Information literacy Information literacy and Plagiarism:and Plagiarism:

responsibilitiesresponsibilities

Annemarie Maritz

DEFINITIONDEFINITION

““To be information literate, a person must To be information literate, a person must be able to recognise when information is be able to recognise when information is needed and have the capacity to locate, needed and have the capacity to locate, evaluate, and use effectively the needed evaluate, and use effectively the needed information.”information.”

American Library Association Presidential Committee on Information Literacy (1989). Final Report, ALA, Chicago. http://www.ala.org/Content/NavigationMenu/ACRL/Publications/White_Papers_and_Reports/Presidential_Committee_on_Information_Literacy.htm

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Information Literacy SkillsInformation Literacy Skills ResponsibilityResponsibility

KnowKnow:: Determines the nature Determines the nature and extent of information and extent of information neededneeded

AccessAccess:: Efficiently and effectively Efficiently and effectively accesses information accesses information sourcessources

Information LiteracyInformation Literacy Shared Responsibilities for Learning … Shared Responsibilities for Learning …

Starts with the Starts with the lecturer; reinforced by lecturer; reinforced by librarianslibrarians

The librarian usually The librarian usually leads, with support leads, with support from lecturing stafffrom lecturing staff

Information Literacy SkillsInformation Literacy Skills ResponsibilityResponsibility

Evaluate SourcesEvaluate Sources:: Critically evaluates Critically evaluates information sourcesinformation sources

Evaluate ContentEvaluate Content::Critically evaluates Critically evaluates information content; information content; considers impact on considers impact on students’ prior knowledge, students’ prior knowledge, value system, and future value system, and future direction in lifedirection in life

Use:Use: Uses information found to Uses information found to accomplish a specific accomplish a specific purposepurpose

… … Information LiteracyInformation Literacy Shared Responsibilities for Learning … Shared Responsibilities for Learning …

The librarian may lead The librarian may lead initially; lecturers make initially; lecturers make the ultimate determination the ultimate determination from student’s work from student’s work product or performanceproduct or performance

Lecturing staff leads in Lecturing staff leads in classroom or other course classroom or other course context; students also may context; students also may consult librarians, external consult librarians, external subject experts, or peerssubject experts, or peers

Lecturers lead; librarians Lecturers lead; librarians can reinforce can reinforce

… … Information LiteracyInformation Literacy Shared Responsibilities for Shared Responsibilities for

LearningLearning

Information Literacy Information Literacy SkillsSkills

ResponsibilityResponsibility

Ethically/Legally:Ethically/Legally: Understands the Understands the economic, legal, and economic, legal, and social issues social issues surrounding the surrounding the acquisition and use of acquisition and use of informationinformationSource: Middle States Commission on Higher Education, Developing

Research & Communication Skills (2003), p. 23

Hernon, Peter. 2004. Outcomes assessment: a sustained effort to improve the quality of student learning. Powerpoint presentation at the 7th annual symposium held at the University of Stellenbosch Library,

Lecturers and Lecturers and librarians jointly and librarians jointly and continuouslycontinuously

The subject librarian helps The subject librarian helps with with

• Identifying relevant sources of Identifying relevant sources of information;information;

• Developing successful search strategies Developing successful search strategies in both the paper and electronic domain;in both the paper and electronic domain;

• Evaluating critically the reliability and Evaluating critically the reliability and suitability of sources of information; suitability of sources of information;

• Using acceptable conventions with Using acceptable conventions with regard to the referencing; andregard to the referencing; and

• Respecting copyright.Respecting copyright.

Students are guided by Students are guided by lecturers tolecturers to

• Use accurate and complete information as Use accurate and complete information as the basis of intelligent decision-making;the basis of intelligent decision-making;

• Determine exactly which aspects of a Determine exactly which aspects of a particular problem must be solved and particular problem must be solved and what information is required to do this;what information is required to do this;

• Formulate questions to ensure that Formulate questions to ensure that information is specific enough; andinformation is specific enough; and

• Interpret, analyse, organise, evaluate and Interpret, analyse, organise, evaluate and integrate information and evaluate integrate information and evaluate critically the validity of the information.critically the validity of the information.

Working togetherWorking together

• Consult a subject librarianConsult a subject librarian• Copy of the assignmentCopy of the assignment• Web-CT and GetWise@URLibraryWeb-CT and GetWise@URLibrary• Book a training sessionBook a training session• Attend the training sessionAttend the training session• Assessment of information skillsAssessment of information skills

Thank you!Thank you!