The flow of information is a conceptual timeline of how information is created, disseminated, and found. Information is dispersed through a variety of channels. Depending on the type of information, the time it takes to reach its audience could range from seconds to minutes, days to weeks, or months to years. Knowing how information flows helps you understand what types of information you need and how to search and obtain the targeted information.
| Source: | Production Time: | Find: | Written by: | Written for: |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Web Pages | Seconds/Minutes to Years | -Online | Anyone | General public to Specialists |
|
News (Internet / TV / Radio) |
Seconds/Minutes | -Websites -TV news |
Journalists | General public |
| Newspapers | Day/Several Days | -Online newspaper websites -Newspaper indexes |
Professional journalists | General public |
| Magazines | Week/Weeks | -Periodical indexes -Library catalog |
Professional journalists, poets, writers of fiction, and essayists | General public to knowledgeable layperson |
| Electronic or Print Journals | Starting at 3-6 months | -Library catalog -Article database -Journal website -Google Scholar |
Specialists in the field, usually scholars with PhDs | Scholars, specialists, and students |
| Books | 2 years + | -Library catalog | Specialists/scholars | General public to specialists |
| Ebooks | 2 years + | -Library catalog -Digital collections |
Specialists/scholars | General public to specialists |
| Reference Sources | Average of 10 years | -Library catalog | Specialists/scholars | General public to specialists |
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