Information Fluency
Information—there’s more than you’ll ever need out there. It takes special skills to navigate the online ocean of data we sail through every day. That’s Information Fluency; the skills you need to not only search for information, but to create useful knowledge that will help you effectively solve real-world problems.
Let's Walk You Through It
The 5As of Information Fluency are Ask, Acquire, Analyze, Apply, and Assess. This video shows how they can help you master the staggering quantity of online information we face every day.
ask
This involves compiling a list of critical questions about what knowledge or data is being sought. The key here is to ask good questions, because that’s how you get good answers.
acquire
Accessing information is no longer as easy as going to a card catalog and getting a book or other paper-based resource. This stage involves accessing and collecting informational materials from the most appropriate digital and non-digital sources.
analyze
With all the raw data collected, the next step is to navigate through the information to authenticate, organize, and arrange it all. This stage also involves ascertaining whether information is true or not, and distinguishing the good from the bad.
apply
Once data is collected and verified, and a solution is created, the knowledge must then be practically applied within the context of the original purpose for the information quest.
assess
The final stage is about thoroughly and critically revisiting both the product and the process. This involves open and lively discussions about how the problem-solving journey could have been made more efficient, and how the solution created could be applied to challenges of a similar nature.