Information Literacy

Good information literacy skills helps you successfully, find, use and evaluate information which is key to academic success and lifelong learning.

Why are Information Literacy Skills Important?

During your time in ATU you will be expected to read course materials to inform and educate yourself with the subjects you are studying and to write assignments set out by your lecturers. The majority of the material is provided as recommended reading lists, printed course packs or links to electronic copies of books and articles provided through ATU’s VLE.

However, you will also be expected to develop your learning and do research beyond what is set by your lecturers to show your understanding of the subjects you are studying. This requires you to search, find and evaluate information independently on the topics you are studying. To do this effectively you need good information skills. With information accessible in various formats and quality, it is important that students have the skills needed to allow them to use the variety of information resources available and to retrieve, evaluate and use that information successfully.

Examples of information Literacy skills training include:

  • Library Induction
  • APS – Information Sources
  • APS – Online Library
  • APS – Plagiarism and Copyright
  • APS – Citation & Referencing
  • eResources & Database Searching
  • EndNote Online

In the wider context, information skills are important because it helps to increase information literacy. Information literacy is a set of abilities requiring individuals to “recognize when information is needed and have the ability to locate, evaluate, and use effectively the needed information.” (ALA, 1989) Integrating Information Literacy into the curriculum is about building skills for independent lifelong learning.

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