The Information Cycle Explained
Day of an Event
Information Sources: Social Media, Television, Radio & Internet
- Offers “Breaking News” that is quick, not detailed, and will be regularly updated. These sources will explain the who, what, and where of the event but the information may be incomplete, false, or biased.
- Authors are journalists, bloggers, social media participants
- Language is non-technical and intended for general audiences
- Examples include Twitter, Facebooks, CNN, blogs, text messages
Days After an Event
Information Sources: Newspapers, Television & Other News Media
- Offers a deeper investigation into the immediate timeline, context of the event, and why it occurred. Sources provide more factual information, which may include quotes from experts and/or government officials, statistics, and photographs. Information may also include opinion pieces, editorials, and local perspectives.
- Authors are primarily journalists
- Language is non-technical and intended for general audiences
- Citations are rare but quotes and facts are usually attributed in text
- Examples include Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, CNN, Slate
Weeks and Months After an Event
Information Sources: Weekly and Monthly Popular Magazines
- Offers a more detailed analyses, interviews, editorials, and various perspectives emerge. Sources discuss the impact on society, culture, economy, public policy, etc. Information may reflect the publication’s general editorial bias.
- Authors are journalists, essayists, scholarly or expert commentary
- Language is non-technical and intended for general audiences or specific nonprofessional groups
- Citations are rare but quotes and facts are usually attributed in text
- Examples include Time, National Geographic, The Nation
Six Months to Years After an Event
Information Sources: Scholarly Journals, Books, Government Reports, And Reference Works
Scholarly Journals offer focused and detailed analysis as well as theoretical and empirical research based on the event. Information is peer-reviewed, ensuring high credibility and accuracy.
- Authors are scholars, researchers, and professionals
- Language is academic and very technical and intended for scholars, researchers, and university students
- Scholarly books provide comprehensive coverage of an event, placing it in its historical context, and may provide different perspectives of the event.
- Authors are scholars, professionals, and journalists
- Intended audience ranges from general audience to scholars
- Language is academic and very technical and intended for scholars, researchers, and university students
- Government Reports come from all levels of government (federal, state, and local) and provide the government's official viewpoint on the event, reports compiled by governmental organizations, and summaries of government-funded research. Information is often focused on public policy, legislation, and statistical analysis related to the event.
- Authors are governmental panels, organizations, and committees
- Intended audience ranges from general audience to other government officials
- Reference works provide a quick overview on the event and outlines the key issues.
- Authors are scholars and specialists
- Language is non-technical and intended for general audiences, students, and scholars
- Examples include Encyclopedia Britannica, Oxford Dictionary of Political Science
Tip: Your assignments will often call for you to use peer reviewed sources in your research. The information cycle lets you know that peer reviewed articles will usually take over a year to publish and you should base your research topic around what sources will be available. If a topic is important to you, remember that you can always try to adapt of broaden your question. If you are unsure if your topic will produce the needed sources, remember that you can ask your professor or a librarian.
Credit: Information a derivative of "The Information Cycle" page at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
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