The Information Cycle: Home

Social Media, Television, Radio & Internet

• provides up-to-the minute information and breaking news stories
• is frequently updated as more information becomes available
• is quick, short and generally not very detailed
• explains the event's who, what, when, and where
• may prove to be inaccurate as new details emerge
• is primarily written by journalists (e.g., TV, radio, Internet news, Twitter) or by the general public (e.g., facebook, twitter)
• is intended for a general audience

Weekly/Monthly Popular Magazines

• is more detailed and usually written in longer articles than previous information
• begins to provide analysis and discuss the impact the event has on society, culture, the environment, the economy, public policy, etc.
• offers particular groups' perspectives on the event or may gear the information towards specific audiences
• may reflect the publication's general editorial bias
• written mostly by journalists or freelance writers, but may also include commentary by scholars or experts in the field
• is intended for a general audience or specific, targeted non-professional groups

Books

• provides in-depth, comprehensive coverage of an event, expanding upon themes, subjects, and analysis previously published in scholarly journals
• may be a compilation of scholarly articles or essays on the topic
• provides a broad overview of the event and places it in historical context
• may provide different perspectives of the event
• may range from in-depth scholarly analysis of the topic to popular books which provide general discussions and are not as well-researched
• may include bibliographies (the more scholarly the book, the better the bibliography)
• may reflect the perspective of the sponsoring association or political group
• is often written by scholars, researchers, and professionals, but credentials of authors may vary
• may be intended for a broad audience, depending on the book, ranging from scholars to a general audience.

Government Reports

• may come from all levels of government - local, provincial, federal, international
• provides the government's official viewpoint on a topic
• includes reports compiled by governmental organizations and summaries of government-funded research
• is factual and usually includes statistics
• often focuses on the event in relation to public policy and legislation
• is often written by government panels, organizations, and committees rather than by individuals
• may be intended for a general audience, but may also be written for government officials

Reference Works

• is a good starting point for research, especially for a topic that is unfamiliar
• includes factual details, usually as a quick overview which summarizes the event and outlines the key issues
• may include general statistics
• may include a bibliography for further reading
• is usually not suitable to be cited in academic papers
• is usually less detailed than books or journal articles
• is written by scholars and specialists
• is usually intended for a general audience or for students that are new to a field of study, but may also be aimed at scholars.

Source: https://libguides.uidaho.edu/Engl102libraryunit/infocycle

Newspapers, Television & Other News Media

• provides more detailed information (i.e., more facts) and a deeper investigation into the immediate context of the event
  • chronology
  • quotes from experts and/or government officials
  • statistics
  • photographs
  • editorial coverage
  • local perspectives
• begins to explain why the event occurred
• is primarily written by journalists
• is intended for a general audience

Scholarly Journals

• provides comprehensive analysis, empirical research reports, and learned commentary related to the event
• is often theoretical and analyses the event's impact on society, culture, the economy, the environment, public policy, etc.
• is peer-reviewed
• is written in highly technical and formal language
• includes detailed bibliographies
• is written by scholars, researchers, and professionals, usually with PhD's in related fields
• is intended for other scholars, researchers in the field, and university students in the field. NOT for the general public