Information literacy is the set of critical thinking skills necessary to locate and use information effectively.
Information literacy means knowing when you need information, knowing where to look for it, how to find it, and how to evaluate it.
Information literacy skills are required not only for class assignments but also for lifelong learning, which goes far beyond the classroom. Information literacy skills are not learned in one class session but are cumulative and are refined through practice. To learn more about information literacy, see the Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education.
Baseline Information Competencies Needed at the Recruiting Stage
1. To know how and where to find information online, without much guidance.
2. To use a search strategy that goes beyond Google and finding an answer on the first page of results.
3. To articulate a “best solution” and conclusion from all that was found.
From Project Information Literacy Research Report: “Learning Curve” | October 16, 2012 | Alison J. Head
1. Students will be able to define an information need in order to construct an effective research strategy.
2. Students will be able to construct an effective research strategy in order to identify a variety of relevant information sources.
3. Students will be able to identify and select relevant information sources in order to analyze and interpret the information.
4. Students will be able to analyze and interpret information in order to evaluate, synthesize and draw conclusions.
Courtesy of Project Information Literacy under a Creative Commons license (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0)
