Lecture 1 -- Definition and Types of Information_Phoenix PDF

# INFS 111 ## INFORMATION IN SOCIETY ### Session 1 - Definition and Types of Information - Lecturers: Ms. Rita Agbodza, Dr. Edwina Ashie-Nikoi, Dr. Winifred Bentil, Dr. Philip Kankam - University of Ghana - College of Education, School of Information and Communication Studies - Department of Infor...

# INFS 111 ## INFORMATION IN SOCIETY ### Session 1 - Definition and Types of Information - Lecturers: Ms. Rita Agbodza, Dr. Edwina Ashie-Nikoi, Dr. Winifred Bentil, Dr. Philip Kankam - University of Ghana - College of Education, School of Information and Communication Studies - Department of Information Studies ## Session Overview - We are inundated by information to the extent that information has become like the air we breathe. - Everyday, we receive and deal with information consciously or unconsciously. - But what is "information"? This session deals with the definitions and types of information that will form the basis for subsequent sessions. ## Session Objectives By the end of this section, you should be able to: - Understand the concept of information - Distinguish between the types of information - Identify the various sources of information ## Session Outline The key topics to be covered in the session are as follows: - Topic One: What Is information - Topic Two: Public domain information - Topic Three: Private information - Topic Four: Personal information - Topic Five: Sources of information ## Reading List - Aina, L.O. (2004). Library and Information Science Text for Africa. Ibadan, Nigeria: Third world information services Ltd. - Alemna, A. A. (1998). Information in African Society. Information Development. Vol. 14, No.2. pp.69-72. - Alemna, A.A. (2005). African Information Society Initiative (AISI): Opportunities, challenges and the way forward. Legon Journal for International Affairs. Vol. 2, No. 2, pp13-14. ## Topic One: WHAT IS INFORMATION? ### Defining Information - More than 400 definitions of information have been presented by researchers from different fields (Yuexiao, 1988). - Porat (1977:2) - Information is data that has been organised and communicated. - Machulp and Mansfield (1983) defines it as: - Increasing the state of knowledge of a recipient - Resolving uncertainty - Value in decision making - Derr (1985:498) - Information is a record of uncertainty. - Paisley quoted in Haies (1992:272) - Information denotes any stimulus that alters cognitive structure in the receiver. He adds that something that the receiver already knows is not information. - International Standards Organization (ISO) - Information is the meaning that a human assigns to data by means of the human conversions used in their representations. - Debons, Horne and Cronen (1988:8) - Cognitive state of awareness (being informed) giving representation in physical form (Data). The physical representation facilitates the process of knowing. - Buckland (1991) identifies three aspects of information as: - Process - Knowledge - Thing - McLeod and Schell(2007:9) - Information is process data that is meaningful - Beynon-Davies (2009:6) – Information is data plus sense-making (information depends on and cannot be separated from the answers that are to be inferred from particular data) ### The Information Pyramid - Generally, information is best defined in the context of what is described as the Information Pyramid. - The information Pyramid represents a continuum in which information develops from symbols, data, information, knowledge and finally acquisition of wisdom through knowledge. **The Information Pyramid (Diagram 1):** - A pyramid diagram that depicts the following levels: - **Data:** Raw information - red light - **Information:** Meaning - South facing traffic light on corner of Pitt and George streets has turned red - **Knowledge:** Context - The traffic light I am driving towards has turned red - **Wisdom:** Applied - I'd better stop the car **The Information Pyramid (Diagram 2):** - A pyramid diagram that depicts the following levels: - **Data:** Individual facts, figures, signals, measurements - **Information:** Organized, structured, categorized, useful, condensed, calculated - **Knowledge:** Idea, learning, notion, concept, synthesized, compared, thought-out, discussed - **Wisdom:** Understanding, integration, applied, reflected upon, actionable, accumulated, principles, patterns, decision-making process - The continuum can be illustrated in a much more straightforward diagram below: - **Wisdom** -> **Knowledge** -> **Information** -> **Data** -> **Symbols** ## Categories of Information ### Tangible Information - Regarded as a thing. - Represents physical objects which can be seen and touched, for example, documents. - Recorded and may be in the form of written documents, printed materials or digitalised materials. - Appear in different formats like books, periodicals, newspapers, diaries, letters, manuscripts, tapes, diskettes, compact discs, data-bases, artefacts, microforms among others. ### Intangible Information - Information described as process or as knowledge. - These are abstract forms of information. - Is described as a process when it is performing the function of informing. - Involves transmitting information from a source to a recipient. - Information is described as knowledge when it is performing the role of imparting knowledge to an individual where it reduces uncertainty. ## Sample Question - From the definitions of information provided and explained in the previous slides: 1. How would you explain the meaning of information to a layman? 2. Explain the relationship between symbols, data, information, knowledge and wisdom. ## Topic Two: PUBLIC DOMAIN INFORMATION ### Public Domain Information (PDI) Defined - PDI is the type of information that the general public can have access to within the normal requirements of law and commerce. PDI is acquired, analysed and prepared for use in many forms. - Examples of PDI includes: - Information generated by private organizations that perform public functions example, water and electricity providers. - Information about threats to the environment, health or human rights are issues that are of public concern. - Information about corruption. ### Problems of Access to Public Domain Information - Financial problems - Lack of library and archives facilities - Problems in accessing electronic information - Expensive nature of online information - Lack of access to the internet - Unreliable power supply ## Ensuring Access to Public Domain Information - Libraries, archives and other information centres are the main solution to the problem of a person’s inability to access PDI, because of lack of money to buy books and other information resources. - They are equally the answer to the problem of access to electronic information. ## The Public Library - For the purpose of our discussion, however, let us focus on the Public Library, because that is where Public Domain Information should be, and is located. - The Public Library serves the interest of the whole community, regardless of who you are. - It is often described as the poor man's university, because people use it to educate themselves to improve their outlook in life. - They provide internet access to the public. - Patronage (use) of Public Libraries is free. ## Uses of Public Libraries - For recreational purposes. - To consult periodicals (journals, magazines, newspapers), technical reports, research reports, bulletins, government publications (commissions of inquiry, annual reports, Acts of Parliament, gazettes, executive instruments, legislative documents, etc.) for the purpose of research. - For specific information. ## Sample Question 1. I am sure you have been to the Library before, whether your school Library or local Public Library. List some problems you encountered when you visited the Library. 2. From the discussion on Public Libraries, what would you say are the roles of the Public Library? ## Topic Three: Private Information ### What is Private Information? - Private Information is information that is not meant for public consumption. - Examples of Private Information include marketing information gathered by a company; information on the development of a product by an industrial organization, etc. ### Why Keep Information Private? - Edge over competitors - Involves huge sums of money and time. - Information gathered through research may reveal negative aspects of a product. - Commercial confidentiality. ### Governments and Private Information - Argument about whether governments should have private information or not. - Arguments against private information held by government: - Human rights advocates - Freedom of information advocate (FOI) - Ways in which government keeps information private: - Oaths of secrecy - Private and confidential - Governments arguments for keeping private information: - Protection of the security of the state ## Topic Four: Personal Information ### Personal Information Defined - Information that relates to identifiable individuals. ## Types and Implications of Personal Information - Health information age - Financial status - Social status - Certain kinds of relationships, etc. ### Can Personal Information be Absolute? - The sanctity of personal information - On very few occasions - Often not absolute ## Ethics of disclosing Personal Information - Professional ethical codes: - Doctors - Lawyers - Bankers ## The Right to Personal Information - Prevention of irreparable damage to the person: - Emotional - Psychological - Sometimes physical ## Topic Five: Sources of Information ### Information Sources ### Primary Sources - Gathered first hand - Collected for the first time for a specific problem - Examples: Observation, Experiment, Survey, Subjective Estimation. ### Secondary Sources - Publications - Internal Company Information - Purchased-Outside Information - Government Agencies. ## Problems with Information Sources - Impartiality - Validity - Reliability - Consistency - Age of the information ## References - Boell, S., & Cecez-Kecmanovic, D. (2015). What is 'Information'beyond a definition?. - Buckland, Michael K. (1997). "What Is a 'Document'?". Journal of the American Society for Information Science, 48 (September): 804-809. - Debons A., Esther H. and Scott C. (1998). Information Science: An Integrated View. Boston, MA: G.K. Hall. - Derr, Richard L. (1985) "The Concept of Information in Ordinary discourse." Information Processing & Management, 21:489-99. - Paisley, William. (1992). "Information and Work." In Progress in Communication Sciences, edited by Brenda Dervin and Melvin J. Voigt, 2 (1980): 118. Quoted in Robert M. Hayes, "Measurement of Information," 272. In Conceptions of Library and Information Science: Historical Empiri, 268-285. London: Taylor Graham. - Porat, M. U. (1977). The Information Economy: Definition and Measurement. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Commerce, Office of Telecommunications. - Lester J. and Koehler W. C. (2007). "Fundamentals of Information Studies; Understanding Information and Its Environment". Second Edition. Neal-Schuman Publishers, New York. - Debons, Anthony. (2008). "Information Science 101." The Scarecrow Press, Inc. Plymouth, Uk. - Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu. "Technology, Media & Telecommunications." 2006. TMT trends: Predictions, 2006, A Focus on the Technology Sector. London: Deloitte & Touche. Available: www.deloitte.com/dtt/cda/doc/content/us_tmt_techpredictions2006_0 20206(1).pdf (accessed December 2006). - Yuexiao, Z. (1988). Definitions and sciences of information. Information Processing & Management, 24(4), 479-491. - Slides created by: S.N.B. Tackle, SICS-DIS