Undergraduates' information literacy competency: A pilot study of assessment tools based on a latent trait model

This study of information literacy focuses on opinions, evidence, reviews, and data analysis from a sample of Spanish university students from three major fields of study (information/documentation, psychology, and translation/interpretation). The results have been tabulated from the subject area of documentation alone, as this subject is shared in the students' curricular planning. This study highlights students' attitudes, motivation, and evidence with regard to information literacy (IL) competencies. The standardized statistical model for evaluating latent traits was used to capture the structure of such capabilities. Data collection was performed using the IL-HUMASS (subjective) and the EVALCI-K (objective) questionnaires. The purpose is to achieve a better understanding of how IL competencies approached from both objective and subjective perspectives, and grouped into the categories of searching, evaluation, processing, and communication/dissemination of information are interrelated. In this way, by combining objective (knowledge and skills) and subjective (belief-inimportance and self efficacy) values with regard to IL competencies, the processes of teaching and learning may be better understood and therefore better integrated within the curriculum framework. Patterns of correlation and/or causality between observed and latent competencies are explored. (C) 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.