Research Starter Toolkit

The Information Cycle

The information cycle describes the way that information is produced and distributed, and how it develops and grows over time. We see the information cycle in play any time a major newsworthy event occurs. 

Understanding how the information cycle works will help you to know what kinds of information may be available on your topic.

Think about a newsworthy event from the last few years and consider the following questions.

• How did you first hear or learn about the event?
• What kinds of information were available on the day of the event?
• What was the quality of that early information? Was there any misinformation circulating through the media?
• How did the information available evolve over the course of the days and weeks following the event? 

Watch the following video outlining the information cycle and see how your experiences connect: