The Eleven Stages of the Information Literacy Life Cycle-UNESCO

The Eleven Stages of the Information Literacy Life Cycle 

Stage One: Realize that a need or problem exists that requires information its satisfactory resolution.

Stage Two: Know how to accurately identify and define the information needed to meet the need, solve the problem, or make the decision

Stage Three: Know how to determine whether the needed information exists or not, and if it does not, know how to create, or cause to be created the unavailable information 

(also referred to as “creating new knowledge”). 

Stage Four: Know how to find the needed information if you have determined that it does, indeed, exist. 

Stage Five: Know how to create, or cause to be created, unavailable information that you need; sometimes called “creating new knowledge.”  

Stage Six: Know how to fully understand found information, or know where to go for help if needed to understand it. 

Stage Seven: Know how to organize, analyze, interpret and evaluate information, including source reliability. 

Stage Eight: Know how to communicate and present the information to others in appropriate and usable formats and mediums. 

Stage Nine: Know how to utilize the information to solve a problem, make a decision or meet a need. 

Stage Ten: Know how to preserve, store, reuse, record and archive information for future use. 

Stage Eleven: Know how to dispose of information no longer needed, and safeguard information that should be protected.