Lesson One

Information Literacy

What is information literacy?

• In a nutshell, information literacy is "the process of: accessing, evaluating, and using information to make decisions, solve problems, and/or acquire knowledge."

– Source: Young, R. M., & Harmony, S. (1999). Working with faculty to design undergraduate information literacy programs: A how-to-do-it manual for librarians. New York: Neal-Schulman.

• In simpler terms, information literacy means finding, evaluating, and using information in an appropriate way. And in the world today, there is a LOT of information!

What is information literacy?

• According to a 2003 study by the School of Information Management and Systems at the University of California at Berkeley, "almost 800 MB of recorded information is produced per person each year." That is about 30 feet of books per person for 6.3 billion people!

– Source: Lyman, P., & Varian, H.R. (2003). How much information? Retrieved April 22, 2004, from http://www.sims.berkeley.edu/how-much-info-2003

• There is no way that anyone could store that much information in their head! So, you must be able to apply resources, technology, and your own knowledge in order to locate necessary information.

What is information literacy?

• There is more involved with information literacy than being able to find information.

• Just locating a piece of information does not mean it is useful.

• You must be able to recognize what information is needed, evaluate the information, and apply it to your needs.

Why you need to be information literate

• For which of the following items would the application of information literacy be important?

– Buying a used car – Researching a paper on the influence of the media on violence

in America – Determining what treatment to undergo for a cancer diagnosis – Choosing a college to attend – Applying for a job

• If you answered "all of the above", you are right!

Types of periodicals

• There are numerous magazines and other periodicals available in the Sullivan University Library collection. Many more titles can be found in full-text through our electronic databases.

• What exactly is a periodical?

• A periodical is a publication that comes out at regular intervals. For example, many popular magazines are regularly published monthly and many newspapers are regularly published daily.

Types of periodicals

There are several types of periodicals that you will be dealing with. These include:

• Popular Magazines

• Scholarly Journals (often known as "peer-reviewed" journals)

• Trade Publications

• Newspapers

Popular magazines

Popular magazines are the type of periodicals with which you are probably the most familiar.

Magazines such as People, Sports Illustrated, Business Week and Forbes, are all popular magazines.

Popular magazines

Popular magazines:• are intended for the general public; • tend to feature lots of color advertising and

photographs; • can usually be purchased on newsstands; • include content written by staff or freelance

writers. (These writers may be very knowledgeable, but they may not be experts in the field);

• are published frequently (monthly or weekly); • tend to have short articles on broad topics.

Scholarly journals

Scholarly journals, as the name suggests, are more scholarly or academic in nature than popular magazines.

• Journals like American Economic Review, Harvard Business Review, and Journal of Management are all scholarly journals.

Scholarly journalsScholarly journals:• are intended for students, academics, or specialists in a particular

field of study; • feature little or no advertising; • can be found more often in libraries than in bookstores or

newsstands; • are written by professionals (experts) in the specialty or field (not

staff writers); • are often edited by a panel of experts (i.e., professors or others)

known as peer-reviewers; • present an academic approach to a subject; • often contain long, comprehensive articles on research or case

studies with bibliographies and/or references; • published less frequently than popular or trade publications (e.g.,

bimonthly or quarterly).

Scholarly journals

• For example, while articles in Forbes are written by professional writers, articles in The Journal of Accountancy are written by professors or experts in accounting.

Scholarly journals – Important!

• Articles in popular magazines are edited by an editor, whereas articles in scholarly journals are edited by a panel of experts in the field (for example, several accounting professors at various universities will review articles on accounting prior to the article being published).

• These professors are the peers or professional equals in rank of those who submit articles. Thus, the process is known as peer-reviewing.

• These peer reviewers may suggest changes or point out problems in the original author's research.

Trade publications

• Trade publications are another major type of periodical you will encounter.

Trade publications

Trade publications:• are written for practitioners in a field of study (i.e.

culinary, paralegals, etc.); • tend to cover a mix of the types of topics found in

popular magazines (but with a slant towards the information needed by a professional in the field) and topics found in scholarly journals (but, once again, with a slant towards practitioners, instead of academics);

• often include photographs and advertisements; • cover current events, trends, and practices within the

field; • often use "jargon" related to the field; • are usually published frequently (i.e., weekly or monthly).

Trade publications

• For more in-depth information on the different types of publications, check out this page from the Karl E. Mundt Library at Dakota State University: http://www.departments.dsu.edu/library/courses/scholpop.htm

Newspapers

Newspapers are a familiar periodical.

Newspapers:

• Provide current news and information on a daily or weekly basis;

• Often contain editorials or commentary;

• Usually have a geographical focus (i.e., a city or regional newspaper)

To review:

• There are several different types of periodicals. Periodicals include: popular magazines, scholarly journals, and trade publications, as well as newspapers.

How much do you really know about periodicals?

• Now that you have learned about periodicals...use this short assessment to check your knowledge.– For each of the following, determine what type

of periodical (trade publication, scholarly journal, or popular magazine) is best described.

– To check yourself, click the mouse or press the enter key for the answer.

How much do you really know about periodicals?

• Question 1:– What kinds of periodicals contain photographs

and advertisements?

• Answer:– A popular magazine or trade publication

How much do you really know about periodicals?

• Question 2:– What kind of periodical has both formal and

informal terminology related to a particular trade or profession?

• Answer:– This best describes a trade publication. Trade

publications tend to have a mix of both academic and popular topics.

How much do you really know about periodicals?

• Question 3:– What kind of periodical contains case studies,

research reviews, and bibliographies?

• Answer:– This best describes a scholarly journal.

How much do you really know about periodicals?

• Question 4:– What kind of periodical contains articles

geared towards a general audience?

• Answer:– This best describes a popular magazine.

How much do you really know about periodicals?

• Question 5:– In what kind of periodical may articles be

peer-reviewed (i.e. critiqued by professionals in the field prior to publication?

• Answer:– This best describes a scholarly journal. 

How much do you really know about periodicals?

• Question 6:– What kind of periodical is often published on a

weekly or monthly basis?

• Answer: – This best describes a popular magazine or

trade publication. Popular magazines and trade publications are published at a faster rate than scholarly journals.

What is a citation?

• A citation is used if you refer to, or cite, someone else’s work within your paper.

• The citation identifies the source of the information, which you are using to support facts within your paper.

What is a citation?

• A citation within a research paper provides information on where the other person's work can be found.

• A complete citation includes the:– author (if any) – title – date – publication information.

• The information provided in a citation is important in case someone reading your paper is interested in your sources.

Why are citations needed?

• There are a number of reasons that citations are needed in a research paper.

• Some of those reasons include:

Why are citations needed?

• Avoidance of plagiarism – Plagiarism is the unacknowledged use of another person's work.

It is a form of cheating. If you plagiarize, the consequences range from failing a class to expulsion from school. A person should be given credit for the use of his own words, art, or music.

• Adding validity to your paper – The use of credible citations is a paper demonstrates that you

have spent time and effort in researching the topic of your paper.

• Provision of information – As mentioned earlier, a citation provides information about a

source. If the reader of your paper is interested, she or he can then locate the source using information that you have provided.

APA Citation Style

• Citations in a research paper allow the reader to follow-up on the ideas within your paper.

• Using a citation format makes it easier for the reader to determine what type of materials you have used, and in turn, to locate them for his or her own use.

APA Citation Style

• Style manuals provide information and examples about the format (or style) of citations and other parts of a research paper.

• You may already be familiar with some better-known style manuals such as:– the Chicago Manual of Style – the Turabian Manual for Writers – the MLA (Modern Language Association) Handbook.

• At Sullivan University, the approved style manual is the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 5th edition (APA Manual).

More about APA citation style

• The APA Manual provides "style" guidelines on how to format both your paper and your citations.

• "APA Style" provides information on how to cite a source within your paper (as a quote or otherwise). You are also given guidelines on how to prepare a reference list of your sources.

More about APA citation style• "APA Style" provides information on how to cite a source within your paper

(as a quote or otherwise). You are also given guidelines on how to prepare a reference list of your sources.

• Here are some brief guidelines on formatting a paper in APA style:– The margins of the paper are at least 1-inch (top, bottom, left, and right).– The paper is doubled-spaced.– Unless told differently by your instructor, a paper in APA style usually consists of

a title page, abstract, text of the paper, and reference page. There may also be appendixes and/or footnotes.

– A page header is placed at the top right of each page (A page header is the first two or three words of the title). The page header is 5 spaces to the left of the page number.

– A "running head" is at the top left of the title page. The running head is a shortened version of the title of your paper and is typed in capital letters.

– Each page is numbered.

• Source: American Psychological Association. (2001). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (5th ed.). Washington, DC: Author.

Citations within the paper• There are various ways to cite a source within the text of your

research paper. You should cite the author (if available) and the date of the work briefly in the paper.

• Here are several examples of citations within the text of a paper (Note: If you have any questions about citations, it is always best to consult the APA Manual or check with your instructor):

– Jones (2003) identifies several items used in the construction of his theory. (in this case, the author was identified within the sentence along with the year of the source).

– Using the results of a recent study (Jones, 2003), many new elements were identified. (this example lists the author and date in parentheses within the sentence).

• If a source has no author, usually the title of the article or book along with the year is listed.

Citations within the paper

• Quotations are handled differently.

• A short quotation (less than 40 words) is placed within the text. Quotation marks are used around the quote. The quote is cited.

• Quotes containing more than 40 words are placed in a block quotation without quotation marks. The block is indented and double-spaced. The quote is cited.

The reference list

• APA style requires the use of reference lists, NOT bibliographies.

• The 5th edition of the APA Manual notes that "a reference list cites works that specifically support a particular article."

• A bibliography, in contrast, is a work that provides information about additional sources for background reading. These are not necessarily the sources used in a paper.

The reference list

• APA style uses the author-date citation method.

• The author (if available) and the date are the first elements of an APA citation.

For more information about APA style…

• The APA Citation Handout (http://library.sullivan.edu/CSS/cssapa.htm) on the library's web page provides instructions and examples for some of the most common types of materials you will cite in your papers.

• The Purdue University Online Writing Lab offers a very user-friendly guide to APA style at (http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/research/r_apa.html).

• The American Psychological Association (APA) offers some style tips on their website which may be helpful to you as well (http://www.apastyle.org/previoustips.html).

• The Slate Citation Machine (http://landmark-project.com/citation_machine/index.php) is an easy to use, fill-in-the blank guide to APA and MLA citation formats.

More on plagiarism• The excellent article Tactics and Resources to Help Students

AVOID PLAGIARISM by Caroline McCullen in the November 2003 issue of Multimedia Schools asks the following question:

• Which of these is an example of plagiarism?

– To change a few words at the beginning and end but copy the rest of a paragraph

– To paraphrase without a citation– To purchase a term paper and turn it in as original work

• Source: McCullen, C. (November 2003). Tactics and resources to help students avoid plagiarism. Multimedia Schools, 10, 40-44. Retrieved May 3, 2004, from MasterFile Premier, an EBSCOhost database.

More on plagiarism

• According to the article, ALL of these are examples of plagiarism. The 3rd example was obvious, but the other 2 examples are also forms of plagiarism.

• Anytime that you use an idea of someone else's, they must receive credit in your paper (as a citation). This is even if you are not quoting directly from the source itself.

What is plagiarism?

• Plagiarism is a very serious offense. It can lead to expulsion and failing grades.

• It is important that you understand what plagiarism is.

What is plagiarism?

• As defined in the 4th edition of the American Heritage College Dictionary, to plagiarize is:

– to use and pass off (the ideas or writings of another) as one's own

– to appropriate for use as one's own passages or ideas from (another)

• Source: Pickett, J. P. et al. (2002). The American heritage college dictionary (4th ed.). New York: Houghton Mifflin.

What is plagiarism?

Plagiarism is a form of cheating.

Sullivan University’s Policy on Plagiarism

• It is unacceptable to plagiarize. Sullivan University's policy on plagiarism is outlined in the student handbook as follows:

• Academic Honesty, Honor, and Integrity:

– Plagiarism, a form of cheating, is a massive problem in educational institutions nationwide. The Internet has made this form of cheating easier. Some websites actually cater to dishonesty by making available to anyone papers and tests on a wide variety of topics - for a fee.

– Integrity is a critical trait for success in life. The consequences of dishonesty and cheating can be severe, both in the academic world, and in the world of business and industry. No one wants to work or associate with dishonest people. By taking a class, you are entering an implied contract with your instructor to be responsible for your own work.

– Some class activities may require or allow working together as a group with classmates; some may require you to work alone. When in doubt, ask!

– Verified instances of cheating or plagiarism will result in the awarding of a grade of "0" on the specific test, project or assignment and may include failure of the class or other disciplinary action as stated in the Student Handbook.

– Your conduct will also be reported to the appropriate Dean or Director for further action.

Sullivan University’s Policy on Plagiarism

• Sullivan University also recognizes that a person who allows their original work to be used by another student for academic credit is guilty of plagiarism.

• Students found guilty of first offense plagiarism or cheating are at the discretion of the instructor.

Sullivan University’s policy on plagiarism

• Penalty for first offense includes:– a failing grade for the course – a letter of explanation in the student's

permanent academic file

• If a second incident occurs: – the student is exposed to the possibility of

expulsion from the University through the office of the appropriate dean.

• Source: Sullivan University Library. (2001). Preventing plagiarism. Retrieved July 19, 2004, from http://library.sullivan.edu/links/plagiarism.htm

How to avoid plagiarism

• Plagiarism can be intentional or unintentional.

• To plagiarize intentionally means to deliberately use and take credit for someone else's work.

• A person can also plagiarize unintentionally, especially if they are unfamiliar with how to cite or use sources.

How to avoid plagiarism

• However, there is never a good excuse for plagiarizing. Disciplinary measures may take place regardless of the type of plagiarism.

• The best policy in avoiding plagiarism is to always use caution.

• If you are not certain whether a source should be cited, it is best to cite the source.

How to avoid plagiarism

• You can also check with your instructor for clarification.

• Also, remember... even if you are paraphrasing and not directly quoting a source, if you are using the ideas of a source for your paper, the source should be cited.

TurnItIn

• What is Turnitin?

• Turnitin is a very useful anti-plagiarism software tool.

TurnItIn

• Your class instructors will provide more details on the use of Turnitin in their classes.

• For access to an online TURNITIN student manual which explains how to logon and upload assignments, click here.

What is intellectual property?

• Plagiarism also affects intellectual property and/or copyright laws.

• Violations include not only the use of the words of a source without permission, but the use of images, sounds, and other multimedia.

What is intellectual property?

• What is Intellectual Property?• According to the World International

Property Organization (WIPO), "Intellectual property refers to creations of the mind: inventions, literary and artistic works, and symbols, names, images, and designs used in commerce." (http://www.wipo.int/about-ip/en/overview.html)

What is intellectual property?

• There are two main kinds of Intellectual Property: industrial (patents and trademarks) and copyright (creative works that have been fixed in any kind of media).

• A broad summary of IP can be found in the WIPO handbook, located on the web at http://www.wipo.int/about-ip/en/iprm/index.htm.

What is copyright?

• Copyright is the form of intellectual property that is of the most interest to the students and instructors.

• Copyright law provides legal protection to the creator of an original work, whether it is a literary, audio, art, or other type of work.

• For example, you cannot use a logo, trademark, song, a complete poem, story, or other source without specific permission from the copyright holder.

What is copyright?

• Copyright in the United States is administered by the Library of Congress. Here is a link to their website on copyright basics. http://www.copyright.gov/circs/circ1.html

• Pay careful attention to the following sections:– What is copyright? – What works are protected? – What is not protected by copyright?

What does copyright affect?

• Copyright affects items other than the use of images or words in a paper. – Copyright can affect how much of a item can

be photocopied. – Copyright can affect what can be used from

the Internet. – Copyright affects royalties on motion pictures

or music recordings.

What does copyright affect?

• However... under some educational circumstances, Fair Use Guidelines may apply with the use of copyrighted materials. The Fair Use Guidelines allow instructors and students to use portions of copyrighted works in special situations.

• This is important for students and educators especially in the creation of multimedia works such as a Microsoft PowerPoint presentation.

What is fair use?

• Fair Use allows the use of a limited amount of a work for educational purposes without seeking permission from the copyright holder first. The source must still be cited.

• Click here to go to a web site by the Consortium of College and University Media Centers on the Fair Use Guidelines for Educational Multimedia. – Pay particular attention to:

• What students are allowed to use • The amount of material that can be produced • The time limitations • When prior permission is necessary

• Santa Clara University in California also has an excellent, concise

web site explaining Fair Use Guidelines for students.

What is a primary source?

• Occasionally your instructor may assign a paper in which you are to use primary sources.

• What is a primary source? Why are primary sources used in research and other papers?

What is a primary source?

• A primary source is a first-hand account of an event. Sometimes a primary source is referred to a "original research."

• A primary source document is written by an observer of an event, whether it is an historical event, an experiment, or a personal life episode. This may include raw data or the individual's viewpoint of an incident.

What is a primary source?

• Examples of primary documents include:– historical items such as the Declaration of Independence – diaries – autobiographies – journals – speeches – original scientific experiments

• Primary sources can be helpful tools to use in a research paper. They provide first-hand, credible information that can assist you in describing or interpreting an event.

What is a secondary source?

• Secondary sources, on the other hand, are sources such as books, documents, and articles written by individuals that were not directly involved in an event.

• Secondary sources analyze or interpret an event based on accounts from primary source materials.

What is a secondary source?

• Authors of secondary source materials may restate facts or compile information from primary source materials in order to formulate their own viewpoints.

• A student's research paper is often an example of a secondary source. In many cases, the student has used primary and/or secondary source materials in the composition of his or her paper.

For more information about information literacy…

• Here are some Web sites that provide additional information on information literacy.

– The Texas Information Literacy Tutorial (TILT): (http://tilt.lib.utsystem.edu) is an excellent interactive tutorial that describes how to find, use, and evaluate information.

– Literacy: Critical Skills for a Changing World is a pamphlet that was developed in 1994 by the American Library Association. This version is in a scanned format provided as part of an Information Literacy 101 class at York College of Pennsylvania and can be found at (http://www.ycp.edu/library/ifl/reserves/ala_infolit.html).

Other Library Services

• Please remember that we have many other services available to you. These include:– The Ask-A-Librarian E-Mail Service– Online Tutorials and Research Guides

• Please do not hesitate to e-mail or contact us if we can help you now or in the future with your research needs.

• Best wishes to you in your studies!!