Sources of Information “where to find information”

Gathered through direct contact with other people eg face-to-face meetings telephone conversations Disadvantages - no formal record is kept of the discussion which can lead to misinterpretation or forgotten information! People-based sources

Paper-based sources Most organisations have access to electronic sources of information but there are times when paper-based sources are needed. Eg if internet access is not available Disadvantage – information goes out of date quickly

Examples Reference books eg Whitaker’s Almanack, Pears Cyclopaedia, Who’s Who Roget’s Thesaurus Dictionary Timetables Catalogues Leaflets Newspapers Road maps Hotel directory For each paper-based source identify:  the information contained  a business use

SourceInformationUse Whitaker’s Almanack Covers UK and world affairs for a particular year Info on world events – speeches? Pears Cyclopaedia Info on General Knowledge topics Background info – report? Who’s Who Who Was Who Short biographies of famous people (present and deceased) Info of people – reference in presentation? (Roget’s) Thesaurus Alternative words with the same meaning Speech writing to avoid repetition eg nice! DictionarySpelling, meaning and pronunciation of words Preparation of business documents eg memo TimetableDeparture and arrival times of transport eg bus, train Arranging a business trip CataloguesUp-to-date information on new products, equipment, etc To purchase new items for the business

SourceInformationUse LeafletsGeneral information about a topic eg printing service To provide information and contact details NewspapersInformation about current affairs Info to aid decision making Road MapsRoutes to get from A to BPlanning a route to attend a meeting Hotel DirectoryLists hotels and their facilitiesFinding accommodation for a business trip

TOP TIP Recent exam questions have focused on the use of paper-based sources of information (be able to name the source and state what it would be used for)

Electronic (ICT) sources Those that can be accessed using ICT equipment, eg: CD Rom Database Spreadsheets Teletext Internet website Intranet What information can you find in each of these sources?

CD Rom Database Spreadsheet Teletext Similar information to reference books eg encyclopaedia. Goes out of date quickly and can be costly to replace. Internal information including staff records, customer/supplier details, training details – can be searched/filtered to produce reports. Internal information including dept budgets, sales records, price lists, etc – can be sorted and graphs produced Available through TV and the Internet to give current information on general topics – eg news, weather, road reports, etc.

Uses of the Internet:  advertising the organisation and its products and services  e-commerce – taking orders on-line  keeping up-to-date about competitors prices and services  using to contact customers and sales reps  researching and booking travel, accommodation and car hire If you want to use the Internet as a PS answer ALWAYS say “Internet website” or give a specific website eg Travel Agent website

Features of a good website: Up-to-date web pages (up-dated regularly) Easy to navigate – hyperlinks should be available (eg and a search facility is usefulwww.sqa.org.uk E-commerce should be available Contact details of the organisation including e- mail address Easy to remember URL (website address) FAQ’s section (frequently asked questions)

Find out the meaning of the following terms: ISP Download Search engine Hyperlink Favourites

Advantages of using the internet as a source of information Information is usually up-to-date Using a search engine allows access to a wide range of information – used if you don’t know the correct URL Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week Websites may give more detailed information than a leaflet or brochure Information is available instantly

Problems???? Individuals can easily set up their own website – there is no guarantee the information is accurate Websites need to be updated regularly if they are to be reliable Sometimes internet connections or websites are unavailable

Really Useful Websites – widely used search engine up-to-date news etc en.wikipedia.org – general interest topics (the online encyclopaedia) Access this website and read the “about Wikipedia” section.

Intranet This is an internal network used to share information within an organisation. It can only be accessed by the organisation’s employees.

Intranet can be used for: Up-to-date company information eg internal telephone directory Up-to-date product information eg price lists Daily or weekly staff bulletins and notices Internal Electronic diaries Sharing software

Advantages of an intranet The same information is available to all employees – policy documents, training packages Information needs to be up-dated only once Standardised documents can be stored and accessed by all employees Fewer documents are photocopied for circulation, saving paper and costs