INFORMATION LITERACY Definition and Importance

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INFORMATION LITERACYDefinition and Importance
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The American Library Association

• The American Library Association gives the
  following definition for information literacy
• To be information literate an individual must
  recognize when information is needed and have the
  ability to locate, evaluate, and use effectively
  the information needed.... Ultimately information
  literate people are those who have learned how to
  learn. They know how to learn because they know
  how information is organized, how to find
  information and how to use information in such a
  way that others can learn from them.

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Information Literacy on the Job

• Information literacy has emerged as a vital skill
  set for the twenty-first century with the rapid
  increase in the amount and availability of
  information and technology.
• On the job You will need to be information
  literate in order to
• research competitors,
• evaluate products or software,
• prepare clear, concise proposals,
• communicate effectively to a group or on a
  one-to-one basis,
• Make the best decisions and perform the best.
• Your on-the-job research may involve
• use of reference materials, either print or
  electronic, in your chosen field, be it business,
  electronics, telecommunications, or computer
  information systems.
• use of a corporate library, the Internet, or a
  community library.
• Your level of information literacy will determine
  your success in each of these areas. It is your
  skills-based education that will get a first job,
  but general education competencies (information
  literacy and writing skills) will get you
  promoted.

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In school (and on the job), Information Literacy
will help

• If you only know how to find your information
  through the public web
• If you turn in papers that are less well done
  than you expect or desire
• If you feel overwhelmed when asked to do research
• If you struggle with accurately documenting your
  reference sources
• If you avoid using the library
• If you occasionally plagiarize, whether
  intentional or not
• Information Literacy will solve these problems!

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• Information Literacy is more than just computer
  literacy and library skills, it is critical
  thinking skills. Thinking critically and
  evaluatively is at the heart of the emphasis on
  information literacy.  
• Information literacy involves
• Effective and thorough research skills
• Problem solving, decision making, and evaluation
• How and where to search for information?
• Which sources are adequate, thorough, current,
  accurate, and unbiased?
• Which sources to use?
• Correct documentation
• It is the ability to
• locate,
• access,
• critically evaluate,
• use,
• synthesize, and
• effectively present information.

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• Information literacy involves
• understanding information processing and
  organization 
• asking the right questions in order to adapt
  queries as research progresses  
• recognizing and solving information problems
• knowing how and when to use a variety of
• information resources including
• library catalogs,
• indexes,
• databases,
• print and electronic resources as well as
• efficient and effective Internet use   
• avoidance of plagiarism and properly citing
  source materials

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The Internet makes information more abundant,
but it also makes Information Literacy MORE
DIFFICULT

• When using the Internet, information is
• Incredible abundant
• Hard to find and not organized well
• From varying and conflicting sources
• From dubious sources
• Not pre-evaluated by library and other
  professionals
• For diverse tasks
• Complex
• Rapidly increasing and constantly changing

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The Association of College and Research Libraries

1. The Association of College and Research Libraries
   has developed the following website to further
   explain information literacy within the context
   of higher education Information Literacy in a
   Nutshell Basic Information for Academic
   Administrators Faculty http//www.ala.org/ala/
   acrl/acrlissues/acrlinfolit/infolitoverview/infoli
   tforfac/infolitfaculty.htm
2. The Association of College and Research Libraries
   offers the following definition for information
   literacy
3. These are the schools that students, employees,
   and the general public must have to be fully
   information literate

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• 1.  Student understands how experts define
  information, and recognizes how that knowledge
  can help determine the direction of your search
  for specific information.
• Student has general knowledge of how information
  is generated, specifically, the publication
  cycle, both in print and electronic.
• Student recognizes when you have an information
  need, and can formulate a search question and
  appropriate strategy.
• Student knows when it is appropriate to look for
  information resources on the Internet and when it
  is not.
• Student has knowledge of network etiquette,
  ethics, politics, legal implications and privacy
  issues involved in using the Internet.
• Student has basic knowledge of e-mail.
• 2.  Student understands the importance of the
  organizational content, bibliographic structure,
  function, and use of information sources.
• Student can evaluate the presentation of
  information in print and that found on the
  Internet in terms of its credibility, timeliness,
  and bias.
• Student knows the difference between and can
  create a bibliography, footnotes, and/or
  references in the appropriate style.
• Student knows how to cite information sources
  found on the Internet.
• Student can write an abstract.
• Student can create an annotated bibliography.
• 3.  Student can identify and use appropriate
  information from information sources or
  information systems.
• Student can use CD-ROM indexes and/or other
  on-line sources of information appropriate for
  your information need. Student can construct a
  search inquiry using Boolean logic. Given a URL,
  e-mail or other Internet address, student can
  find information source.
• Student understands concept of controlled
  vocabulary.
• Student can use FTP and a web browser.
• Student can use the appropriate Internet search
  engine (HotBot, AltaVista, etc.,) to locate
  information sources.
• Student, given an information source from the
  Internet, can determine what kind or type it is
  (file, e-mail message, etc.).

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And, thats not all folks

• Stay tuned to next presentation to learn just how
  to do all (or most!) of these things.
• By the end of English 135, you should be
  INFORMATION LITERATE!