Information Literacy

Ethical Use of Information

KNOWLEDGE IS POWER!
“Knowledge is an important aspect of
human life that leads to activities that
contribute to one gaining wealth,
influence, and power.”
How does information become
knowledge?
Knowledge is the appropriate collection
of information through experience or
education, which could be useful in
various situations.
ETHICAL USE OF INFORMATION
• Share acquired information
• Directly quote their words in order to preserve
their meaning

• Quoting someone else's words without giving

credit to the author = claiming ownership
• Facts that can be found in numerous
places and are likely to be widely known

Common Knowledge
• John F. Kennedy was elected President
of the United States in 1960.

• This is generally known information. You

do not need to document this fact

Example
• You must document facts that are not
generally known, or ideas that interpret
facts

Interpretation
• Michael Jordan is the greatest
basketball player ever to have played
the game.
• This idea is not a fact but an
interpretation or an opinion. You need to
cite the source.

Example
• Using someone’s words directly
• place the passage between quotation
marks, and document the source
• standard documenting style.

Quotation
• According to John Smith in The New York
Times, “37% of all children under the age
of 10 live below the poverty line”.

• You need to cite the source.

Example
• Using someone’s ideas, but rephrasing
them in your own words.
• acknowledge and cite the source of the
information.

Paraphrase
• Using other people’s words and ideas
without clearly acknowledging the
source of the information

Plagiarism
Plagiarism has legal implications!
• Submit your own work for publication.
You need to cite even your own work.

Strategies in Avoiding Plagiarism

• Put quotation marks around everything
that comes directly from the text and
cite the source.

Strategies in Avoiding Plagiarism

• Paraphrase, but be sure that you are not
simply rearranging or replacing a few
words and cite the source.

Strategies in Avoiding Plagiarism

• Keep a source journal, a notepad, or
note cards- annotated bibliographies
can be especially beneficial

Strategies in Avoiding Plagiarism

• Use the style manual in properly citing
sources
• Get help from the writing center or
library

Strategies in Avoiding Plagiarism

Questions?
Academic Field Trip
 “Your group is tasked to plan an
academic trip. List pertinent information
on two possible destinations (somewhere
in the country or abroad)”.

Your Task
• Identify the information needed – what,
where, who, when, why, how
• Determine all the possible sources, select
the best sources
• the world wide web
• travel guide books
• Brochures
• maps and atlases,
• tour bureaus, family members, and
friends
• Locate and find information within the
sources –
• blogs,
• travel reviews,
• posts from social networking sites,
travel features, pictures, stories, and
testimonials.
• Extract the best relevant
information and cite pertinent
sources
Data Answer Source
Place / Location / Destination
Activity / Schedule
Best time to visit / Length of vacation
Transportation (type, budget, schedule, others)
Accommodation (type, budget, schedule, others)
Food (type, budget, schedule, others)
Things to bring / Reminders
Other information you may need
Total Budget

Sample Data Matrix