Information Literacy

Definition:

Information Literacy is defined as the ability to know when there is a need for information, to be able to identify, locate, evaluate, and effectively use that information for the issue or problem at hand.

Information Literacy

• Information explosion (overload)– Electronic (Internet)

Internet growth

Internet growth

Information Literacy

• Information explosion (overload)– Electronic (Internet)

• Scientific information– Library info (Digital Library)

Information Literacy

• Information explosion (overload)– Electronic (Internet)

• Scientific information– Library info (Digital Library)

• Problem with reliability• Brittanica <-> Wikipedia• Scopus <-> Google Scholar

Information Literacy

• Why should you be information literate?

–Later as a professional–Now during your studies

What will you learn?

• Know your information sources

– types and quality of sources (BB)• Books, scientific journals, professional journals,

encyclopedia, proceedings, maps, reports, etc.• Scopus/Brittanica <-> Google Scholar/ Wikipedia

– specific for your research field• Portals

What will you learn?

• Knowing how to search

• efficiently

• effectively

• basic search strategies

• special databases

What will you learn

• How to use the Wageningen UR library

– the physical library (Forum, Leeuwenborch)– the virtual library (Digital Library)

Physical and Virtual Library

Physical Library

Library stacks

Library stacks

Journals in the library

What will you learn

• How to use the Wageningen UR library

– the physical library (Haaff, Nieuwlanden, UB)– the virtual library (Digital Library)

What will you learn

• Referring, citing, quoting– literature lists– plagiarism

Learning method

• Assessment (= quiz)

• introduction

• practical work

• library assignment

• studying the BlackBoard modules

• Assignment!

Working in BlackBoard

• How does it look like?

• What can you do?

• What must you do?– Modules– Learning units– Assignments

• Your own responsibility……….but exercises & short report

For next week practicals

• Before March 11th : • Assessment, M1, M2, M3, M4a.2

– Assessment See what you (don’t) know– M1: General introduction– M2: Information sources– M3: Wageningen UR library sources– M4a.2 Searching for beginners

• Choose a research topic for your assignment, preferably in groups of 2. If you have selected your topic, make exercise 1 of the MSc-Assignment. We like to discuss this with you during the practicals.

Example

• How to define your search strategy

“Natural disasters are natural phenomena, but their victims and the damage caused are the consequences of the human activity. Therefore preventive measures or protection against natural disasters like earthquakes, floods, hurricanes, and landslides are of extreme importance. Spatial planning is one of the activities which can prevent, abate, or mitigate their consequences, by proper physical planning, taking into account the knowledge of risk concerning the occurrence of the phenomena that can provoke disasters. In accordance with the need for rising the awareness of policy makers land use planners should take any opportunity to include the aspect of reduction of the effect of natural disasters in their planning practice.” (S. Balram, P.D. Molotov Spatial planning as a means of protection against natural disasters, Landscape and Urban Planning 69 (2004) 145–162)

Concepts/aspects and keywords:

natural disasters: natural disasters, earthquakes, floods, hurricanes, etc.

spatial planning: spatial planning, land use planning, urban planning, etc.

prevention: prevention, mitigation, protection, etc.