Student Perspectives on Information Literacy Course Titles

abstract: This study was designed to inform the renaming of a credit-bearing information literacy course. Researchers surveyed librarians to gather existing information literacy course titles. They also surveyed and held focus groups with students to learn what students consider when choosing electives, to understand how well the researchers’ current information literacy course title fits the course content, and to procure suggestions for a new title. Findings indicate that course titles are one of many elements that students look at when selecting courses. Some librarian and student participants indicated that the term information literacy may not be familiar to most students, but that wording is often used in information literacy course titles. Librarians can use the results of this study to create course titles that are descriptive of course content and that appeal to students.