1. Information Literacy

Information Literacy focusses on the ability to recognize when information is needed, and on the ability to locate, evaluate and use the needed information effectively and responsibly.

Many courses you follow as a bachelor or master student require you to study sources and use information from those sources in an assignment or project that will be graded. Rarely, all information you need to study to pass your project is provided at the start of a module. So when and how do you acquire the relevant knowledge? To give you an idea of when Information Literacy skills can be applied, here are a few scenarios: 

• For a course on sustainable energy, you need to optimize the efficiency of a solar farm. The compulsory literature focusses on photovoltaic systems, but you need more information on the application of solar panels at a solar farm.
  
  Which databases might provide scientific studies done on this topic, and how do you find the most relevant ones within those databases?
  
  
• Your project group needs to plan the construction of a dam in the river Nile. The compulsory literature focusses on construction principles, but you need to inform yourself about local policies and stakeholder interests.
  
  Where do you find useful sources of non-scientific information, and how do you recognize bias in these sources?
  
  
• For your Bachelor assignment, you design an app that helps people with sleeping problems. To prepare interviews with your target group, you need statistics regarding sleep related health conditions.
  
  Which criteria do you use to decide which information to trust and which not?
  
  
• You need to hand in a project report at the end of the module. The teacher warns that plagiarism is not tolerated.
  
  How are you expected to use and refer to sources you use information from, in order to adhere to academic standards?
  
  
• To clarify the topic of your sub-assignment for a statics course, you want to add a picture of a seesaw sold by the company Plum Play.
  
  How do you know if you are allowed to use a picture, and if so in which way?
  
  
• As part of your project, you have to conduct a literature review on existing knowledge about injectors in rocket engines.
  
  How do you keep track of the useful (sections of) sources you found?

With each project or assignments you take part in, you will gain Information Literacy skills without even being aware of it. However, to recognize and become better at specific skills associated with Information Literacy, support is offered in the following ways:

• Education for students on Information Literacy is facilitated by the Information Specialist(s) of your faculty. Lectures and exercises on Information Literacy are tailored to your study programme. Sometimes the education is part of an Academic or Professional Skills curriculum, in other cases the education is integrated in the curriculum as a separate entity.
• The University Library website offers learning materials, such as this guide, a series of micro lectures and an e-learning game.
• The Information Specialist of your faculty can always be reached via email if you have any questions on Information Literacy topics.