Abstract
This randomized controlled trial evaluated the pedagogical efficacy of a gamified digital information literacy module compared to traditional lecture-based instruction among first-year undergraduate students. A total of 240 incoming university students were randomly assigned to either an experimental group, which completed a quest-based gamified learning platform featuring interactive challenges, progress badges, and real-time feedback, or a control group, which received standard face-to-face librarian-led instruction accompanied by static online guides. Student performance was measured through pre- and post-intervention cognitive assessments, platform telemetry logs, and a standardized rubric evaluation of source selection and citation quality in subsequent term research papers. Results indicated that students in the gamified condition achieved significantly higher post-intervention scores in database search syntax formulation, critical source evaluation, and scholarly citation practices (p < 0.001, Cohen's d = 1.42). Furthermore, rubric analysis of term papers demonstrated superior integration of peer-reviewed literature in the experimental cohort. These findings suggest that game-informed instructional design enhances both conceptual understanding and practical application of foundational research skills, offering academic libraries a scalable, high-impact model for undergraduate information literacy education.
