Potholes and Pitfalls on the Road to Authentic Assessment

This case study discusses an assessment project in which a rubric was used to evaluate information literacy (IL) skills as reflected in undergraduate students' research papers. Subsequent analysis sought relationships between the students' IL skills and their contact with the library through various channels. The project proved far longer and more complex than expected and yielded inconclusive results. We reflect on what went wrong and highlight lessons learned in the process. Special attention is paid to issues of project management and statistical analysis, which proved crucial stumbling blocks in the effort to conduct a meaningful authentic assessment.