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Time: 15 hours
Level: Introductory
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 Introduction Resource- Safari is a guided expedition through the information world, aimed at helping you to feel more confident about finding, evaluating and using information. You will begin by considering the different types...
| | | | | 1 Understanding information [Recommended duration: 1 hour]
- 1.1 Overview Resource
- Section 1 looks at what we mean by information and offers a framework for looking at different types of information used both in studying and in daily life. Finally it addresses the first skill, that of...
- 1.2 What is information? Resource
- You will be presented with a number of definitions for ‘information’ to consider. Some come from dictionaries and others from ‘expert sources’.
- 1.3 The information age Resource
- Information is an important part of our lives. The information age looks at what this means in practice, and how things may have changed through time and with the development of technology.
- 1.4 Everyday uses Resource
- Everyday uses looks at the types of information we use in our personal lives, at work and during our studies. It asks you to consider the decisions you have made on a particular day and what information...
- 1.5 Types of information Resource
- There are times when the information you need can be very specific. For instance, when you're studying, you might need it to prepare an assignment or project, or to help in your revision. You will be asked...
- 1.6 Information universe Resource
- Continuing from the previous section, you will now be asked to consider where you might find the information you need and how this fits into the bigger picture of the information universe.
- 1.7 Mapping sources Resource
- You will be presented with the scenario of a student carrying out a project, and asked to consider what information she might need in order to do this.
- 1.8 Identifying needs Resource
- In this section, you will begin to focus on the skills you'll need to search effectively for the information you need, in particular, how to ‘identify and articulate your information needs’.
- 1.9 Summary Resource
- Section 1 has focused on what ‘information’ and living in an ‘information age’ means to you. You have considered the different types of information you might need, both in everyday live and during your...
| | | | | 2 Unpacking information [Recommended duration: 1 hour]
- 2.1 Overview Resource
- Section 2 addresses the origins of information, introducing the idea of the ‘information supply chain’. Categories of information are suggested, and sources mapped to begin to address the question of ‘where...
- 2.2 Information journeys Resource
- You will be looking at the process by which information is generated and consumed.
- 2.3 Supply chain Resource
- You will be introduced to the concept of the ‘information supply chain’, a model that can be used to describe the journey introduced in the previous section. You will be encouraged to think about each...
- 2.4 Research supply chain Resource
- This section continues to develop the model of the supply chain by looking at it in terms of the information you will be using during your studies. It encourages you to look at the process by which pure...
- 2.5 Categorising information Resource
- You will be looking at the ways in which information is grouped, or categorised, particularly in terms of academic sources.
- 2.6 Shape of the literature Resource
- You will now be considering how information resources in specific subject areas relate to one another, and the importance of these different sources. This is referred to as describing ‘the shape of the...
- 2.7 Finding information Resource
- You will now be finding out more about where to find the information you need, particularly during your studies, and also where you can go to for help in your search. Understanding what information you...
- 2.8 Summary Resource
- Section 2 covers where information comes from, how it is generated, and how it reaches you as a consumer. You will have been introduced to the journey the information takes, from creation to consumption,...
| | | | | 3 Planning a search [Recommended duration: 2 hours]
- 3.1 Overview Resource
- Section 3 goes through the steps of planning a specific search for information, introducing the systems and tools to be used, and how to access catalogue and database resources.
- 3.2 Describing information Resource
- This section introduces you to organised sources of information, like library catalogues and databases, which are widely used to store information. These sources are based on the principle that resources...
- 3.3 Databases Resource
- You will be introduced to the idea of the ‘database’, a way of storing, indexing, organising and retrieving information. They are often used by organisations to store information about individuals.
- 3.4 Library catalogues Resource
- Library catalogues are databases which contain information about the resources held at a particular library. You will be shown what information is normally held in a library catalogue and how they can...
- 3.5 World Wide Web Resource
- You will now be presented with a less organised source of information, the World Wide Web, and a discussion on the role it plays in our lives. You will also be given information on why you might decide...
- 3.6 Which to use? Resource
- Having identified some of the tools you might find useful in your search for information, you will now be considering which are the most appropriate to use, depending on the type of information you are...
- 3.7 Planning a search Resource
- In order to track down the information you need effectively, you will need to develop a search strategy. This means thinking about how you should break down the information you need, and identifying the...
- 3.8 Choosing resources
- This section shows you how to match your search statement to the resources available to you in your subject area.
- 3.9 Summary Resource
- Section 3 has introduced you to a number of tools available to help you in your search for information. You have also learned how to translate a search question into a search strategy, which will prepare...
| | | | | 4 Searching for information [Recommended duration: 3 hours]
- 4.1 Overview Resource
- Section 4 introduces the basic principles of searching and then applies these in a practical way to searching library catalogues, bibliographic databases and the World Wide Web.
- 4.2 Basic principles Resource
- The same principles apply whether you are searching a library catalogue, or a specialist database. Although each one may look different and use different terminology, there are a number of features that...
- 4.3 Databases Resource
- This section continues to develop the techniques you learned in Basic principles, introducing you to a database called ‘ArticleFirst’.
- 4.4 Library catalogues Resource
- You will now be looking at the skills you need to search library catalogues, and given the opportunity to learn how to use them confidently to find the information you need.
- 4.5 World Wide Web Resource
- You learn how to identify the kinds of information available on the Internet, and gain an understanding of the different techniques that will prove useful when you are using the web to search for resources....
- 4.6 Tracking progress Resource
- When working on a project, it is advisable to keep a list of the resources you plan to use, where you're going to look for information, and what you are going to be looking for. It is also important to...
- 4.7 Your subject Resource
- You will be asked to consider your own subject area and be given a number of resources that could be of help in that area.
- 4.8 Summary Resource
- Section 4 has introduced the basic principles of searching, and applied them to different tools. It has also identified a number of useful tools for finding information. Finally, it has provided guidance...
| | | | | 5 Evaluating information [Recommended duration: 3 hours]
- 5.1 Overview Resource
- Section 5 focuses on the concept of information quality. It suggests a generic framework for evaluating different kinds of information (print and electronic) and suggests ways in which information can...
- 5.2 Information quality Resource
- Having conducted your search for information and collected a substantial amount of information, you will now learn how to decide what to include and what to discard, by considering the ‘quality’ of the...
- 5.3 Presentation Resource
- The way information is presented can have a profound effect on the way we receive and perceive it. This section looks at a variety of different sources of information and offers guidance as to how you...
- 5.4 Relevance Resource
- This section will help you to gauge the relevancy of the material you have found, based on its relationship to the need you have identified and for which you are searching for information.
- 5.5 Objectivity Resource
- Information is not always objective or balanced. It can tend to present a particular position of interest. You will learn the importance of developing a critical awareness of the positions represented...
- 5.6 Method Resource
- This section introduces you to indicators that can point to the reliability of the information you have found.
- 5.7 Provenance Resource
- This section introduces the concept of ‘provenance’ – where a piece of information comes from, and who produced it. This can give us clues as to how reliable it is and provides credentials for that information...
- 5.8 Timeliness Resource
- This section looks at the issue of time – the date when information was produced or published, which can be important when judging the quality of the information.
- 5.9 Summary Resource
- You will be provided with an opportunity to bring together all the details you need in order to make a judgement about the value of the information you are collecting.
| | | | | 6 Organising information [Recommended duration: 2 hours]
- 6.1 Overview Resource
- Section 6 discusses the importance of organising information systematically and suggests a number of methods and techniques. It introduces the principles and practice of effective citation, the presentation...
- 6.2 Why organise? Resource
- This section is based around a scenario, which helps you focus on the issue of organisation and the importance of keeping notes and records.
- 6.3 Ways to organise Resource
- You will be presented with a variety of different methods people use to organise information. This is based on information given by a selection of students who are involved in preparing for lengthy assignments...
- 6.4 Social bookmarks Resource
- This section focused on social bookmarking – making use of ‘favourites’ or ‘bookmarks’ features that allow you to save some of your favourite sites. You will be shown how to use these features effectively....
- 6.5 Citing references Resource
- Writing an assignment often means referring to the work of other people in order to support your ideas and illustrate the arguments you are putting forward. You will be shown how to acknowledge the work...
- 6.6 Bibliographies Resource
- You will learn more about bibliographies – why they are important and how to put them together.
- 6.7 Summary Resource
- Section 6 has looked at the importance of organising your information and the tools available to help you store that information. You have also been introduced to social bookmarking, citing references...
| | | | | 7 Where do I go from here? [Recommended duration: 3 hours]
- 7.1 Overview Resource
- Section 7 suggests some ways in which the information skills introduced in the course can be further developed and maintained. It also discusses ways in which information can be shared within the academic...
- 7.2 Sharing information Resource
- This section provides you with information on how you can share the information you have collected with others, by using and expanding your networks.
- 7.3 Electronic communication Resource
- This section looks at the importance of electronic communication, such as mailing lists and newsgroups. It shows you how they can provide you with the opportunity to contribute to discussions, share information...
- 7.4 Keeping up-to-date Resource
- You will be considering the importance of keeping up-to-date in your chosen field or subject area – a process known as ‘current awareness’.
- 7.5 Summary Resource
- Section 7 has introduced some of the tools and techniques you might use if you want to share and communicate your knowledge and opinions. It has also shown you how to maintain an up-to-date working knowledge...
| | | | | References and Acknowledgements | | |
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