6 SAGE CJ LINK
SAGE Writing Guide authors show you how to get your students
information literate.
The SAGE Guide to Writing
in Criminal Justice
Steven Hougland and Jennifer M. Allen
See page 7 for details.
The SAGE Guide to Writing
in Corrections
Steven Hougland and Jennifer M. Allen
See page 7 for details.
The SAGE Guide to Writing
in Policing
Report Writing Essentials
Jennifer M. Allen and Steven Hougland
See page 7 for details.
The Importance of
Information Literacy
Know… Identify… Locate, Evaluate, and Use…
The person
knows they need
information about
a problem or
issue
The person looks
for information in
various mediums
to solve the
problem or issue
The person nds the information,
determines if it is useful and valid,
and uses the information to resolve
the problem or issue
In a world where fake news and social media dominate most of what people read and hear
each day, individuals have to be more savvy and use more critical thinking than ever in
determining good information from bad information. Individuals also have to be skilled in
acquiring facts and in deciding when information is needed and what to take from the data
they gather. In other words, people have to be competent in information literacy.
Information literacy is not just another buzzword. It is a skill that people can develop over
time with the proper understanding of research, analysis, and writing. Information literacy is
a crucial talent in the pursuit of knowledge, and it is required in the professional world. This
process, represented visually below, requires that students know, identify, evaluate, and use
information effectively, ethically, and legally. (Excerpted from Hougland & Allen, The SAGE
Guide to Writing in Criminal Justice)
