Information literacy and college student anxiety

Abstract

The skills surrounding the use of information as part of today's common literacy has been formalized into a schema known as information literacy. A brief background on information literacy helps substantiate the importance of information literacy to society, teaching and learning. Information literacy's potential relationship with college student anxiety is explored and assessed. Two anxiety assessment instruments were researched and tested as the first stage of research. A custom rubric was authored to assess information literacy. Additional obstacles and incentives challenged students as they worked through an assignment requiring information literacy skills. The students' anxiety was assessed incrementally throughout the research experience. The participating sample was composed of Midwestern college students. The findings failed to correlate information literacy with anxiety. The use of the information literacy rubric suggested a relationship between feedback provided to students, assignment rework, and improvements in the student's individual scores.