Information Literacy

Information Literacy

The staff of the Bibliometric Analysis Unit conducts classes in Information Literacy. This is a one-time course that teaches methods and tools necessary for the effective searching, evaluation and management of information. They are intended for master’s degree students and are mandatory (attendance and passing a test are required to complete the course).

These classes are devoted to the fundamental issues of Information Literacy as a field of study. They present the aims and tasks of Information Literacy in the era of the information society. During the classes, the requirements for scientific texts are discussed, which helps students write and prepare these texts efficiently.

Topics related to the use of library catalogue, digital libraries, repositories as well as bibliographic and full-text databases are also covered. The course additionally addresses the collection and preparation of reference lists and footnotes. Moreover, the classes introduce bibliography managers, among others, software programmes used for compiling bibliographic lists.

The main topics covered in the classes are:

1. Information sources – an overview of different types of information sources (books, scientific articles, reports, online sources, databases), their characteristics and how to use them effectively.
2. Information retrieval methods – learning techniques for searching information, such as formulating queries in search engines and databases, using Boolean operators (AND, OR, NOT), and filtering results.
3. Evaluation and critical analysis of sources – developing the ability to assess the reliability and quality of information sources, including identifying trustworthy sources and evaluating their relevance for a specific research problem. Topics may also include credibility, objectivity, currency, and accuracy of sources.
4. Information management – techniques for organizing and storing information, including the use of bibliography management software, such as EndNote, Zotero or Mendeley.
5. Ethical principles and copyright – information ethics, copyright law and proper citation practices.
6. Open educational resources and Open Access publications – an overview of initiatives that support open access to information, including open access journals, repositories, and platforms providing research data.

Contact
Bibliometric Analysis Unit
Centre of Innovation and Advanced Technologies (the Rusty Building)
Nadbystrzycka 36 C, room 309 D
20-618 Lublin
e-mail: oab@pollub.pl
phone: +48 81 538 46 86