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Impact of Information Literacy on Adults’ Use of News Sources

Abstract

Information literacy refers to the ability of individuals to identify, locate, evaluate, interpret, and appropriately use information from different sources, while adults’ use of news sources refers to how frequently and effectively adults access newspapers, radio, television, online platforms, and other channels for obtaining current information. In an era of rapidly increasing information and misinformation, information literacy is important for helping adults distinguish credible news from misleading or unreliable content. However, some adults may experience difficulties in evaluating the credibility, accuracy, and relevance of news information. The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of information literacy on adults’ use of news sources. Information literacy involves several processes, including identifying information needs, searching for relevant information, assessing the credibility of sources, comparing information from different sources, interpreting information, and making informed judgments. Adults with stronger information literacy skills are more likely to examine the source, author, date, evidence, and context of news reports before accepting or sharing information. These skills can support more careful and responsible engagement with different news sources. Adults’ use of news sources involves accessing and relying on various channels to obtain information about social, economic, political, educational, and community issues. Information literacy can influence how adults select news sources, assess the reliability of reported information, compare conflicting reports, and determine whether information should be accepted or shared. Therefore, improved information literacy may encourage adults to make more informed choices about the news sources they use. The study will adopt a descriptive survey research design. The population will consist of adults within the selected study area, from which a representative sample will be selected using an appropriate sampling procedure. Data will be collected using a structured questionnaire designed to measure respondents’ information literacy and their use of news sources. The data collected will be analysed using descriptive statistics and appropriate inferential statistical techniques to determine the relationship between the variables. The study is expected to establish that information literacy has a significant impact on adults’ use of news sources. Adults with stronger information literacy skills are expected to demonstrate greater ability to evaluate news credibility, compare information across sources, recognize misleading content, and make informed decisions about the news they consume. The findings may also indicate that limited information literacy contributes to greater reliance on unreliable or poorly verified news sources. The findings will have implications for adult education by demonstrating the importance of incorporating information evaluation and media-related skills into adult learning programmes. Adult educators can use practical learning activities that teach learners how to verify information, compare news reports, identify questionable sources, and assess evidence presented in news content. Such learning experiences can strengthen adults’ ability to engage critically with the increasing volume of information available through traditional and digital media. The study will be beneficial to adult learners, adult educators, community education providers, media organisations, policymakers, and organisations involved in information and literacy development. Adult learners may benefit from improved abilities to evaluate and use news information, while educators can gain insight into areas requiring greater attention in adult literacy programmes. Policymakers and community organisations may also use the findings to support initiatives aimed at improving responsible information use among adults. The study will recommend that information literacy education should be strengthened within adult education programmes through practical activities focused on source evaluation, information verification, and critical reading of news content. Adult learning centres should provide learners with opportunities to compare different news sources and assess the credibility of information. The study concludes that strengthening information literacy among adults can promote more informed, critical, and responsible use of news sources.

Keywords: Information literacy, news sources, information evaluation, news consumption, source credibility, media information, critical reading, information verification, misinformation, news credibility, adult learners, information use, media awareness, critical thinking, information skills