INFORMATION LITERACY

Types of Information

1. Scholarly

 Scholarly information is information drawn from the research of field experts. The
Central Connecticut State Universities advise that when learning about a topic, one must
rely most on scholarly sources because they are created by experts whose works have
been peer-reviewed before being made public.
 Opposite of this is Entertainment/Popular Information
 THE UNIVERSITY OF MELBOURNE DEFINES 'SCHOLARLY INFORMATION' AS HAVING FOUR
DIMENSIONS:

1. Published information and collections used by our scholars to inform their learning,
teaching and research.

- Published information and collections may be in many formats and may or may not be
provided through the University. The term ‘scholarly information’ also refers to other
primary sources typically collected by a library, museum or archive: for example letters,
financial documents, mementoes and other contents of personal and business archives;
or museum collections of instruments, samples or other objects.

2. Materials created for learning and teaching purposes

-These could include, for example, course notes, presentation slides, customized ‘packs’
of selected readings for a particular subject, audio and video versions of lectures, and a
range of digital objects that can be stored in a learning management system and reused
in different ways and at different times.

3. Information created in the course of research activities

-Examples of such information are numerical data collected from scientific

instrumentation and laboratory work; information collected from surveys, interviews
and other social studies; records of meetings and conversations between collaboration
partners; models, plans or images created in the course of design, architectural or
ethnographic research.

4. Research outputs

-such as papers, chapters, monographs, articles, letters, presentations, demonstrations

and speeches, processed research data and visualizations of large datasets can be
considered under this category.
 2. Entertainment/Popular

 Information meant for the general population. A journalist, staff writer, or content
producer may use some entertaining hooks in order to catch attention or to be easily
understood.
 It is derived from a discussion of other people’s work.
 Comparison of scholarly and popular resources:

POPULAR SCHOLARLY
Exciting pictures, many Dense text
APPEARANCE
advertisements, glossy cover Serious appearance
Scholars and students
AUDIENCE General public
Well-educated public
Journalists, professional and Scholars, professional
AUTHORS
amateur writers practitioners
Simple discussions of news,
In depth analysis or extensive
CONTENT entertainment or other popular
overview of a topic
subjects
Works published after review
REVIEW Works reviewed by publications
by credible scholars in the
PROCESS editors or purchaser
discipline (peer review)
SCHOLARLY Few or no citations Many citations
APPARATUS Simple Language Technical Language
American Journal of Sociology,
Newsweek, Sports Illustrated,
EXAMPLES Philosophy and Literature, A
Gardening for Dummies
History of Britain

3. Professional/ Trade

 Includes current news about trends about a specific industry presented to experts and
enthusiasts by someone with knowledge in the field. Professional/trade journals do not
have to be peer-reviewed to be published but they are exposed to a higher level of
scrutiny from people with knowledge in that field.

Entertainment/Popular Professional or Trade

Scholarly Sources
Sources Sources
 American Journal of
Psychology
Journal of the American
Examples
Medical Association
American History Review
Quarterly
Scholars, researchers and
Audience
students
Scholars, researchers, and
experts in the field of study
Author's credentials in the
Authors field are established (e.g.,
institutional affiliation, maybe
degrees)
Cosmopolitan
Newsweek
National Geographic
Time
General audience, all
readers
Reporters, usually not
experts on the subject
Authors may not have special
qualifications for writing
article; credentials are
usually not provided
Advertising Age
Education Week
Supply and Demand Chain
Executive
Health Insurance
Underwriter Magazine
Other members of the
profession or trade
Members of the profession
or trade, specialized
journalists, or technical
writers
Credentials are usually not
provided

Sources cited in footnotes Sources are not cited or Documentation of sources is

Bibliography and/or bibliography cited informally not required, though
/ Usually extensive list of No reference list provided sometimes brief
References references bibliographies of further
readings are included
Field-specific Written in everyday Include jargon and terms
language/jargon; requires language accessible to any that are commonly used in
Language
reader to be previously general reader the profession or trade
informed about field.
To report results of original Provide broad, general Provide practical
research, experimentation or information and information for members of
analysis entertainment a profession or industry,
Secondary but not "original" including topics like news,
Purpose
research (the author didn’t trends, products, and
conduct the actual lab work, research summaries
math, or theoretical
analysis.)
Dense text-based pages Attractive appearance – Moderate number of
May contain complicated colorful advertisements targeted to
graphs or charts Advertisements the interests of the
Appearance
Usually will not include color Heavily illustrated members of a profession,
glossy pages or photographs Glossy paper industry, or organization
Very little advertising, if any

4. Opinion
  A viewpoint, judgement, or statement that is not conclusive. Opinions on a specific
matter will vary from person to person and will not be thoroughly resolved. However, in
instances when best – if not the only – answer must be found, it is wise to choose
among informed and sound opinions.
 An intelligent opinion is an argument for a conclusion based on an analysis of verifiable
facts and reliable information.

Providers of Information

1. Academic Institutions

 Are schools, colleges, and universities that confer academic degrees. They are dedicated
to education and research. Students and faculty members of academic institutions
continually seek knowledge for themselves and for their community.
 Private academic institutions are funded primarily through tuition fees and private
donations. State universities are public academic institutions largely supported by the
government.

2. Government Agencies

 Organizations under the government which are responsible for the administration of a
specific function.

 Examples are PAGASA, informs us about the weather; PHIVOLCS, monitors volcanoes
and earthquake faults; PIA or Philippine Information Agency, keeps Filipinos informed
about the government.

3. Private Sector
 Includes business, organizations, and other players in the economy that are not owned
or operated by the government. They provide goods and services for profit. Competition
for the consumers’ support pushes them to continually improve the products and
information that they provide.
 Examples of organizations in the private sector include:

Sole Proprietors: Designers, Developers, Plumbers, Repairmen

Partnerships: Dentistry, Legal, Accounting, Tax

Small and Medium-sized Businesses: Retail, Hospitality, Food, Leisure, Legal Services

Large Multinationals: Apple, Tesla, Disney, Procter & Gamble, PepsiCo

 Professional/Trade Associations: Canadian Institute of Management, American
Management Association

4. Private Individuals
 Those who do not represent another person, corporation, or group. A private individual
must be motivated to tell the truth, to help, and to do the right thing when giving
information.

5 Components of Information Literacy

 The information literate student can: Identify, Find, Evaluate, Apply, and Acknowledge

1. The information literate student can identify the nature and extent of information
needed.

Academic Examples

a. writing a thesis statement

b. creating a timeline and plan to complete a research paper

c. reading background information on a topic before researching

d. recognizing the difference between a library database and a website

e. differentiating between primary, secondary, and tertiary sources for information

Real World Examples

f. deciding on the destination for next family trip that fits the budget

g. deciding to search for the most current information available on a medical

procedure

h. choosing and buying a smartphone with the desired specifications

2. The information literate student can find needed information effectively and
efficiently.

Academic Examples

a. finding an article from the library databases

b. locating a book on the library shelves by its call number
 c. refining a search strategy to narrow down results in databases and search
engines
d. choosing keywords and phrases to use in a library catalog search

Real World Examples

e. locating a website written by a credible botanist to help identify wildflowers

f. searching public archives for information on local history
g. accessing a government website for local crime statistics

3. The information literate student can evaluate information and its sources critically.

Academic Examples

a. summarizing the main ideas of an article or book

b. reviewing multiple points of view to construct an opinion

c. exploring different sources of information (web, books, databases, primary

sources) to understand a topic

d. analyzing the structure and logic of arguments made in lectures and speeches

Real World Examples

e. researching the claims made in a political ad on television

f. scrutinizing a Wikipedia article for accuracy

g. checking a website for currency of updates

4. The information literate student can apply information effectively to accomplish a

specific
purpose.

Academic Examples

a. paraphrasing an expert essay to support a position in a persuasive speech

b. integrating a direct quotation from a reference book into a research paper

c. using images from a database to prepare a group Powerpoint presentation

Real World Examples

d. developing a market survey based on gaps identified by reviewing studies

 e. referencing experts to support a point during a discussion

f. communicating the findings of a patent search to potential product investors

5. The information literate student can acknowledge sources of information and the
ethical, legal, and socio-economic issues surrounding information.

Academic Examples

a. citing an information source in the text of a research paper

b. creating a works cited page or bibliography

c. understanding what constitutes plagiarism

d. utilizing Fair Use and copyright guidelines

Real World Examples

e. obtaining permission before copying a news story to a blog

f. giving attribution to a reposted image on a website

g. recognizing limits and protections of free speech and censorship on television

h. downloading legally purchased music