Module 3: Information Literacy
At the end of this module, I can:
1. Define information needs.
2. Locate sources of information.
3. Assess, organize, and communicate information.
4. Identify relevant ethical standards or principles in information and media use.
5. Demonstrate ethical use of information.
In Module 1, you have been introduced to the concept of information and information literacy, as
well as the characteristics of a media literate individual. But before you dive deeper into
information literacy approach, you have to take note that an information literate individual is one
who can do the following:
-Determine the extent of information needed
-Access the needed information efficiently and effectively
-Evaluate information and its sources critically
-Incorporate selected information into his or her knowledge base
-Use information to accomplish a specific purpose
-Understand the economic, legal, and social issues surrounding access and use of information
-Access and use information ethically and legally
Information literacy is an important skill in life. An individual who is literate in the location,
access, evaluation, and use of information also displays a certain sense of critical literacy. When
you are information literate, you are able to evaluate what information you need, what to discard,
and how to use the information you selected. As students, you unknowingly and unwittingly
display information literacy when you search for information to address certain tasks such as
projects, assignments, or research papers.
Information takes many forms. It is often interchanged with data which is essentially "raw
information" and knowledge which is a characterized by effective use of information.
What Determines Your Need for Information?
Information seeking is relatively synonymous to the idea of research. When you locate
information, you employ the necessary skills to engage in the research process. Your need for
information depends on your prior knowledge and experience, as well as your goals and
objectives. Your information needs to rely on what questions or problems you would like to
solve or, simply, what you need the information for. These needs also depend on the relevance of
the information you seek to the task you are supposed to accomplish. Ask yourself who will
consume and/or benefit from the information you are trying to locate. You must also identify
how much information you need and its adequacy to address your task. Consult your personal
knowledge base so that you can plan what else to search to augment what you already know.
The Effective and Efficient Information Seeker. A successful search strategy is one that allows
you to judge at the onset what information is relevant, thus, limiting the possible overload of
information sought. It also involves an understanding of information search systems such as
indexes, online catalogs, or Boolean logic. When you are able to judge the "potential value of an
information," you will be able to maximize its use. According to Callison and Tilley (2006), an
effective and efficient information seeker is one who can do the following:
• Understands how to utilize a variety of information sources and agencies, as well as human
resources, in order to gain useful information
• Understands the value of consulting with resource and critical peers to reframe and refine
questions and inquiries, if necessary
• Identifies information important to a need and assesses its reliability, bias, authority, and intent
• Organizes new information in meaningful ways to determine where gaps may exist and to
formulate the central question or thesis that can be addressed (Doyle, 1994)
Aside from being information literate, you are also expected to display information fluency
which refers to "the ability to analyze information needs and to move confidently among media,
information, and computer literacy skills, resulting in the effective application of a strategy or
strategies that will best meet those needs (Callison & Tilley, 2006)."
Typology of Information
According to www.lib.odu.edu, the kind of information you are looking for may be categorized
as the following:
1. Factual vs. Analytical
Factual information is based on evidences and findings provided by reliable sources. These
sources may include academic texts such as books, encyclopedias, periodicals, or technical
reports by agencies and institutions. Analytical information, on the other hand, is an analysis or
interpretation of facts by an individual, usually an expert on the subject. Examples of such would
be feature articles, commentaries, or reviews.
2. Subjective vs. Objective
When you consult an expert opinion, such as those found in the editorial section of a newspaper
or in Web log entries of prolific writers, you are using a subjective kind of information. This is
because the information is about the discussion and elaboration of a thesis statement which is
still anchored on facts. It is important to evaluate the validity of the claims in subjective
information because a valid argument is more often than not a successful argument. If the
information is unbiased and does not lead you to judge the information in a certain way, then it is
objective information. Scientific papers and news reports are common sources of objective
information.
3. Current vs. Historical
The currency of information refers to how up-to-date or how recent the information is. It does
not necessarily follow that the more current the information, the more reliable and useful it is.
There are information that are historical or old but are very helpful in providing insights and
comparison of events. Publication date of the source material is the usual basis for currency. A
combination of current and historical information, especially in research, provides a more
holistic picture. You are able to establish trends or patterns when you make use of both.
But the requirement for the use of either current or historical information depends on the
discipline that makes use of them. In the hard or natural sciences, the more recent findings are
preferred. For the humanities, historical information is primarily used to describe an event or
phenomenon. The social sciences usually consult both current and historical information.
4. Scholarly (Academic/Professional/Technical) vs. Popular
When you are asked to write an academic paper, what sources does your teacher ask you to
consult? Scholarly information comes from academic sources. It is a product of an author's
expertise and study on the subject matter. It is usually peer-reviewed. Popular information, on
the other hand, appeals to general interest and is usually found in general circulation materials
such as magazines, coffee table books, or online feature articles. Table 3.1 differentiates a
scholarly source and a popular source of information.
5. Primary vs. Secondary vs. Tertiary
The origin and the levels of transfer of the information is also an important factor to consider in
your information search. A description of and examples for primary, secondary, and tertiary
information is shown in Table 3.2.
6. Stable vs. Unstable
Information may be stable or unstable. Stability becomes a consideration especially when the
information you have obtained is published digitally over the Internet. It is often difficult to
know how long a certain Web site or page will last. But an online source may still be predicted to
be stable or otherwise by evaluating it based on the following questions (Ballenger 2009):
-Has it been around for a long time?
-Is it routinely updated?
-Are print versions of an online document available?
-Is the site associated with a reputable institution?
If your answer to most of the questions is "Yes," you can be confident that the Web site or page
is stable enough for you to use as information source.
Information seeking, like any other human activity, expects that a certain level of ethical conduct
be upheld. The Online Dictionary for Library and Information Science defined information
ethics as "the branch of ethics that focuses on the relationship between the creation, organization,
dissemination, and use of information, and the ethical standards and moral codes governing
human conduct in society." Responsible handling of information from access down to sharing is
necessary to promote a fair and just utilization of information.
Quiz #3: Answer the Following Questions: (2 points each)
1. What is your primary source of information especially for school work? (Answer it in 1 to 2
sentences)
2. What are your considerations when looking for a particular information? Do you need a quick
fact or a critical analysis?
3. Do you prefer unbiased information or an opinion? Current information or a historical one?
4. If you use traditional sources of information such as print, broadcast, and electronic media,
which among these do you often refer to and why?
5. What good and bad practices do you commit during information search and sharing?
Output #3: Reflect upon: Answer the following in 150-200 words Essay form (20 points)
1. How do you understand the following terms:
-Plagiarism
-Intellectual property
2. Based on your experience, how will you define “misinformation” and “disinformation”? Site
examples of situations to help you build your own definition.
3. What are the potential dangers of misinformation and disinformation? How do ethical
standards minimize the occurrence of misinformation and disinformation?
