Information
Literacy Defined
Information literacy is a set of
abilities requiring students to recognize when information is needed, to identify what
they want, and to locate, evaluate, and effectively use it. 1
1. Adapted from: American Library
Association. Presidential Committee on Information Literacy. Final Report. (Chicago: American Library Association, 1989.) http://www.ala.org/acrl/nili/ilit1st.html
Information Literacy Student Learning Outcomes
An information literate person…
- Recognizes the value of information in their education, work and daily lives
- Recognizes, identifies and defines an information need
- Effectively uses and adapts to new information technologies
- Identifies sources of information appropriate to the information need
- Selects the most appropriate investigative methods to support the information need
- Constructs search strategies relevant to the information need
- Carries out searches following the strategies they developed
- Applies critical thinking and problem solving skills to analyze and evaluate information
- Synthesizes information from various sources with each other and with what they already
know
- Generates new questions stimulated by what was learned
- Applies the information they select to the original situation, need or query
- Organizes information for practical application
- Recognizes and identifies information issues encountered in their daily lives
- Follows institutional policies and etiquette related to the access and use of
information resources
- Accesses and uses information ethically and legally
- Develops an appreciation for lifelong learning
