Chapter 11: developing library, research, & information literacy skills

• info. literacy: ability to find, interpret, & use info to meet your needs

-computer literacy: electronic tools, conduct inquiries & present info
-media literacy: think critically about tv, film, ad, radio, book, internet, etc.
-cultural literacy: knowing what's going on around you

• sorting: process of sifting through available info & selecting what's relevant
• be info. literate:

1. know how to find info you need
2. learn how to interpret the info
3. have a purpose

• determine nature & extent of info needed: what info do you need & potential sources
• access info effectively & efficiently: search strategies, organize notes 
• evaluate info & sources critically: reliability & usefulness
• incorporate info into knowledge base & value system: validate/understand/interpret info
• use info effectively to accomplish specific purpose: plan, revise, communicate results to others
• access & use info ethically & legally: etiquette to copyright & intellectual property
• repeating info from different sources w/o interpreting puts you at risk of plagiarism

• if given a general/broad topic, narrow it down first
• use the library: has books, computers,databases, librarians who know MLA/APA/other format
• electronic resources: online catalogs, periodical databases, World Wide Web
• library catalogs: what is available, abstracts, where it is, put on hold
• periodical databases: search articles, newspapers, magazines, journals

• be resource saavy:

-use Help or FAQs
-write topic as question
-Boolean operators: "and", "or", "not" (a way to help limit the number of hits)
-use different terms/synonyms
-limit search by date, language, journal name, full text, etc.
-expand search if not many hits

• avoid plagiarism: don't procrastinate, add URL to notes if researching  online, use footnotes
• relevance: is it introductory/basic, definitional/descriptive, analytical, comprehensive, current?
• authority in authors: academic degrees, institutional affiliations, established record of researching &publishing on topic, personal experience 
• signs of source bias: overly positive or harsh language, hints of agenda, stubborn refusal to consider other POVs
• synthesis: combining separate info & ideas to form more complete understanding
• use someone else's exact words or ideas, must give person credit
• Modern Language Association- book on how to cite sources