The Information Cycle

What is the Information Cycle?

The Information Cycle:• Is the progression of media

coverage for an event over time.

• Shows the depth of coverage for each stage of the cycle.

• Can help you understand the quantity and quality of information available at a particular point in the cycle.

Social Media

News Outlets

Magazines

Journals

Books

Reference Sources

The Information Cycle

Minutes After the Event: Social Media

Information:

• Tends to be fragmented and very basic.

• Is furnished by a mix of citizen-journalists, "regular folk”, professional

journalists etc.

• May lack details, substantiation, and objectivity.

Examples: Facebook, Twitter,YouTube

The Information CycleDay/Days After the Event: News Reports

Information:• Tends to be more detailed than earlier reports : more details about

event, people involved, outcome etc.

• May include quotes from relevant parties and officials.

• Is written by journalists.

Examples: New York Times, CBS

The Information CycleWeek/Weeks of the Event: Magazines

Information:• Is much more in-depth, and includes analysis, context and related topics.

• May include quotes from relevant parties and officials.

Examples: Time, Newsweek

The Information CycleMonths after the Event: Scholarly and Academic Journals

Information:• Is written by people considered to be experts in the field.

• Tends to focus on a discipline-specific aspect of the event, includes detailed analysis, and list of sources (bibliography).

Examples:Journal of Islamic Studies, J.A.M.A.

The Information CycleYear/Years after the Event: Books

Information:• Provides in-depth coverage of an event – sometimes focusing on an specific

aspect of the event, or, in contrast, providing a broad contextual overview.

• Tends to be written by specialists, researchers and other professionals. (But not always.)

Example: The Struggle for Egypt: From Nasser to Tahrir Square by Steven A. Cook

The Information Cycle

Year/Years after the Event: Reference Material

Information:• Provides an overview or summary of the event.

• Tends to be written by specialists, researchers and other professionals.

• Is considered established knowledge.

• Is published in encyclopedias, dictionaries and textbooks.

Example: Gale Virtual Reference Library entry for “Arab Spring”