ACRL Framework: Information has Value
Student Learning Objectives
Terms
Learning Materials
Hafner, K. (2021). Lost Women of Science, Episode 2: The Matilda Effect. Scientific American. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/lost-women-of-science-episode-2-the-matilda-effect/
Powell, C. (2020). Information privilege and first year-students: A Case study from a first-year seminar course using access to information as a lens for exploring privilege. In the Library With The Lead Pipe. https://www.inthelibrarywiththeleadpipe.org/2020/information-privilege/
Race and Medicine. (2022). The New England Journal of Medicine. https://www.nejm.org/race-and-medicine
1. While sharing your research guide with students, introduce the concept of information privilege.
As we’re exploring your research guide, you’ll notice the extensive resources that are provided by your college’s database collection. In this case, given that you’re a college student, you have access to information that others don’t have – this includes empirical, scholarly, peer-reviewed articles. Similarly, individuals may experience barriers to information access that people might encounter due to their geography, access to technology, socio-economic status etc. Anyone a part of a college community, or have the luxury to afford scholarly work, are the primary benefactors of information privilege.
(Write on the board) Information Privilege – the idea that access to information is largely dependent on one’s status, affiliation, or power.
2. Transition to the Matilda Effect, connect information privilege to the lack of inclusivity in academic publishing
While information privilege is important to have as a college student, it’s pivotal to understand the complexities of accessible resources. Given that academic publishing is primarily written by White scholars, particularly White men, scholarly publishing is not excluded from gender and ethnic bias. For example, the historian Margaret Rossiter coined the term, the Matilda Effect, arguing that women are perceived as less competent to academically publish, undermining women’s role in the history of science. And while scholarly articles and mainstream are not necessarily always biased, it’s important to acknowledge that women and people of color have been historically excluded, both as subjects of scientific research and as producers of of research.
With the combined resources of Gage and Simmons University’s Education: PUSHING AGAINST PRIVILEGE guide, the following links will direct students to databases that consist of primarily women scientists and scientists from marginalized communities. Embed these sources in your respective guide and request students utilize other avenues for scholarly research.
A database of women and non-binary filmmakers and photographers
a database of profiles of excellent female researchers from all disciplines across Europe.
highlights women of neuroscience.
is the go-to resource for improving diversity in policy debates.
brings scientists and citizens together to discuss climate science and local impacts of climate change.
is a list that highlights ecologists and evolutionary biologists who are women and/or underrepresented minorities andthis list highlights geoscientists of color.
is a resource for women in agricultural fields.
Women also know stuff
Our searchable database helps academics and journalists identify and connect with women academics conducting research on a multitude of issues related to the study of politics.
Women also know history
Our searchable website makes it easier to identify and connect with women historians working in a wide range of fields and professional settings.
has many lists to help you find speakers that come from underrepresented groups.
is a searchable database of underrepresented experts in the areas of science, health and the environment. This database aims to make it easy for journalists and others to include a wider range of backgrounds, experiences and perspectives in their work.
highlighting the diverse community of academic chemists.
lets you browse a list of women who are experts in R sand view profiles of R-Ladies located by country.
an initiative from the AAAS that provides timely access to trustworthy, articulate experts for journalists and other communicators producing print, broadcast, or digital stories about science-related issues.
matches scientists with classrooms around the world.
is a searchable database that promotes and publicizes the work and expertise of political science scholars.
works to raise the visibility, viability and decision-making power of women and girls in media.
hosts a list of hundreds of awesome women in the fields of microbial ecology, microbiome, rhizosphere, microbial genomics, metagenomics, and bioinformatics.
a list of women in soil science, including any field related to or overlapping with soil science: soil ecology, soil physics, soil biogeochemistry, soil biology, plant-soil interactions, agronomy.
If you are looking for designers, please check out the awesome Blacks Who Design database.
Women in Radiology Informatics
is a resource for the Advancement of Women in Medical Imaging Informatics
Find an OA Journal
a community-curated online directory that indexes and provides access to high quality, open access, peer-reviewed journals.
Evaluating OA Journals
helpful tools and discuss criteria to consider when choosing a publishing venue as well as tips for identifying and avoiding so-called predatory publishers, an increasingly common feature on the scholarly publishing landscape.
Retraction Watch
a blog that reports on retractions of scientific papers and on related topics.
Women in theoretical/computational chemistry, material science, and biochemistry.
And there is also a comprehensive list of lists, compiled by the 2018 GA Tech Diversity and Inclusion Fellow project.
Sourcelist
Sourcelist is a database of qualified experts in technology policy from diverse backgrounds. It is built on the principle that technology policy stands to benefit from the inclusion of the ideas, perspectives, and recommendations of a broader array of people.