Bibliographic Instruction and Critical Thinking: The Contribution of the Annotated Bibliography

Abstract

Critical-thinking skills are necessary if college students are to evaluate intelligently what they read. Just as biblio graphic instruction librarians can provide assistance for systematically finding material in the library, they can pro vide assistance with teaching students how to evaluate those materials systematically. Indeed, we might be doing students a disservice by introducing them to the mass of published information without providing skills for inter preting it. Subject expertise is not the only requisite for evaluating the scholarly literature of a discipline. Critical thinking skills can help even when in-depth subject knowl edge is lacking. This paper presents nine points that stu dents can use to assess more effectively the merits of the material they read. The principles apply to all disciplines and can be implemented at any college or university. Li brarians should be prepared to enter this arena of educa tion, and the experience at the University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire, shows how it can be done.