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During the first week of the Fall 2001 term, the English 111 and 112 faculty administered an Information Literacy Pretest to first-year students. This was the second year for the pretest. In addition, a brief Information Literacy test for IS 201 students was given to measure the progress of Information Literacy for second year students. This was the first year for the IS 201 test.

The purposes of the tests were to generate objective data regarding what Information Literacy skills the students brought to Wartburg and what had been retained in the second year. Information Literacy librarians Randall Schroeder and Karen Lehmann designed the tests along with College Librarian Jill Gremmels. Professors Judy Griffith and Fred Ribich also provided assistance.

The EN 111 and 112 sections returned 301 tests (86 of 107 EN 111 students and 215 of 224 EN 112 students) counted by the optical scanner. The results compare to 476 traditional first-year students enrolled at Wartburg for the 2001 Fall Term (63.2 percent) and 331 total enrollment in all 111 and 112 sections (90.9 percent), an increase of almost 10 percent from 2000. This is a statistically significant sample.

For IS 201, 145 tests were scanned from 206 enrolled students (a return of 70.4 percent).

·        First Year Students

Compared to last year, there was a significant gap between the 111 and 112 students. Of 22 items, 7 had a gap of 10 percent or more between 111 and 112. For one search strategy question, only 5.8 percent of 111 students answered correctly compared to 23.7 percent of 112 students.

One demographic difference between 111 and 112 students is computer availability at home. Last year, 93.3 percent of all students had a computer at home; this year that number dropped slightly to 92 percent. The gap in computer ownership between 111 and 112 students was 88.2  to 94.4 percent. Additionally, 111 students have had a computer at home for less time than 112 students. Just over half, 52.7 percent, of 112 students have had a computer at home for five years or more, compared to 39.7 percent of 111 students. Both groups, however, tend to spend the same amount of time on the computer at home if they have one.

For the second year in a row, students indicated that the first place to look for information was a blind search on the Internet (57.5 percent) and the last place they look is a scholarly journal (41.5 percent). 

Search terms, selection of databases and evaluation of citations generated the poorest scores, with only 20-40 percent answering correctly. This is a similar result to last academic year. Also, students could pick out the legal definition of plagiarism, but when asked about a practical application, only half answered correctly.

These results would suggest that if students were going to regard the Internet as the font of all knowledge, the Information Literacy program’s energies must focus on the evaluation of the wealth of information sources as well as navigation through the information universe.

·        Second Year Students

Second year students had no difficulty defining the various types of information sources at the Vogel Library. A substantial majority, 92 percent, could correctly identify overview, finding and fact sources. Again, when provided a specific title, the percentages dropped to 16.6 to 75.2 percent answering correctly depending on the item.

When given a choice of four information sources to start research with, only 24.1 percent gave the correct answer. Database selection still seems to be problematical.

There was statistically almost no difference with the selection of search terms between first year and second year students. Based on a similar question, 67.8 percent of EN 111 and 112 students supplied the correct search terms. An almost identical number of IS 201 students, 66.9 percent, gave the correct answer. This would be an improvement of the EN 111 percentages, but would be a step back for EN 112. It would suggest placing more emphasis on search terms and database selection. Additionally, a question asking 201 students whether or not they have taken EN 111 would be helpful.

·        Test design

Revision of the first year test eliminated some of the discrimination problems present a year ago. Discrimination in this case is a statistical means to determine those who did and did not do well. Last year, four items had poor discrimination compared to two this year.

The second year test had three items with poor discrimination. Revision and refinement will continue to be a priority.

For those interested in seeing the complete results of the test, contact Randall Schroeder or Karen Lehmann at the Vogel Library.