Identify: Recognizing an Information Need

Identify is the first pillar in the SCONUL Seven Pillars of Information Literacy. It means recognizing that information is needed before beginning a search. This pillar is important because students often start searching too quickly, before they understand what they are trying to find.

In the SCONUL Core Model, Identify is connected with the ability to identify a personal need for information. It also recognizes that new information and data are constantly being produced, so learners must remain open to learning more.

Definition

A simple classroom definition is:

Identify means recognizing what information is needed and why it is needed.

This is the starting point of information literacy. Before students choose keywords, open websites, or collect notes, they should understand the task. If they do not know what they are looking for, they may collect information that is interesting but not useful.

For example, the topic “technology in education” is very broad. A student may find information about online learning, educational apps, digital literacy, artificial intelligence, mobile phones, teacher training, or school management. Without a clearer information need, the student may become confused.

A better starting point is a focused question, such as:

How can mobile phones support student communication in secondary classrooms?

This question gives the search direction.

Why Identify Matters

The Identify pillar matters because it saves time and improves the quality of research. Students who do not identify their information need may:

• search with weak keywords
• copy the first information they find
• collect too many unrelated sources
• miss important parts of the topic
• use sources that do not answer the task
• become dependent on teacher correction
• submit work that is broad but shallow

Identifying the information need helps students become more independent. They learn to define the problem before trying to solve it.

This skill is useful not only for academic research. It also matters in everyday life. A person looking for health information, job requirements, public services, news, or online tutorials must first understand what they need to know.

From Topic to Information Need

Students often begin with a topic. The teacher’s role is to help them turn the topic into a clear information need or research question.

A focused information need does not have to be complicated. It should simply make clear what the student is trying to find out.

Questions Students Should Ask

Students can use guiding questions before beginning a search:

• What is the topic?
• What is the assignment asking me to do?
• What do I already know?
• What do I still need to know?
• What words or concepts do I not understand?
• What kind of information will answer the question?
• Do I need facts, examples, opinions, statistics, images, definitions, or explanations?
• How much information do I need?
• Who is the audience for my final work?

These questions help students move from a vague topic to a purposeful search.

Classroom Meaning

Teachers can develop the Identify pillar through short classroom routines. Students do not need to begin with long research projects. They can practise identifying information needs in small tasks.

For example, before students research a topic, the teacher can ask them to complete a simple planning box:

This makes the information need visible. It also gives the teacher a chance to correct unclear or unrealistic questions before students begin searching.

Another useful method is the “question improvement” activity. The teacher gives students a broad question and asks them to make it clearer.

For example:

Broad question: Is technology good?
Improved question: How does using tablets affect student participation in primary science lessons?

The improved question is easier to research because it identifies the topic, context, and focus.

ICT Connection

ICT tools can help students explore topics, but they can also encourage shallow searching. Search engines, online videos, websites, and AI tools may produce quick results, but quick results are not always useful.

If students type a broad word into a search engine, they may receive millions of results. This can make research confusing. Identifying the information need first helps students choose better keywords and judge which results are relevant.

For example:

Weak search: education technology
Better search: benefits of learning management systems for secondary students
Even better search: learning management systems student feedback secondary education

ICT tools should support thinking, not replace it. Students should use digital tools after they understand the question they are trying to answer.

Teacher Support

Teachers can support the Identify pillar by modelling their own thinking. For example, a teacher might say:

“Before I search for a video on climate change, I need to decide what I want the video to explain. Do I need causes, effects, solutions, or examples? Do I need it for primary students or secondary students?”

This shows students that good searching begins before typing.

Teachers can also help by giving research prompts that are clear but not overly narrow. If the teacher gives only a topic, some students may struggle. If the teacher gives a focused question, students can practise searching more effectively.

Common Mistakes

A common mistake is to begin searching before understanding the task. This often leads to copying unrelated information.

Another mistake is to confuse a topic with an information need. “Pollution” is a topic. “What are the main causes of air pollution in large cities?” is an information need.

A third mistake is to make the question too broad. A broad question may produce too much information. A focused question helps students select useful sources.

A fourth mistake is to think Identify happens only once. In real research, students may revise their information need after reading more. This is normal. A learner may begin with one question and improve it as understanding grows.

The Identify pillar helps students begin research with purpose. It teaches them to pause, define what they need, and search with a clear direction.