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Library and Research

Information
Literacy

Develop the critical skills to navigate the vast digital landscape, evaluate sources, and use information effectively for academic and professional mastery.

Information literacy is the ability to identify, locate, evaluate, and effectively use information for academic, research, and professional purposes.

Core Competencies

Mastering these foundational pillars will dramatically improve the quality and depth of your academic research.

Conducting Research

Evaluation Framework

Use this institutional academic standard to evaluate the quality and reliability of the information you find.

Avoiding plagiarism

Plagiarism is the use of another person's work—words, ideas, or data—without proper acknowledgment. Academic integrity is a non-negotiable core value at OUK. To maintain strict integrity:

  • Always cite your sources, even when summarising.
  • Use quotation marks for exact, direct phrasing.
  • Paraphrase correctly in your own words, maintaining the original meaning.
  • Use authorised citation management tools properly.

Citation styles

OUK enforces specific referencing conventions depending on your school and discipline. Ensure you are familiar with:

View official referencing guide

Explore & Engage

Library databases

Access thousands of peer-reviewed e-books, journals, institutional repositories, and advanced research guides.

Access databases

Library workshops

Join our expert librarians for interactive training sessions on advanced search syntax, Zotero, Mendeley, and academic writing.

Register for training

Need research assistance?

Our expert liaison librarians are on standby to provide personalised, discipline-specific guidance for your thesis or assignment.