1. 1
Information literacy
and the Google
generation: teaching
research skills to 6th
formers
Ian Hunter
April 2014

2. The Shearman & Sterling sessions
 authority of sources
 ‘the hidden web’/choice of sources (‘going beyond Google’)
 identifying key concepts and search terms
 narrowing down a search (including Boolean searching)
 how to cite sources
2

3. The Google generation
• carrying out fewer searches and viewing fewer pages and relying on
cutting and pasting to formulate search statements
• relying heavily on search engines rather than choosing sources
• focusing on quantity of information
• not being careful discerning users of the internet, being unable to find
the info they are looking for, or trusting the first thing they see
3

4. Future needs and new IL standards?
 ACRL Framework
 net-savviness, critical evaluative techniques and diversity of sources
(C Miller and J Bartlett)
 Facebook functions: Feeds, Share and Comment
(Witec and Grettano)
4

5. Postscript: differences between 2013 and 2014?
 recognised the domain descriptors
 had not heard of Boolean searching
 increased reliance on natural language searching
 better at citing
5

6. Appendix 1 - BIALL Legal Information Literacy Statement
 Research skill 1 - Demonstrate an understanding of the need for the
thorough investigation of all relevant factual and legal issues involved
in a research task
 Research skill 2 - Demonstrate the ability to undertake systematic and
comprehensive legal research
 Research skill 3 - Demonstrate the ability to analyse research findings
effectively
 Research skill 4 - Demonstrate the ability to present the results of
research in an appropriate and effective manner
 Research skill 5 – Continuing Professional Development – refreshing
the legal research skills required of a modern lawyer
6

7. Appendix 2 - ACRL Information Literacy Competency Standards
for HE
 Determine the extent of information needed
 Access the needed information effectively and efficiently
 Evaluate information and its sources critically
 Incorporate selected information into one’s knowledge base
 Use information effectively to accomplish a specific purpose
 Understand the economic, legal, and social issues surrounding the use
of information, and access and use information ethically and legally
7

8. References
 Susannah Winter, 'Law firm libraries in the 21st
century' Legal Information Management, (2008) 8(1), 28
 David Nicholas and others, ‘Google Generation II: web behaviour experiments at the BBC’ Aslib Proceedings,
(2011) 63(1), 28
 Ian Rowlands and others, ‘The Google generation: the information behaviour of the researchers of the future’
Aslib proceedings, (2008) 60(4), 290
 Jadranka Lasic-Lazic and Sonja Spiranec, ‘Lost in new learning environments – found in information literacy’
Medijska istrazivanja (2012) 18(1), 125
 C Miller and J Bartlett, ‘”Digital fluency”: towards young people’s critical use of the internet’ Journal of
Information Literacy, 6(2), 35
 D Witek and T Grettano, ‘Information Literacy on Facebook: an analysis’ Reference Services Review (2012)
40(2), 242
 Committee of Inquiry into the Changing Learner Experience. Higher Education in a Web 2.0 World (Joint
Information Systems Committee, 2009)
http://www.jisc.ac.uk/publications/generalpublications/2009/heweb2.aspx accessed 6 March 2013
 http://www.channel4.com/news/how-does-the-internet-impact-teens-in-real-life-film-
8