Senior High School

Unit 3
Information Literacy
Table of Contents
DepEd Competencies 1
Values and Attitudes 1
Unit Background 1
Let’s Put It This Way 2
Quick View 3
Unit Stimulus 4
Central Question 5
Activation 5
Key Moments 7
Demonstration 8
Dive In 9
Application 10
Contemporary Experience 12
Integration 12
Approaches and Perspectives 14
Wrap Map 15
References 16
Answer Key 17
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Unit 3
Information Literacy

DepEd Competencies
At the end of this unit, the learners should be able to do the following:
● Define information needs; can locate, access, assess, organize, and
communicate information (MIL11/12IL-IIIc-8).
● Demonstrate ethical use of information (MIL11/12IL-IIIc-9).

Values and Attitudes

In this unit, the learners should be able to do the following:
● Respect and give justice to the original sources of information used.
● Develop integrity in sharing and using information from various sources.
● Imbibe the habit of citing and using credible and reliable sources of
information.
● Develop mindfulness in being a bearer, sharer, and user of information.

Unit Background
We are exposed to massive amounts of information and information sources every
day. We use different sources and platforms to consult and address our information
needs. However, not all information we come across is valid or reliable. Therefore,
we must understand where and how to find information, and effectively and
appropriately validate and use this knowledge.

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Let’s Put It This Way

Suppose you are a first-time voter. As a registered voter, it is your
right and obligation to choose the best presidential, vice
presidential, and senatorial candidates for the job.

How would you know who to vote for? What would you do to
assess the candidates?

You would probably do some research on the internet. But how

would you know which websites or sources tell the truth?

You might ask other people—family members, friends, teachers, or

even strangers. But how would you know if their statements are
objective or unbiased?

Intentional or not, you will encounter various information about

the candidates through advertisements, campaign jingles, flyers,
and the news. How would you determine the quality and accuracy
of these pieces of information?

Let us say you have researched extensively and decided whom to

vote for. What would you do with the information you have? Would
you share it with others? If yes, how would you communicate it?

The ability to read, write, and use numbers is essential in everyday

life. The same is true with accessing, assessing, and using
information effectively. It is a life skill called information literacy.

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Quick View

Sections Activation Demonstration Application Integration

Covered Lesson 1 Lesson 1 Lesson 2 Lesson 2

Lesson

Activity Using Keywords Finding the Credible Sources Ethical Use of

Differences of Information Information

Focus Did you find the What are the What makes an When is the use
Questions information you requirements for information of information
need after your writing an source credible ethical?
first keyword academic paper? and reliable?
entry? What When is the use
helped you find What are the How should we of information
it quickly? What requirements for use information unethical?
prevented you writing or taken from
from finding creating a credible and How can the
the information popular source? reliable sources? ethical use of
in your first information be
keyword entry? Which source How should we promoted?
would you use treat information
How did you when writing a taken from How can the
determine reaction paper on questionable and unethical use of
which a historical unreliable information be
keywords to narrative? sources? avoided?
use? Explain.
Why is citing or Why do we need
Why are consulting to be ethical in
keywords credible and using
important when reliable sources information?
searching for of information
information? important?

How do we
promote citing or

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Sections Activation Demonstration Application Integration

consulting
credible and
reliable sources?

Essential Information Sources of Information must Avoiding

Ideas literacy is the information must be used ethically. plagiarism
ability to be credible and It is a includes proper
access, assess, reliable. requirement for citation,
and use information quotation, and
information. It Credibility is the literacy. paraphrasing.
is a life skill trustworthiness
essential for of a source. One of the Aside from moral
lifelong Reliability is the unethical uses of consequences,
learning. presentation, information is there are also
accuracy, or plagiarism. We legal
quality of the commit consequences
used information, plagiarism when when plagiarism
opinion, or we use someone is committed.
perspective. else’s work as our
own without
giving them
proper credit.

Unit Stimulus 15 minutes

Two Truths and a Lie

Purpose: This activity aims for learners to practice assessing the validity, reliability,
and authenticity of information supplied to them.

Instructions:
1. Discuss the mechanics of the activity:

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a. Each learner will think of three statements about himself or herself,

two of which are facts, while one is a lie.
b. Another learner will guess which of the statements is a lie.
c. The learner who takes a guess should explain why he or she thinks
the statement is a lie.
d. The learner who supplied the information must validate the guess.
2. Start the activity by providing your own set of statements.
3. Randomly call learners to share their statements.

Note: Take note of the reasons used by the learners in assessing the validity of the
statements.

Example:
Statement 1: I am a fan of a Korean boy group. (truth)
Statement 2: I spent my summer in Boracay. (lie)
Statement 3: I know how to swim. (truth)

Central Question
How is information literacy related to lifelong learning and critical
thinking?

Activation 20 minutes

Using Keywords

Purpose: This unit stimulus aims to open the discussion about the keywords and
strategies learners use when looking for a piece of information.

Instructions:
1. Present the following topics to the class:
a. You want to know more about your crush.

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b. You want to know the best and most convenient place to take your
partner on a date.
c. You want to know more about a specific illness.
2. Ask the class what keywords they could use to pull up the information
online.
3. Randomly call participants to share their answers with the class.

Possible Answers: name of crush, best date place, illness name

Note: Take note of the strategies learners use when looking for information.

Focus Questions:
● Did you find the information you need after your first keyword entry? What
helped you find it quickly? What prevented you from finding the information
in your first keyword entry?
Possible answer: “No, it pulled up a different person because the name of
my crush is too common.”
● How did you determine which keywords to use?
Possible answer: “We used the scenario as a reference for our keywords. We
also utilized the synonyms and exact names of our selected words.”
● Why are keywords important when searching for information?
Possible answer: “Identifying and selecting the most appropriate keywords
allows us to pull up information on our first entry. It also guides us to either
narrow or broaden our search.”

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Key Moments

Figure 1. A card catalog in a library

A card catalog is a system for maintaining records of books

typically seen in libraries. Most libraries in the past were filled
with card catalogs. Each book had an index card containing its
details and the section of the library where it was placed. This
allowed users to search for the books and reading materials they
needed.

Today, libraries either have a local intranet system or a website

that provides information about the books available in their
collection. As a result, it has become more convenient for library
users to search for materials to read.

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Demonstration 30 minutes

Finding Differences

Purpose: This activity aims to help the learners identify the differences between an
academic paper and a popular source.

Instructions:
1. Ask each group to look for an academic paper and a popular source with the
same topic.
2. Ask each group to differentiate the sources using these guide questions:
a. Where did you get your samples?
b. Who created or wrote the content?
c. How did each source explain the topic?
d. What sources did the writer or creator use as references to create
their content?
3. Inform the groups to use this template to complete their output:

Guide Academic Paper Popular Source

Source of Samples

Name of Writer or
Creator

Explanation of Topic

References Used

Example:

Guide Academic Paper Popular Source

https://www.academia.ed
Source of Samples
u/9326006/Information_Li

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Guide Academic Paper Popular Source

teracy_Approaches_Benef
its_Medium_Methods_an
d_Challenges

Name of Writer or
Dr. Kanchan Kamila
Creator

It discusses approaches,
benefits, media, methods,
Explanation of Topic
and challenges in learning
information literacy.

The author uses various

References Used academic journals to
supplement his paper.

Focus Questions:
● What are the requirements for writing an academic paper?
Possible answer: “It requires credible sources as references for writing the
content.”
● What are the requirements for writing or creating sources for a popular
platform?
Possible answer: “There are no strict requirements as long as the finished
source attracts the attention of the readers.”
● Which source would you use when writing a reaction paper on a historical
narrative? Explain.
Possible answer: “I would use an academic paper because it is reliable,
credible, and likely factual.”

Dive In
Credible vs. Reliable: What Is the Difference?

According to Stebbins (2015), credibility is often confused with

reliability and vice versa. When we speak about a source's
credibility, we refer to its trustworthiness. By trustworthiness, we
consider the credentials and qualities of the source. Is the source a

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specialist in the field or subject? Has the source written about the
issue in question? What does this source add to the field of study or
topic?

However, the author or creator is not the only aspect that

contributes to the credibility of a source. Other factors like the
information's accuracy, relevance, timeliness, breadth, reliability,
and references must be assessed.

Reliability is essentially a subset of credibility. It deals with the

presentation of the information, opinion, and perspective used. Is
the information presented objectively? Does it display bias? Does it
reveal a hidden reason for its creation?

Application 40 minutes

Credible Sources of Information

Purpose: This activity aims for the learners to apply critical thinking in determining
whether a source of information is credible and reliable or not.

Instructions:
1. Ask the class to perform a short skit that shows the factors to consider when
assessing the credibility and reliability of an information source.

Note: This may be done online in a synchronous session.

2. Divide the class into three groups corresponding to the following sources of
information:
a. news websites
b. social media platforms
c. individuals or personalities

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Note: This activity may be done individually. Ask the learners to select one source of
information and make a comic strip showing the factors to consider in assessing the
credibility and reliability of an information source.

Example:
news websites
factors to consider:
● whether the website is from a trusted and disinterested organization or
agency
● if the news article or information has an affiliated author
● if the news article or information is up-to-date and relevant

Focus Questions:
● What makes an information source credible and reliable?
Possible answer: “We need to look at the credibility of the author, and the
information's accuracy, relevance, timeliness, breadth, reliability. At the
same time, the references must be assessed.”
● How should we use information taken from credible and reliable sources?
Possible answer: “We should understand the context and perspective used
to properly integrate and cite them. Otherwise, we might misrepresent the
author’s idea.”
● How should we treat information taken from questionable and unreliable
sources?
Possible answer: “Information from questionable and unreliable sources of
information must be avoided. They must not be shared nor propagated to
prevent the spread of misinformation or disinformation.”
● Why is citing or consulting credible and reliable sources of information
important?
Possible answer: “It provides an opportunity to give credit to the source. In
addition, it allows readers to track the source for future study or to
understand the scope and context of the source.”
● How do we promote citing or consulting credible and reliable sources?
Possible answer: “We can help people understand the consequences of
using and not using credible and reliable sources.”

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Contemporary Experience
Social Media Photos and Messages as Legal Evidence

Have you ever imagined being in a trial court, trying to prove your
innocence or someone else’s? Then, to prove your claim, you pull
out screenshots of your conversations in a messaging application.
“Your honor, I have proof!” you say.

The Philippine Supreme Court ruled that message threads,

pictures, or other media from the messaging feature of a popular
social media platform can be used as evidence in court. This ruling
is the result of an appeal by a petitioner who claimed that chat
threads presented against him should be invalidated because they
violated his right to privacy. However, the Court sustained the
decision because the right to privacy only refers to security from
government intrusion. Since a private individual, not a government
agent, presented the chat threads, the petitioner cannot invoke his
or her exclusion (Supreme Court of the Philippines 2022).

This court ruling has implications for any information shared on

the internet and social media. For one, an individual must practice
conscientious behavior and uphold ethical use and sharing of
information.

Integration 40 minutes

Ethical Use of Information

Purpose: This activity aims for learners to evaluate whether the information is used
ethically or not.

Instructions:
1. Divide the class into two: the “ethical” group and the “unethical” group.

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2. Facilitate an informal debate that seeks to justify the group’s position on the
ethical use of information in the following situations:
a. translating a blog entry that you found insightful to your language
b. saving an artwork as an image, posting it on your social media
account, and writing ctto along with a caption you created
c. delivering a graduation speech, the parts of which are inspired by an
author’s speech
3. Ask each group to prepare arguments and possible counterarguments and
use concrete examples to support their claims.

Possible Answers:
Is it ethical to deliver a graduation speech, the parts of which are inspired by an
author’s speech?
a. Affirmative Group: “Yes, it is ethical. One can take inspiration from another
person’s work if he or she acknowledges the source.”
b. Negative Group: “No, it is unethical. A person should write an original piece
as a graduation speech.”

Focus Questions:
● When is the use of information ethical?
Possible answer: “The use of information is ethical when there is proper
acknowledgment from the originator. Such acknowledgment can be done by
quoting, paraphrasing, or citing.”
● When is the use of information unethical?
Possible answer: “The use of information is unethical when there is no
explicit or intended admission of citing, quoting, or paraphrasing from its
original creator or source.”
● How can the ethical use of information be promoted?
Possible answer: “The ethical use of information may be promoted by
classifying information as common knowledge, facts, or interpretations. By
doing research, one can identify if the idea that he or she wants to convey
has been expressed by another person. Thus, he or she will know if a proper
acknowledgment of the originator is needed.”
● How can the unethical use of information be avoided?
Possible answer: “The unethical use of information can be avoided by being
mindful of the ways one can commit plagiarism. Moreover, developing the
habit of citing credible and reliable sources prevents the unethical use of
information. It also stops the spread of inaccurate, false, or faulty
information.”

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● Why do we need to be ethical in using information?

Possible answer: “We need to use information ethically because the
information is shared, pooled, and used publicly. If we fail to uphold the
ethical ways of using information, we risk sharing inaccurate, flawed,
unverified, or false information. This could endanger the quality of
knowledge absorbed by our community and influence our collective
behavior, culture, and values.”

Approaches and Perspectives

Is Translating Plagiarism?

Senator Vicente Sotto III delivered a senate speech in 2012 to

oppose the Reproductive Health Bill. He was accused of plagiarizing
the speech delivered by United States Senator Robert Kennedy in
1966.

Senator Sotto denied the allegation. Despite his acknowledgment

that he took inspiration from a speech delivered by another person
and translated the speech into “Tagalog [sic],” he claimed that it was
not plagiarism and there was nothing wrong with what he did
(Cabico 2018).

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Wrap Map

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References

Cabico, Gaea Katreena. “Sotto on Plagiarism Allegations: Translating Isn't Copying.”

Philstar.com. Philstar.com, May 23, 2018.
https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2018/05/23/1817926/sotto-plagiarism-all
egations-translating-isnt-copying.

Kamila, Kanchan. “Information Literacy: Approaches, Benefits, Medium, Methods

and Challenges.” Academia.edu, November 15, 2014.
https://www.academia.edu/9326006/Information_Literacy_Approaches_Bene
fits_Medium_Methods_and_Challenges.

Stebbins, Leslie F. “Finding Reliable Information Online : Adventures of an

Information Sleuth.” Internet Archive. Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield, 2015.
https://archive.org/details/findingreliablei0000steb.

Supreme Court of the Philippines. “SC: Photos, Messages from Facebook Messenger
Obtained by Private Individuals Admissible as Evidence.” Supreme Court of
the Philippines, June 17, 2022.
https://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/28056/#:~:text=The%20Supreme%20Court%20has
%20ruled,admissible%20as%20evidence%20in%20court.

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Answer Key

Lesson 1
Both worksheets do not require answer keys because the learners’ answers may vary. Use
the suggested rubrics in the worksheets as a reference for grading.

Lesson 2
Both worksheets do not require answer keys because the learners’ answers may vary. Use
the suggested rubrics in the worksheets as a reference for grading.

Summative Assessment
1. What do you call the ability to recognize the need for information and how to
access, assess, and use the required information?
B. information literacy

2. The following sentences explain why information literacy is a life skill, except
__________.
D. Assessing information makes us superior to other people.

3. Marietta suddenly woke up in the middle of the night because of an earthquake.

What should Marietta do to verify if there was indeed an earthquake?
C. Visit the verified website of a local news agency and look for
earthquake updates.

4. Arrange the steps that Marietta should take to fully practice being information
literate.
I. Look for credible news on the internet.
II. Share earthquake updates and details on her social media account.
III. Reflect on the scenario and realize the need to verify the experience.
IV. Give due credit to the source of the earthquake information.
V. Assess and evaluate the content and source of the earthquake updates.
B. III, I, V, IV, II

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5. Marietta found multiple sources about the earthquake that occurred. How would
she know which information is credible and reliable?
A. The information came from a reputable news agency or individuals.

6. Analyze the given scenarios. Tell whether each uses credible and reliable sources or
not.
I. A
II. B
III. B
IV. A

7. Joan did not use academic journals to write her research paper. Instead, she asked
her friends for their thoughts. Which of the following best describes how her
research will end up?
A. Her work will be hard to defend because she did not cite scholarly
journals.

8. Mark created social media video content about a historical controversy. He pointed
out a claim using only one source. Which of the following statements best describes
how his video will turn out?
B. His and his source's bias will show in the video.

9. What do you call the unethical use of information wherein a person claims to own
work originally from someone else without giving due and proper credit?
A. plagiarism

10. How should we quote a source?

B. Copying another person's exact words, putting them into quotes, and
writing the person's name.

11. Which statement best explains how James should select a source for his paper?
A. James should look for academic papers that present different lenses
on the topic.

12. Jordan's paper is due tomorrow, but he has not written anything. He remembers the
paper his brother wrote in senior high school. What should he do?
A. Find inspiration from his brother's effort to complete and write his
own paper.

13. Susie is developing her research paper about the existence of extraterrestrial life on
Earth. She included an idea from an astrophysicist, recognized him, and

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summarized his concepts in her research. Which citation technique did she use?
C. paraphrasing

14. How can Susie properly cite the astrophysicist's idea in her research?
C. Cite the astrophysicist and his work in the body and list of references
of the research paper.

15. Gerardo, a class valedictorian, delivered his graduation speech. However, it turned
out that part of his speech was taken from the speech of a graduate from a different
school. Gerardo apologized and claimed that he merely took inspiration from the
words of the originator. Did Gerardo demonstrate the ethical use of information?
C. No, because he did not rephrase the idea nor recognize the person.

16. Senator Queenie Dela Paz received criticism after allegedly plagiarizing a speech
delivered a long time ago by an international politician. She justified that she merely
translated the speech into the local language but retained the essence of the
message. Did Senator Queenie Dela Paz demonstrate ethical use of information?
D. No, because she did not properly acknowledge the originator of the
idea and made modifications without the originator's approval.

Short Essay Response: Answer each of the questions in a short and concise manner.
Use the rubric as your reference for the expected output.

This part of the summative assessment does not require an answer key because the
learners’ answers may vary. Use the suggested rubric as a reference for grading.

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