Use Of Information example essay topic

Q. What is Information Literacy? A. ability to recognise the need to find, organise, evaluate and use such information for effective decision-making or problem solving. Be aware that some information conveyed to you may be distorted. Be aware that you may require additional information before making a decision. Q. What is Information Technology Literacy? A. ability to recognise opportunities for and apply information technology resources to capture and manipulate data, transform data into information and present information. Q. Why do you need Information Literacy? A. to function in society, to understand the language and knowledge structures of particular fields of study, to be able to study in fields of interest, to be able to communicate. Q. Is there a relationship between data, information, and knowledge? A. Yes. A collection of basic data elements (facts, video, images, sound etc.) are transformed (manipulated) into information. By gathering information we can begin to gain knowledge. Q. What are the three information types? (and give an example of each) A. Primary Information - eyewitness account, creative work, discovery Secondary Information - reports on events, history, theologies Tertiary Information - indices, bibliographies, browsers. What are the Information Literacy skills identified in the lecture? A. Task Definition, Information Seeking Strategies, Location and Access, Use of Information, Synthesis, Evaluation.

What are the 5 subdiscipline's of Semiotics and what are their attributes? A. Statistics - patterns, codes, traces, signals Syntactics - structure, data, records, language, logic, software, files Semantics - meaning, denotation, signification, proposition, validity, truth Pragmatics - intent, communication, conversation, negotiation Social - beliefs, expectations, commitments, contracts, law, culture. What are mind maps useful for? A. Note taking, organising information in a logical structure, good for exam revision. What is a metaphor? Examples... A. statements based on some kind of analogy where two things are compared to each other e.g. desk top metaphor, metaphorically speaking. What are the different types of metaphors? A. Illustrative, Iconic, Visual, Verbal. What is a clich'e? A. A phrase that conveys some sort of idea or message, a clich'e is, in other words a metaphor characterised by its over use. Q. The usefulness of information is determined by four main factors.

What are these four main factors and exemplify. A. Information Quality - fitness for purpose, author's credentials, revised edition, intended audience etc. Information Assessibility - consistent, speed, availability, format Information Presentation - writing style, organised logically, main points clearly presented Information Security - Internet fire walls, Business passwords etc. What is Knowledge? A. A combination of rules, ideas, instincts and procedures that guide actions and decisions. Q. What are the different types of information retrieval outlined in the lecture? A. Text database - a set of documents stored and organised on a computer e.g. proformasHypertext documents - interactive links to other parts of the current document e.g. auto table of contents in word. Hypermedia system - is made up of documents that may contain text, images, audio, video etc. Browser - GUI to, displays web pages to users, require programs called 'plugins' to access some elements. Name two different types of databases and provide examples for each. A. Relational database - consisting of many linked tables e.g. MS Access Flat File database - rows and columns, one table only e.g. MS Excel / Word.

Name some information collection techniques (from lecture) A. Interviewing & ObservationReadingNote TakingListeningInformation Management. When organising data we need to apply Critical thinking in particular we need to clarify, reflect, analyse and synthesis e. Describe each of these steps. A. Clarify - examine the material, check the information Reflect - consider, compose, look at consequences Analyse - examine the parts, make comparisons, read between the lines, draw inferencesSynthesise - pull all the clues together, form your own arguments or line of reasoning. Name three flexible storage systems for data (from lecture notes) A. Paper based, film based, computer based. Which is more important, storage or retrieval of information? Justify your answer. A. Information retrieval.

Anyone can store information, whether it is in a shoebox or on a computerized system. The most important thing here is to make sure that the information is retrievable in a timely and efficient manner, particularly when having to make decisions. Q. The effective storage of data within a computerized system requires: (from lecture) A. Thorough design of data types and structures Good use of normalization principles Consideration of indexing Careful consideration of fields used as primary keys for creating relationships. What are the five steps of the I D E A L problem solving model presented in lecture? A. Identify, Define, Explore, Act, Look back. Explain the structure of a report (the main elements) A. Front page, Abstract / Executive Summary, Table of Contents, Introduction, Discussion, Conclusion / Recommendation, References / Bibliography, Appendices. What are the three main Information Quality Criterion given in the lecture? A. Content Criteria, Form Criteria, Process Criteria. Explain and exemplify what the Content Criteria sub-criteria Validity means. A. how well founded, trustworthy and reliable the content of the resource is e.g. look for reference / bibliographic sections, statements of aims and objectives.

Explain and exemplify what the Form Criteria sub-criteria Appropriate Technologies means. A. uses technologies and standards that enable users to access and utilise all aspects of the resource e.g. provide plugin downloads to view a video. Explain and exemplify what the Process Criteria sub-criteria Information Integrity means. A. the value of the information content over time - usually relating to the work of the author or creator e.g. updates, date last modified, timetables, menu pricing etc. Q. What are some of the ways you can contribute to group work (from lecture notes) A. Share responsibility for planning and producing a quality group product Collaborate to define roles and divide responsibility Completes tasks in a timely manner Helps synthesis e individual tasks into finished product Collaborate to determine relevant information Acknowledge diverse ideas and incorporate them when appropriate Offer useful information to the group, defend and seek consensus when appropriate to achieve a stronger product. As a responsible Information User you should: A. Respect the principle of intellectual freedom Practice ethical usage of information and information technologies e.g. Do not plagiarism, cite references appropriately and properly, apply copyright guidelines etc. Follow guidelines and etiquette using electronic information sources e.g. Recognise time constraints and access constraints Maintain physical integrity of information resources and facilities e.g. Preserve the integrity of print and non-print materials, follow policies and procedures for use, acknowledge and respect the rights of others.

The four main dimensions of McDonaldisation talked about in the lecture were: A. Efficiency - leads to individuality not allowedCalculability - leads to quantity over quality Predictability - leads to standardization and uniformity of everything Control - leads to deskilling of work force - workers are not allowed to work outside of the parameters set.