1. 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

2. 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

3. The Information Cycle
Day/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.
• Does not usually include a list
of sources.
Examples:
New York Times, CBS

4. The Information Cycle
Week/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.
• Is written by journalists.
• Tends not to include a
list of sources.
Examples:
Time, Newsweek

5. The Information Cycle
Months 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.

6. The Information Cycle
Year/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.)
• May include a bibliography/notes.
Example:
The Struggle for Egypt: From Nasser to
Tahrir Square by Steven A. Cook

7. The Information Cycle
Year/Years after the Event: Reference Material
Information:
• Provides an overview or summary of the event and is published
in encyclopedias, dictionaries and textbooks.
• Tends to be written by specialists, researchers and other
professionals.
• Usually includes a bibliography.
Example:
Gale Virtual Reference
Library entry for “Arab
Spring”