1. Information Literacy
Session One
We're adding information to our understanding of
English and writing!
In this session of the class we will be learning and
practicing information literacy and research skills
that will aid you in your writing process and in
building your writing skills.

2. Instructor Introduction
• Sarah Moore, LRC Assistant
• BA in Communication
with an emphasis in Print Media
• Feel free to contact me any
time during the course!

3. Class Introduction
• We will meet eight times for 1 hour each
• The sessions build on each other
• Therefore, attendance is necessary
• You, as the student, are responsible for
making up any missed lessons or
assignments
• Utilize each other!

4. Homework Assignment
• Each homework assignment is part of,
and works toward, the final project
• You can’t afford to miss a step
• Late work is docked points
• Grading scale is provided so YOU can
keep track of what you earn

5. Information Literacy
• Why is this in
Introduction to
Writing?
• What exactly is
Information literacy?

6. Information
• What is information?
– knowledge gained through study,
communication, research, instruction,
etc.; factual data
– knowledge communicated or
received concerning a particular fact
or circumstance; news
• What is knowledge?
– facts, truths, or principles, from study,
observation or investigation that are
stored in some external place (books,
the internet, etc.)

7. Information
• Where do we get information?
– World Wide Web
– Radio
– Television
– Magazines
– Newspapers
– Books
– People

8. Literacy
• What is literacy?
– having knowledge or skill in a specified
field
• Reading / writing
• Technology
• Computers
• Media
• Library
• Information

9. Information Literacy
• What is information literacy?
– An information literate individual is
“able to recognize when information
is needed and has the ability to
locate, evaluate, and use the
information effectively.”
• The American Library Association

10. Information Literacy
• Problems of information illiteracy
– Asking wrong questions (and getting
wrong answers)
– Using limited or inappropriate
sources of information
– Using inaccurate or misleading
information
– Accessing outdated information
– Finding incomplete information
… more

11. Information Literacy
• Problems of Information Illiteracy
– Being inefficient on research and
wasting time
– Being disorganized
– Ineffectively communicating the
information
– Using biased resources
– Ineffectively understanding or
evaluating the information

12. Lifelong Learning Skill
• Ultimately, information literate people
are those who have learned how to
learn. They know how to learn
because they know how knowledge is
organized, how to find information,
and how to use information in such a
way that others can learn from them.
They are people prepared for lifelong
learning, because they can always
find the information needed for any
task or decision at hand.

13. Information Literacy
• Did You Know?
• Workplace requirements of
employees
– (SCANS report)

14. Information Literacy Overview

15. Information Literacy Overview
• Define: Define the need, problem,
or question.
• Find: Locate, access, and retrieve
the information from a variety of
print, electronic, and human
information sources.
• Evaluate: Evaluate the credibility,
currency, reliability, validity, and
appropriateness of the
information retrieved.

16. Information Literacy Overview
• Organize: Organize the
information so that it can be
used to meet the information
need, solve the problem, or
answer the question.
• Communicate:
Communicate the
information legally and
ethically using a variety of
channels and to a range of
audiences.

17. Information is knowledge that is:
A. Read in a written form
B. Based on an opinion
C. Gained and communicated
D. Discovered and broadcast
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18. Where can we get information?
A. People
B. Television
C. Internet
D. All of the above
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19. What is the definition of literacy?
A. Being able to read
B. Being able to understand what
you read
C. Having knowledge or skill in a
specified field
D. Having a diploma or degree in a
specified field
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20. Which of these is NOT a benefits
of information literacy:
A. Being organized
B. Finding outdated information
C. Finding many appropriate sources
of information
D. Saving time
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21. Which one of these is a workplace
requirement, according to the
SCANS report:
A. Using computers to process
information
B. Programming a microwave
C. Being artistic
D. Having an outgoing personality
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22. Homework for this Session
• Choose a Topic
– Related to your program of study or
future career field.
– Begin thinking of a question you can
ask about it.
• Visit Credo Reference (in LIRN) to
find one article about your topic.
• Read first 11 pages of packet
• Due next Session!

23. Class Website
• http://sites.google.com/site/mooreinfor
mationliteracy
– See class information online, including
calendar of due dates
– Get updates and announcements
– Make up work for missed classes
– Download class handouts and PowerPoints

24. Topic Ideas
• Business: lii.org/pub/topic/busfinjobs
• CJ: www.ncjrs.gov/viewall.html
• ECE:
www.nwrel.org/comm/topics/ece.html
• Medical: www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/
healthtopics.html
• Networking:
www.networktutorials.info/tutorials.html
• Paralegal:
http://wilawlibrary.gov/topics/
witopicindex.html