General Education Syllabus Audit

University Studies Syllabus Audit Wendy Holliday and Pam Martin Merrill-Cazier Library, Utah State University March 23, 2006 As part of a larger assessment of information literacy instruction at Utah State University (USU), the USU Library Instruction Program conducted an audit of syllabi for approved University Studies (general education) courses. Our goal was to see where information literacy (IL) was being taught throughout the general education curriculum. The development of information literacy skills, defined as “an understanding of the nature, organization, and methods of access and evaluation of both electronic and traditional resources in the subject area,” is a requirement for integrated breadth courses (http://www.usu.edu/provost/academic_initiatives/breadth.cfm). Information literacy is also implicit in the requirements for depth courses, including critical thinking and writing skills. Depth courses should also build on the skills introduced in depth courses. Therefore, we looked at all available syllabi for both breadth and depth courses. While syllabi are only one view into the curriculum, they are a relatively accessible and concrete source of information. The audit provides a broad picture of information literacy opportunities, both taken and missed, at USU. I. Method We collected syllabi for the general education courses approved as of 2004. We were able to find some syllabi on department websites; others were provided from ...