INFORMATION LITERACY

1. INFORMATION LITERACY And its importance in the modern world

2. I Information According to Dictionary.com, Information is: knowledge gained through study, communication, research, instruction,etc.;factualdata. The rest of this PowerPoint will work to show the importance of the definition of Information and it’s dissection and comprehension.

3. N Need It is vital that you determine the necessity of the information you’re searching. Does it answer the question you set out to resolve when you initiated the search? If not, then you need to change what it is you’re searching.

4. F Formulation Create a thesis or basic question you would like to answer. Without this you can’t determine how valuable the information you find is. When you are utilizing information literacy in the educational setting it is likely you’re working with the thesis option. In this case be sure to have a sense of direction before mindlessly attempting to decipher the results.

5. O Organize The information you find may be out of order from the original outline you began with. If this is the case, organization is a vital step in the use of information literacy. Without it you would be likely to improperly answer the question at hand.

6. R Reliability/Credibility Knowing how reliable the source you use is one of the most important steps information literacy requires. If you find information with which you’d like to support your theoretical answer, but it is untrue or not fact based there is no sense in using it. If you are unsure as to the credibility of the author or source itself, it is likely not one you should utilize. (see later, Identifying source type)

7. M Media Media can play a crucial role when it comes to understanding information. Be it magazines, news sites and articles, journals, or social media tools such as blogs and networking sites, they all consist of information in need of dissection. Knowing again which of the above act as credible sources vs. opinion based editable sources will prove imperative when it comes to supporting your theoretical answer.

8. A Access Do you know how to access information? If not that should be your very first step to learn. Using databases on line, catalogs in libraries, interviewing persons, all are viable ways to obtain information. Never thought about approaching the question from an interview stand point? Give it a try, it constitutes as a credible source if you quote the interviewee. If you are incapable of knowing where to access the information required to answer your question, you might as well be done.

9. T Too Much? Is there such thing as too much information? Of course! Have you ever typed something into Google and realized you just got 800,000 “related” items? To some that may seem wonderful, I mean, hey, you have a ton of options! In reality you will never be able to cypher through all of the results and nor would you want to. Being able to narrow a search ties into the idea of accessing information and the tools with which you can do it. So remember for next time, be specific when you want specific, and broad when you want broad.

10. I Incorporate How useful is the information you find to you begins with necessity and ends with incorporation. Once you determined the usefulness you then must decide exactly where to put it. This idea ties into organization as well. Incorporating your data in a relevant and useful manor is highly important. You can have all the facts and not know how to convey them, or none of the facts and a bunch of gaps to fill. Regardless there’s a need and place for all the information you possess, just make sure that place is within what you’re currently working on.

11. O Origin When did you find your information? Where did you find your information? When did the author or artist put your information out there for you to find? Was this the first language the information was documented in? Is this a remake/reproduction of previous information? All of these questions pertain to origin. Origin is required in order to know relevance and reliability. (See later Identify source type)

12. N Net The internet is a weary place for the not so information literate. If you’re not careful you could find yourself putting more information out there than you’d like. Did you know Facebook reserves the right to sell the information you post to third parties that will then make sure to customize the advertisements you see on your page? No? How about Google being able to Filter your results? Not that either? Signs of illiteracy like that can become detrimental to your online security. Be cautious of what you agree to and know what the cites you use can do for you and against you before using them.

13. L Literacy Again by the definitions used on Dictionary.com, Literacy is defined as any one of the following: 1. the quality or state of beingliterate, especially the ability toreadandwrite. 2. possessionofeducation 3. aperson'sknowledgeofaparticularsubjectorfield These definitions are obviously crucial in understanding just what it means to be information literate.

14. I Identify Source Type There are two types of sources, primary and secondary. Primary sources are very important pieces of information. They are useful in citing ideas and topics as they are first hand objects of information and the only truthful documented ties to the past. Examples of Primary Sources are: personal records, manuscripts, institutional records, mass media, artifacts, creative works like photographs, novels, music, and art, as well as autobiographies, and memoirs. Examples of Secondary Sources: journals, magazines, any analyses of previously found information, textbooks, and biographies.

15. T Tools Helpful ways to navigate search engines and databases come in handy. Knowing the ins and outs of your favorite sites become very helpful. Did you know that typing words or partial phrases in quotations in Google requires them to be searched only in that order as opposed to sporadically? Typing “AND” or “OR” in a similar search engine will result in the separation of the first and second phrases. Knowing how to search through library catalogs in the physical and online are imperative when it comes to doing proper research. Tools are there to assist, and if used properly, can rarely steer you wrong!

16. E Educate How well do you know the information you’re searching? Once you find yourself able to teach others about the topic you wish to understand, you have reached a comfortable level of information literacy absorption. If you are incapable of educating others on the results of the tentative question you have there is little chance you have found enough (viable) information on the topic. Keep that in mind when you ask yourself if you’re done researching.

17. R Resources Resources links back to tools and source types. Are you utilizing all the potential resources at your disposure? If the ones in front of you aren’t enough, have you gone above and beyond to assure you have used them all? If you answered no you have not learned the valuable lesson. Resources are your friend in the information world. Knowing which ones assist and which ones deter you from finding all the necessary information becomes a wonderful implementation.

18. A Argument Working to both prove and disprove your question allows you to guarantee you have the necessary information. If the only thing you’re capable of after all your research is done is find information to prove your thesis true you’ve only done half the job. Going above and beyond shows how literate you’ve become with information. Finding reasons your question might be wrong allows for a nice discussion on the topic at hand. If in fact you find no way to disprove the information after an attempt then it seems you’ve given yourself a valuable thesis to work with.

19. C Citations Citations are one of the most intricate and essential parts of information literacy. Not only knowing what type of information it is you’re accessing, but furthermore being able to accredit the proper person with the information you “borrowed” saves you in the long run. Improper citations frequently qualify as plagiarism. Plagiarism by definition (Dictionary.com) is: “the unauthorized use orcloseimitationof the language and thoughts of another author and the representation of them as one'sown original work, as by not crediting theauthor.” Plagiarism is a crime punishable by law as you are essentially stealing someone else’s ideas. Avoiding this criminal act shows an complex part of information literacy.

20. Y You It all starts and ends with you. If you have the want and the will to become a more information literate person it will be one of the utmost beneficial things you’ll do for yourself in this information based age. Without information literacy people would be so far behind the 8 ball there would be no way for them to know, understand, evaluate and apply anything they find out in the world today.