6 Information Literacy and Documentation

Information literacy means you can find, select, evaluate, and use material in your communication. Your reputation depends on your ability to do this accurately. It only takes one instance of including or using unverified or incorrect information to reduce your credibility. You are as trustworthy as the material you use.

Faced with a research project, you can feel powerless very quickly: it can seem like an overwhelming task. Where to begin, where to find information, how to choose what to use, and how to use it properly can result in frustration, loss of motivation, and the inevitable block.

You can use a four-step approach to help you get unstuck when faced with too many choices. Start with a topic. A clear understanding of the information you need helps you be more specific when you are looking for material. Then the four steps: Search,  Scrutinize, Select, and Use.

Search

With so many options at our fingertips, it can be difficult to decide where to start your search for information. Don’t let that stop you. Think of the primary three tools you can use: the internet, professionals, and friends.

Conversations with friends are good to help you clarify what information you need. It’s a form of brainstorming.

Ask a professional – a colleague, teacher, or librarian – they can guide you with topics, and how and where to search. Good search techniques include knowing and finding the right people to ask. If you are in a college program, your college library will have a research database that you can use with access to many databases that are available to students. You can also search using Google Scholar for academic papers. Check the drop-down menu box for Google services. Some of these research sites are free to access, and some require payment or subscription.

Internet searching is the usual first stop: also known as “GTS” (Google That S***). However, it is easy to fall down rabbit holes of distraction so remember to keep yourself focused in order to stay on track. First, set a timer or alarm on your phone. Short 20 minutes searches can keep you focused and on track. It also helps to take micro-breaks between searches. Second, keep a list (handwritten or an open document on the computer) to track your finds and potential sites and sources.

Search terms are important and your results change based on what words you use for the search. Try more than one way of phrasing something. Boolean searches are also ways to be more specific when using a computer for searching. Quotation marks around a word string (“Boolean Search Terms”) will provide results with the words “Boolean Search Terms” in that order. You can also use AND, OR, or NOT with Boolean searches to specify what to include or exclude in the results.

When you go through search results, be mindful of the web address. Extensions, the end of the address, can help you decide whether or not to click a link for information. Be familiar with the different types of URL addresses and how they identify a source. Here are some to start your list:

.com, .ca = businesses

.net, .org = non-profit and interest groups

.gov = government

.edu = education

A word of caution is necessary about how internet search engines operate and end up controlling what you find in searches. Algorithms are created every time you search and click on a link. Those algorithms determine what you are likely interested in and therefore the usual search engines will show those results to you first. It is designed to make your experience smoother and easier; however, it also means you end up seeing what you will probably like. Clear your browser history regularly to minimize this. You can also use a research database to remove this pre-selection or filtering of material based on your previous clicks.

For additional search tips, check out your local library. Niagara College has also put together a tutorial for internet searching that will take you 10 to 15 minutes to complete. NC Libraries Search Tips

Scrutinize

Check the material you are going to use. FACTS is an acronym to help you remember questions to ask yourself about the material you are reading/viewing to determine your trust level.  Where and how did you Find the materials?  Is it requesting a specific Action from you and does it omit a group from being heard? How Credible is the writer, publisher, website, or source?  Where does the material appear in the Timeline of the subject matter?  How old or new is it and does it agree or disagree with other material?  Lastly, what are the Sources it uses to support the point made?  The full information is available through the NC Libraries Information Literacy – Handouts page.

There is the CRAAP method which asks you to verify that the information is Current, or most up-to-date; check that it clearly relates to your topic and point; ensure it is from a source with expertise in the field; check that it is accurate; and examine the purpose of the original material. Others prefer to SIFT the material: Stop, Investigate the source, Find additional material that reinforces the information or is better, and Trace the material back to its original source to ensure accurate reproduction.

Several organizations exist that promote searching out the truth and fact based news. Organizations such as The Pro-Truth Pledge and the News Literacy Project ask individuals, politicians, news reporters, and organizations to stick to evidence. Fake news is not always easy to decipher and it is important to have tools to check and protect. Niagara College has a checklist to help you identify fake news.

Select

Once you have found the source, selecting what passage or information or image to use is your next challenge. Go back to your purpose to help you decide what quotation, statistic, or idea you need.

If you are proving an idea, you may want to reinforce your point with a quotation or idea from a reputable source.

To explain or illustrate something, try using a visual. Images, photographs, charts, and graphs can help make your suggestion or point clearer.

Remember to be careful not to misrepresent the original author or creator’s idea or image and keep track of where you found the material.

Use the document features to help determine what you need.  Check headings, highlighted text portions, and pulled quotations: these elements help you identify what the author felt was important to the topic.

Use

When using information or images from another person or place, always give credit or tell the audience where you found the material. In conversation, it is as easy as “This photo was on the HairCare website and I think this is the hairstyle you mean.”

Giving credit to the original material is slightly more involved in writing and formal presentations.

Include credit for material in your document when you use it and include a final list called “References” at the end of your document or presentation support display. Be consistent in how you include the information so the reader or audience knows what to expect and how to find the original source.

Documentation Standards

Academic expectations for documenting external information is more rigorous. Within the trades, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) is the standard. You will find other disciplines use different standards: Modern Language Association (MLA), American Psychological Association (APA), and Chicago Style. When asked to document the material you use, make sure to check which documentation standard you need to use.

You should always keep track of the source material you use.  Key information is always the author(s)’s name(s), title of the webpage, host website name, URL, and date you accessed.  If anyone questions your source, you will have the information at hand.

Regardless of the system used, it is excellent practice to refer to – or reference – what and where you found original material you then incorporate into your work.  It is similar to a job interview: you identify your skills and provide the details where you developed the abilities (previous employment, school, volunteer work, etc.).  When you identify and provide the background, you increase your credibility.

IEEE Documentation

You document your research and external material such as images or statistics to demonstrate and increase your credibility: you know how to research, select material, incorporate it in your communication, and document information. The quality of your material is a reflection of your qualifications as well.

When you use external information, you immediately make a number notation in square brackets. That is an in-text citation or citation. Every time you use information from that source, you will use the same number. The numbers are determined by the order in which they appear in your document: the first external information is number 1, the second is number 2, and so on.

At the end of your document, you list, in numerical order, the full information needed to find the original material you used. This is “References”. There is a specific format to use for each entry based on where you found the material.

For material you found online, follow this format:

[1] First Name Initial(s) Last Name. “Page Title.“ Website Title. Web Address (retrieved Date Accessed).

Example:

[1] ncLibraries.”Borrow items from ncLibraries.” ncLibraries and Learning Commons. https://nclibraries.niagaracollege.ca/library/ncborrow (accessed Apr. 15, 2019).

Reference video material using this format:

[2] Video Owner/Creator, Location (if available). Title of Video: In Initial Caps. (Release date). Accessed: Month Day, Year. [Online Video]. Available: url

Example:

[2] ncLibraries. What is a Library Database? (May 24, 2018). Accessed: Apr. 15, 2019. [Online Video]. Available: https://youtu.be/f4IDtk9kepI

There are many internet sites to help you construct your reference entries. Remember to check the reliability of the site before you use it. A great help is to complete the IEEE module available through Niagara College.