Incorporating Information Literacy Skills into Analytical Chemistry: An Evolutionary Step

We have developed Data Analysis and Information Technology assignments for our analytical chemistry course. These assignments require that students demonstrate how to: locate and effectively use Internet-based science resources; create and manage electronic information; evaluate the content and source of the information; and gain proficiency with an array of professional software tools related to the above processes. The assignments include finding Material Safety Data Sheet information, planning a trip to a professional meeting, inviting a seminar speaker to campus, and completing a literature review. We outline the information and communication skills that students develop in the context of this course and the undergraduate chemistry program as a whole.