This paper aims to argue for a conception of information literacy (IL) that goes beyond the abilities of finding information as it includes communication skills. An important issue in this is that abstractors exercise IL on a professional level.
By stressing the importance of the fact that information literacy extends towards verbal communication the paper takes an interdisciplinary approach, the main component of which is linguistics.
It is found that verbal communication and especially analytic‐synthetic writing activities play an important role in information literacy at the level of everyday language use, semi‐professional and professional summarising of information. The latter level characterises abstracting.
The paper adds to the body of knowledge about information literacy in general and in connection with communication and abstracting.
