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Information literacy is a set of abilities requiring individuals to "recognize when information is needed and have the ability to locate, evaluate, and use effectively; the needed information." Information literacy also is increasingly important in the contemporary environment of rapid technological change and proliferating information resources. Because of the escalating complexity of this environment, individuals are faced with diverse, abundant information choices--in their academic studies, in the workplace, and in their personal lives.
Information is available through libraries, community resources, special interest organizations, media, and the Internet--and increasingly, information comes to individuals in unfiltered formats, raising questions about its authenticity, validity, and reliability. In addition, information is available through multiple media, including graphical, aural, and textual, and these pose new challenges for individuals in evaluating and understanding it.
The uncertain quality and expanding quantity of information pose large challenges for society. The sheer abundance of information will not in itself create a more informed citizenry without a complementary cluster of abilities necessary to use information effectively. Information literacy forms the basis for lifelong learning. It is common to all disciplines, to all learning environments, and to all levels of education. It enables learners to master content and extend their investigations, become more self-directed, and assume greater control over their own learning.
- An information literate individual is able to:
- Determine the extent of information needed
- Access the needed information effectively and efficiently
- Evaluate information and its sources critically
- Incorporate selected information into one's knowledge base
- Use information effectively to accomplish a specific purpose
- Understand the economic, legal, and social issues surrounding the use of information, and access and use information ethically and legally.
- (A.C.R.L. Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education, 2000)
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Internet Evaluation Guides
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"Thinking Critically about Web Page Content" (Terry Link, Michigan State University)
"Thinking Critically about World Wide Web Resources" (Esther Grassian, UCLA)
"Thinking Critically about Discipline Based WWW Resources" (Esther Grassian, UCLA)
"Evaluating Information Found on the Internet" (Elizabeth E. Kirk, John Hopkins University)
Evaluating Quality on the Net (Hope N. Tillman, Babson College)
Internet Detective (interactive tutorial on evaluating web sites)
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Paper Formats
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MLA (Purdue Online Writing Lab)
APA (Purdue Online Writing Lab)
Resources for Documenting Electronic Sources (Purdue Online Writing Lab)
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Evaluating Sources
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Getting Started (Purdue Online Writing Lab)
Evaluating a Bibliographic Citation (Purdue Online Writing Lab)
Evaluating Content in the Source (Purdue Online Writing Lab)
Evaluating Internet Sources (Purdue Online Writing Lab)
Further Resources (Purdue Online Writing Lab)
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Understanding Internet Terms
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Decoding and Evaluating URLs (Elizabeth E. Kirk, John Hopkins University)
Internet Glossary (School of Journalism, University of North Carolina)
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Internet Searching Guides, Strategies and Tutorials
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...Before You Begin Searching the Web (UC Berkeley Library)
Search Engine Math - guide to basic commands that improve most searches
Power Searching for Anyone
Guide to Effective Searching of the Internet - (complete online tutorial)
5-Step Search Strategy (UC Berkeley Library)
Searching the Net - ZDNet's guide to searching and search tools
About Searching - information on every aspect of internet searching
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Internet Search Tools
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How Search Engines Work
WWW Search Tools - links and brief descriptions of many search tools)
Sink or Swim: Internet Search Tools and Techniques
A-Z Search Engines and Directories
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