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Digital Literacy

This guide will help you to use information technologies and the Internet to find, evaluate, use, and share information in order to succeed academically and in your future career development.

What is digital literacy?

Digital literacy is "a person's ability to perform tasks effectively in a digital environment... Literacy includes the ability to read and interpret media, to reproduce data and images through digital manipulation, and to evaluate and apply new knowledge gained from digital environments."
(Barbara R. Jones-Kavalier and Suzanne L. Flannigan: Connecting the Digital Dots: Literacy of the 21st Century).

Image source: A model for digital literacy

While these abilities enhance all aspects of your life, this Guide focuses on the application of digital literacy to your academic career and your future workplace.

In this Guide

Digital materials and where to find them: library-licensed and free online resources for finding online articles, e-books, dissertations, media, etc.

Tips for online searching: tips and tricks for finding exactly what you are looking for.

Use digital sources critically: website evaluation tips.

Stay current: alert services for staying informed of new content in your area of interest.

Create and publish content: software and publishing options available at UC and online. Links to best practices in content presentation.

Network and collaborate: tips on using social media for professional use.

Online safety and security: identity protection and online safety tips.

Ethics and copyright: responsible use of digital resources, netiquette, copyright, and attribution of sources.

Who wrote this guide

University of Cincinnati Libraries

PO Box 210033 Cincinnati, Ohio 45221-0033

Phone: 513-556-1424

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