Information Literacy and Technology Basics
What this domain tests
This domain covers finding, evaluating, and using information responsibly, plus everyday technology skills: file management, email, common software functions, internet safety, and basic digital citizenship.
Concepts to master
- Source evaluation: check authority (who wrote it), currency (when), accuracy (evidence and citations), and bias (purpose).
- Primary versus secondary sources: original data or firsthand accounts versus summaries and commentary.
- Search skills: use specific keywords, quotation marks for exact phrases, and reputable domains.
- File management: naming conventions, folders, and understanding file extensions and formats.
- Email etiquette: clear subject lines, appropriate recipients, and caution with "reply all" and attachments.
- Security basics: strong unique passwords, recognizing phishing (urgent tone, mismatched links, requests for credentials), and not opening suspicious attachments.
- Digital footprint and privacy: what you post can persist and be shared.
Common traps
- Trusting the top search result without checking the source.
- Clicking links in unexpected messages that ask for login details.
- Confusing a file extension (.docx, .pdf, .xlsx) with the program that opens it.
- Using "reply all" and exposing addresses or cluttering inboxes.
- Assuming a professional-looking site is authoritative.
Rule of thumb
Before using information, ask: Who is the author, when was it published, what evidence supports it, and why was it created? For any unexpected request for personal data, verify through a separate, known channel.
Worked example
An email says your account will be closed in 24 hours and asks you to log in via a link. The urgency, the generic greeting, and the embedded login link are phishing indicators. Do not click; go directly to the official website or contact support independently to verify.