The Information Process

 

"Information professionals have identified six main phases that comprise the 'information process', and have structured programs for developing information literacy skills around these phases. The six phases are:

• defining information needs
• locating information 
• selecting information
• organising information
• creating and sharing information
• evaluating information and the information process"

(Australian School Library Association and Australian Library and Information Association. Learning for the future: developing information services in Australian schools, 2nd edition, Curriculum Corporation, 2001).

What do I want to find out
What is my purpose?
Why do I need to find this out? What are the key words and ideas?
 

What do I already know?
What do I still need to find out?
What sources and equipment can I use?
 

What information can I leave out? 
How useful is this source? 
How relevant is the information I have found? 
How credible is the information I have found? 
How will I record the information I need? 
 

Have I enough information for my purpose? 
Do I need to use all this information? 
How can I best combine information from different sources? 
 

What do I do with this information?
With whom will I share this information?
 

Did I fulfil my purpose?
How did I go - with each step of the information process?
How did I go - presenting the information?
Where do I go from here?
 
"Evaluating" replaces "Assessing" which is the term used in the NSW document
    (from Information skills in the school NSW Education Department)

 

The information process at Palmerston District Primary School
http://www.palmdps.act.edu.au/resource_centre/info_lit/process_detail.htm

An article by Jamie McKenzie, from one of his books. It outlines the Research Cycle information research model.
http://www.questioning.org/rcycle.html

Research on the information process
http://www.nswtl.net/info/research/infolit.htm