Information Literacy is the set of skills needed to find, retrieve, analyze, and use information.
"The beginning of the 21st century has been called the Information Age because of the explosion of information output and information sources. It has become increasingly clear that students cannot learn everything they need to know in their field of study in a few years of college. Information literacy equips students with the critical skills necessary to become independent lifelong learners."
--American Library Association
Lehman College, part of the City Universities of New York, has developed 4 modules to demonstrate when, why, and how students need to utilize information literacy skills:
Module 1 : Defining Your Research
1) Determine what information you are seeking
2) Access the information in whatever format is available
3) Evaluate the information sources that you have found
4) Incorporate the information into your paper; how does it fit? Are you arguing one side or both?
5) Use those sources within your writing. Remember to cite to the appropriate source; even when paraphrasing. The idea was not your original idea.
6) Understanding. Having completed this process, you should have a better understanding of the topic that you are researching.
Combating Plagiarism by 
Information Literacy and Information Skills Instruction by 
Who Said What? by