Information Literacy
Information literate people can:
• recognize the need for information,
• formulate questions based on information needs,
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identify potential sources of information
• develop productive search strategies.
They are able to use technology to
• search for and locate information from a wide variety of sources,
• access required information effectively and efficiently,
• evaluate information critically and use,
• organize and present information in meaningful ways through problem solving,
decision making and critical thinking.
They are further able to evaluate their information problem solving processes and
products
(ALA, 1989; Sayers,2006).
CILIP’s definition
[Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals]
Information literacy is knowing
when and why you need
information, where to find it, and
how to evaluate, use and
communicate it in an ethical
manner.
http://www.cilip.org.uk/get-involved/advocacy/information-literacy/Pages/definition.aspx (Accessed January 11 2013)
Information Literacy skills
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A need for information – What is the focus of your research?
The resources available – What resources are there, which resource is ‘best’ and when
is a resource better and how/when are you going to access them?
How to find information – How do you search the resource, how do you find what
you need, how do you expand or narrow the results, when do you stop?
The need to evaluate results – Is the information you found useful, trustworthy –
Authentic, Accurate, Current, Bias?
How to work/exploit results – Analyse what you find out – develop understanding,
ability to compare, combine annotate and use the information, know if you need to
find out more. Present what you found, develop new knowledge and understanding.
Ethics and responsibility of use – Balance bias, understand confidentiality, use
citation and referencing – plagiarism.
How to communicate or share your findings – Synthesis – creation of end piece of
work.
How to manage your findings – storage of resources used and ability to go back to
the information easily.
American Library Association
Resources
Where to go to find what you don’t know. How to
find what you need.
When it can be trusted and how you will know.
Who you need to reference and how…
What
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What are you doing?
What is your aim?
What do you already know?
What do you need to find out?
What are you going to use? Resources
Why
• Why are you doing it?
• Why are you reading that?
Who
• Who wrote it?
• Who are they?
• Who can you trust?
Where?
• Where was it written?
• Where did you find it?
When
• When was it written?
• When was it published?
• When was it updated?
Where to start? What
resource?
• Paper – books, reference materials, journals,
magazines, newspapers
• Digital – CD-ROM, Internet, WWW, DVD, computer,
network, Subscription database
• Other Media – film, TV
• Other – people you know
What is a book?
And How do you use one?
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQHX-SjgQvQ
Books – Don’t open yet!
Where did you find it – a book could relate to a number of
different disciplines – What is it’s angle?
• Title – What is it?
• Who wrote it? – do you know the name?
• What does the blub say?
Does it have potential to be relevant to what you are doing?
Open it!
• When was it written? - Does the date matter to
what you are writing?
• Where was it written? – Is there likely to be
bias?
• Edition – is there a more up to date version?
Books – how to use them!
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Contents page = a list of topics covered
Index = more specific information covered
Note taking
Making Quotes/reference
Journals/Periodicals vs
Magazines
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What is the difference and why/when is it important?
Who wrote the article?
Who are they?
How do you know?
Referencing – Author of Article, Article Title, Journal
Title, Date/Volume/Issue Publisher
Avoid Plagiarism
• What is Plagiarism?
o Theft of other people’s ideas/words
• Write notes in your own words
• Quotation - note exact reference