HU 164 Research Methods and Techniques Prof. Dr. Abdelsamie Moet Fall 2012/13 Pharos University in Alexandria Faculty of Engineering Information Literacy Lect 2

InfoLiteracy2 Points What is “Information”? What is “Information Literacy”? Why do we need it? How do we employ Information Literacy?

InfoLiteracy3 nformation knowledge gained through study, communication, research, instruction, etc.; factual data:

InfoLiteracy4 Information literacy Information literacy is a set of skills requiring individuals to “recognize when information is needed, and have the ability to locate, evaluate, and use it effectively. It is a process of lifelong learning.

InfoLiteracy5 lifelong learning Lifelong learning is the "lifelong, voluntary, and self-motivated" pursuit of knowledge for either personal or professional reasons.

InfoLiteracy6 3 Why do we need IL? To acquire information search skills and access appropriate information: –identify, –locate, –analyze, –evaluate, –synthesize information sources effectively. That helps you become independent, self- directed learners.

InfoLiteracy7 How do we employ Information Literacy 3 Steps: 1.Startlooking for information 2.Findthe information 3.Evaluatethe information

InfoLiteracy8 1. Start out recognize your need for information critically think about your topic and need read about your topic and start making notes defining keywords by: –drawing a mind map –select broader and narrower subject terms –identify different spellings or words understand that the financial cost (if and when any)

InfoLiteracy9 Mind Map is a graphical representation of ideas and aspects around a central theme, and how these aspects are related to each other. is like a tree, with branches leading to the thoughts and aspect of the theme. systematically unpack abstract thoughts and bring structure and overview to a problem.

InfoLiteracy10 Mind Mapping Take a blank piece of A4 paper and turn it on its side. Start in the centre and draw an image that represents the topic you are working on. The main themes around the central image are like chapter headings. Draw thick lines which connect the themes to the main image and print one word associated with each of your themes next to the line. Start to add another level of thought, using thinner lines, linked to each theme. These are your associated thoughts. Attach words or images. Add your personal touch. –Make your map artistic, colorful and imaginative.

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InfoLiteracy12 2. Find out the Internet Check your spelling. If your results are not satisfactory, repeat the search using alternative words. Experiment with different search engines. No two search engines retrieve identical results. Also, consider trying search engines that search multiple engines simultaneously. Try different sources to diversify your results. Sources can include topical directories created by professionals, research sites such as Google Scholar or Google Books, etc. Good tutorial:

InfoLiteracy13 Phrase Searching is used to retrieve a string of words (instead of a single word). Example: –You might be looking for information on urban development. Each one of these words has a different meaning when standing alone and will retrieve many irrelevant documents, but when you put them together the meaning changes to the very precise concept of “urban development". For the database to understand your search, you should put your phrase between brackets ( ) or inverted commas “” as required.

InfoLiteracy14 3. Evaluate وإلا..

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InfoLiteracy16 3. Evaluation Once found, critically evaluate information by looking at: –fact vs opinion –authority of the information –currency of the information understand the difference between popular and academic sources understand primary and secondary sourcesbe able to eliminate irrelevant information

InfoLiteracy17 Fact vs. Opinion When you evaluate information, it is very important to distinguish between fact and opinion. Fact A fact is something concrete that can be proven. You can find facts in legal records, scientific findings, encyclopaedias, atlases, etc. In other words, facts are the truth and are accepted as such. Opinion An opinion is less concrete. It's a view formed in the mind of a person about a particular issue. In other words, it is what someone believes or thinks, and is not necessarily the truth.

InfoLiteracy18 Authority Who is the author of the information? What are the credentials of the author, e.g. qualifications? What else did the author publish, especially in the same field? Was the information written by a person who is a specialist in this field or is it merely someone's hobby or opinion? Was the content verified, peer-reviewed? If the information is published by a responsible organization You can do a search on the name of the author to help you determine what else the author has published and might even provide the credentials of the author, etc.

InfoLiteracy19 Currency Currency defines the age of the information. In fields such as technology currency of information is important. In fields such as history or literature, however, older sources may be just as valuable as newer sources. To know if the information is current, consider the following: –When the information was published or written. –Is information in this field constantly being updated and are there new ideas being written? In certain subject fields e.g. IT (Information Technology), you will find that information is quickly outdated and needs constant updating. –Some assignments require that you use the most current information. –Others require historical information or information over a period of time.

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InfoLiteracy21 Is the information at a level you can understand? It is essential to understand the information that you are reading as well as to have text that will be enable you to present meaningful facts. For example, if you are doing research on a particular topic you will not consult an encyclopedia aimed at young children. If you find that some information in a text is difficult to understand, it is essential to read that text again because it is usually easier to understand the context the second time around. If a particular text is beyond your comprehension you should consult other sources at a level that you will understand.

InfoLiteracy22 Is the information up to date? New information is needed to represent recent developments. It is, therefore, essential to asses the currency of the information retrieved, especially for new modern topics. In this case, the date of publication of the source of information will indicate how recent the facts are in that particular source. A book published in 2002 is more likely to contain recent information than a book published in Similarly, even recent journals will contain more current information than the books. If you use internet it is essential to check when the information was last updated.

InfoLiteracy23 Is the information accurate and unbiased? Information must be presented with minimum bias. It is important to be aware that not everything in print is correct and accurate. It is important to deal with conflicting viewpoints when you use your information. –If you have consulted sources and they have conflicting views you will need to look in other sources in order to verify facts and avoid bias. –In this case you may also present your own point of view supported by substantial evidence thus ensuring objectivity.

InfoLiteracy24 Which of the information is relevant ? It is essential to sift information that is not needed or irrelevant. The information that is selected must deal directly with the topic and its related problems. Discard information where you have problems with bias, accuracy or currency. Unnecessary information is only an indication that you have not evaluated the retrieved information.

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