Project Information Literacy: A large-scale study about early adults and their research habits

 

www.projectinfolit.org

About

Project Information Literacy (PIL) is ongoing research project, based in the University of Washington's Information School. We are currently collecting data from early adults enrolled in community colleges and public and private colleges and universities in the U.S.

Our goal is to understand how early adults conceptualize and operationalize research activities for course work and "everyday life" use and especially how they resolve issues of credibility, authority, relevance, and currency in the digital age.

Questions Frequently Asked

• At what stage is the study now?
• There is a lot of research already about information literacy, how is this study different?
• What practical impact is PIL meant to have?
• How do we collect our data?
• What is the history of PIL?
• How can I contact PIL?

At what stage is the study now?

In 2012, PIL began a new study that asks "what happens to the information-seeking behavior of today's college students once they graduate?"
This study consists of two qualitative research activities: (1) Focus groups with recent college graduates to learn information-seeking behavior and strategies after graduation, practiced both in the workplace and in "life-at-large," and (2) telephone interviews with a sample of US employers who are asked to evaluate and assess recent graduates and the information literacy competencies they put into practice in the workplace.
This study is being conducted in collaboration with the Berkman Center for Internet & Society at Harvard and UW's Information School and with support from Institute for Museum and Library Services.