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644 James B. Hunt Dr.
Mount Olive, NC 28365
(919) 658-7869
644 James B. Hunt Dr., Mount Olive, NC 28365 | (919) 658-7869

Moye Library Orientation

The Information Cycle

Different types of sources meet different needs. When a piece of information is created in the Information Cycle (shown in the image below) can tell you a lot about the type of source you are evaluating.

image of the information cycle

Type of Information  When Information is Published/Where in Information Cycle it Occurs   Purpose of Information Drawbacks  Type of Source 
Social media post or breaking news headline seconds to minutes  after event  inform others that event has occurred, provide initial information about event   may be limited in the information provided, information may be biased or incomplete primary source
Electronic media (radio, online newspapers, magazines, and blogs) minutes to days after event  provides more detailed information on event as facts become more clear 

more complete than first headlines, may still be lacking important details 

May use clickbait headlines and strong language to appeal to public. 

 primary source 
Print media (print newspapers, popular magazines) and longer electronic news articles  days to weeks after event  provides detailed popular account and may cite multiple sources  often includes more detailed firsthand accounts and/or includes information from multiple sources, but still written for a popular audience. May use clickbait headlines and strong language to appeal to public.  primary or secondary (If a firsthand account, the source will be primary. If citing multiple sources, the source will be secondary.) 
scholarly journal articles  months to years after event  provides an academic source for information that is reviewed by experts in the field not always accessible to the public (use of article may cost, language in article is often technical and subject-specific, setup of article is not aimed at popular audience, but at students and experts in the subject matter),  not usually available for current events usually secondary (exception to this rule: original research studies, many scientific journal articles are original research studies)
longer works like books more than a year after event  provides an in-depth study of event, often cites many sources, has gone through publication process  more detailed and lengthy than other source types, not available for current events secondary source

This chart shows WHEN information appears, NOT if the information is accurate.

Information released right after an event may change as more is learned about the event. Primary sources and secondary sources are created at different points on the timeline and present different kinds of information.

What is a Peer-Reviewed Source?

Primary vs Secondary Sources

Primary Source

tells the story of an event during the time in which it happened

first source of information produced, like a video of an event on social media, a letter, text message, or newspaper article

often gives one perspective

limited by the knowledge of the person creating the information

In science a primary source refers to an original experiment/original research that is producing new information. 
Secondary Source 

written after an event occurs 

uses many different sources and perspectives to provide information about an event

usually present a more balanced point-of-view

do not necessarily present the intense perspective of a direct witness

Reflection Questions

At what stage in the information cycle might this source have been created? What does that say about the source?

Is it a primary or secondary source? What does that say about the source?

Can you identify key information in the source like the author of the information and the date when it was published? What does this say about the source?