Predictable information literacy misconceptions of first-year college students

Abstract

The process of learning includes not only success in developing knowledge, skills, and abilities but also mistakes and errors that impede such success. In any domain of learning, instructors will have developed a sense of the typical errors learners make; however, there has been no systematic investigation and documentation of predictable misunderstandings in information literacy learning in higher education. This study begins to fill that gap. Through an analysis of survey responses and focus groups, the researchers identified nine information literacy misconceptions and developed a model framework of information literacy misconceptions. The article concludes by proposing learning outcomes that could counter the misconceptions.