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=Assessment marking rubrics include criteria reflecting the quality of student research and information use. =

Evidence
Assessment marking rubrics enhance feedback and grading of assignments in many ways. Rubrics level the playing field, the correct use of rubrics can, ‘alter [students’] entire understanding of the task of getting an education by introducing them to whole new concepts such as critical thinking, argumentation and objective and subjective views’ (Stevens & Levi 2005, p. 27). Feedback is most effective when it is given as soon as possible after completing a task. Rubrics make marking and the provision of extensive feedback more efficient. Rubrics don’t preclude the use of additional notes to specific students, but they enhance the efficiency the core business of grading. But perhaps most importantly rubrics prepare students to use detailed feedback, they encourage critical thinking, and they help teachers to refine their teaching skills (Stevens & Levi 2005). Rubrics, when used well, can encourage quality student research and critical use of information.

Development of skills in identifying useful materials and more general research skills should be reflected in the assessment tasks of a course and the associated marking and feedback rubrics. Dunn (2002) outlines a California State University Multi-year project to assess the quality of information literacy skills across their 23 campuses. It is argued that it is important to establish processes for assessment of student competence in this domain. It is important to assess information literacy both as feedback to students and also for targeting resources.

Resources
Stevens & Levi (2005) provide a book instructing in the building of rubrics from scratch.

An example of an assessment marking rubric for philosophy can be found here: http://www.andrew.cmu.edu/user/ppederse/80-100%20Fa%2006/Grading%20Rubric.pdf Information competency standards tend to be broad statements of ideal rather than concrete formulations of skill (Dunn 2002). In order to measure competence then we must be sure to use tools that aren’t too static and which actually assess effectiveness in real-world contexts. This is probably most easily done when combining assessment of student information use with standard course assessments.

Lupton (2004, in Bundy ed. 2004) ‘The responsibility of educators promoting information literacy learning is to engage in best practice in all areas of teaching and learning. The most effective strategy for “embedding information literacy into the total educational process” starts with incorporating best practice assessment where: • information literacy is included in the objectives and learning outcomes of units of study and assessment tasks • information literacy assessment is designed to structure and sequence a complex task eg the staged essay with an annotated bibliography, peer reviewed essay draft, final essay and reflections on how the essay could have been improved • information literacy assessment is planned and sequenced throughout the entire degree providing a developmental framework • a variety of methods of assessment for information literacy learning are used Aligned assessment is the most powerful tool available to educators to direct and facilitate student learning. It is therefore essential that information literacy learning outcomes are embedded in the assessment tasks for courses of study.’