Source evaluation: supporting undergraduate student research development

Each year since 2008, librarians at Carleton College read samples of sophomore writing as part of the Information Literacy in Student Writing project. The data captured through this project combined with our experiences in consultations and instruction sessions give us a richer understanding of undergraduate information literacy habits. We highlight two challenges for novices: evaluating and selecting sources, and understanding the purpose and methods of integrating sources into written work. We discuss the evidence that leads us to these conclusions and the methods we use to promote student development in these priority areas.