Information Literacy Guide: Recognise your info need

After completing this SECTION, you will be able to:

• define your need for information,
• think critically about your topic and need,
• read about your topic and start making notes,
• define keywords by:
• drawing a mind map,
• selecting broader and narrower subject terms,
• identifying different spellings or words
• understand that the financial cost of information is an important issue.

You'll know that you need information when you:

• receive a project/assignment from a lecturer
• have a personal need that requires certain information before you can make a decision, e.g. buying a cell phone
• Generally, whenever you are uncertain that you can find information that will help you take the correct decision.

Remember that one needs information not just for study purposes, but for most decisions in everyday life. You make decisions every day, whether it is to buy a cellular phone, house or do a project or assignment. You need information to make good decisions.