Data & Library Instruction

Statistical Literacy and Information Literacy

Statistical literacy is the ability to understand and evaluate the use of statistics and numbers in evidence (Schield, 2004).

Are data and statistics any different from other types of information?

Starting with Data

From the resources we’ve shown you, what is the first source you would incorporate into your desk work or library instruction? How would you do it?

Student Learning Outcomes

Where does data fit into your student learning outcomes?

Construct a research question appropriate to your discipline.

Identify appropriate subject- specific databases to find relevant information

Select relevant books, articles, reference materials, etc.

Think-Pair-Share

Brainstorm data-specific student learning outcomes for your patrons?

Activity 1 SLO

Students can use an evaluation rubric to evaluate statistics in popular sources.

Activity 1Ask students to pick a table from USA Today Snapshots or NationMaster

Evaluating statisticsAuthority: Who is the author? What are their qualifications?

Audience: Who is the intended audience?

Content: Are they accurate? Can they be verified?

Coverage: What is the population or sample size?

Currency: What is the date of the data?

Purpose: Why was the information collected?

Colbert evaluates USA Today

Activity 2 SLO

Students can find statistics on religious congregations.

Students can use ARDA to develop research questions about religions congregations.

Activity 2

Ask students to choose a religious congregation using ARDA

Ask students to compare their religious congregation in different states and ask:

Does anything surprise you about the religious groups you chose?

What differences did you see between the two states?

What might explain those differences or commonalities.

Ask students to look up information in the secondary literature about their congregation.

Group Activity

Pick a scenario for an instruction session (freshmen comp, grad workshop, upper division social science class)

Write one or two Student Learning Outcomes related to data

Create a short activity to support your SLOs

What opportunities or challenges do you imagine?

Share!