in advanced original
access of information? plagiarism, and recognizing open versus paywalled (e.g., library able to distinguish between work, and can articulate
institutional information subscription) information resources. open and institutionally- open versus institutionally-
privilege. subsidized content. affiliated research strategies.
Char Booth, Instruction Services Manager & E-Learning Librarian | char_booth@cuc.claremont.edu
Sean Stone, Science Librarian | sean_stone@cuc.claremont.edu

2.
Example EA Core-Integrated Library Instruction Plan
EA 10 – General Research Focus
Introduce students to library support options and general EA library resources; provide research instruction at the First-Year performance area skill level (see rubric).
• Build customized LibGuide (see http://libguides.libraries.claremont.edu/ea, embed in Sakai if applicable) demoed during early-semester in-class visit from
librarian.
• Option 1 – Schedule in-library workshop during one regular class period devoted to resources and strategies for Policy Memo #1 (the more research-intensive
memo assignment timed to coincide with student research activity).
• Option 2 - Two brief in-class librarian visits suggesting resources and strategies for Policy Memos 1 & 2 (20 minutes each, timed to coincide with student research
activity.)
EA 20 – Social Sciences and Humanities Focus
Orient students to a deeper and broader scope of Library resources pertaining to EA in the social sciences and humanities; provide research instruction at the Second-
Year performance area skill level (see rubric).
• Build customized LibGuide (embed in Sakai if applicable) demoed during early-semester in-class visit from librarian.
• Engage students with visit to Special Collections (water resources collection, etc.) if applicable.
• Schedule in-class or in-library instruction associated with research-based assignment(s).
• Supplementary optional student appointments to review assignment topics/research strategies/deliverables.
EA 30 – Sciences Focus
Introduce students to research resources and approaches in the hard sciences and GIS as they pertain to EA; provide research instruction at the Third-Year performance
area skill level (see rubric).
• Build customized LibGuide (embed in Sakai if applicable) demoed during early-semester in-class visit from librarian.
• Identify research instruction integration opportunities within existing physical or digital lab manual.
• Cultivate semi-regular presence or role for Science Librarian within lab experience.
Thesis – Interdisciplinary Focus
Scaffold and individualize prior levels of library/research instruction at the Fourth-Year performance area skill level; support the EA student thesis experience through
completion.
• Deliver early-semester survey to thesing seniors asking for research précis, prior experience with resources, desired level of research support, etc.
• 1.5- hour librarian visit to senior thesis seminar to discuss Library resources and 4th-Year research Performance levels (see above).
• Supplementary required student/librarian appointments to review thesis research strategies and process.
Char Booth, Instruction Services Manager & E-Learning Librarian | char_booth@cuc.claremont.edu
Sean Stone, Science Librarian | sean_stone@cuc.claremont.edu