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Arkansas State University

Information Literacy: Home

Information literacy is the set of abilities requiring individuals to "recognize when information is needed and have the ability to locate, evaluate, and use effectively the needed information."

WHAT IS INFORMATION LITERACY?

Information literacy is not just an academic skill, it's a life skill. It allows you to recognize your information needs, locate and evaluate sources, and use the information you find effectively.

Seems fairly simple, right?

Unfortunately, it's not.

Think about all the times you try to search the Internet. Are you successful every time? How often do you find too much information? Not enough? How many time do your search results have nothing to do with what you're looking for? 

The truth is: searching for information can be frustrating. You may not really know what you are looking for or how to articulate it. You may know what you need, but not the best way to find it. And when you do find it, you may not know where to go from there. That's why you need information literacy.

Information literacy has six parts. Click on each part to learn more about it: