What is the information cycle?
"Information cycle" refers to the way that information is produced and distributed and how it changes over time. It is often used to describe the progression of media coverage as it relates to a newsworthy topic or event. Understanding the information cycle will help you know what kinds of information may be available on your topic as you locate and evaluate research sources.
The progression of the information cycle is connected to the amount of time after an event:
Same Day: social networking sites (e.g., Twitter, Facebook, Instagram), mobile communication, TV, radio, Internet news sites
Next Day/Week Of: newspapers
Following Weeks: popular magazines, general government information
Six Months Later: Scholarly journals (allowing time for the peer review process)
One+ Year Later: Books, government reports, reference material
| Source Type | Information | Use | Example(s) |
| Websites | Websites provide access to information, images, videos, and audio |
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Newspapers
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A collection of articles written by journalists about current events, typically published daily |
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Magazines/ Periodicals
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A collection of articles and images about a variety of popular topics and current events. Articles are written by journalists for the general population |
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Trade Publications
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A regularly published collection of articles that addresses topics of interest to members of a particular profession such as law enforcement |
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Scholarly/Peer Reviewed Article
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Articles written by scholars or experts in the field. Sometimes called "academic articles," they can be found using databases and cover a wide range of topics. They can either be original research or analysis of an issue or topic. |
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Books & eBooks
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Provide in-depth coverage of a subject and often include historical or contextual information regarding a topic |
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| Reference Material | Items such as dictionaries, encyclopedias, and handbooks are considered Reference materials. |
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Encyclopedia Britannica Online |
509-542-4887 library@columbiabasin.edu 2600 N 20th Ave, Pasco, WA. 99301
