1. INFO 414 Information Behavior
Reviewing definitions of information

2. What is information? facts and knowledge that are believed to be true
books, articles, memos, stored data
a surrogate of knowledge
knowledge that is publicly observable
a stimulus that alters the cognitive structure of the receiver
whatever an individual finds informing

3. Thing perspective What is information?
imparting knowledge or being instructive
constant meaning and absolute correspondence with reality
easily recognizable (books, articles, videos etc)
can be stored, exchanged, transported, lost, destroyed
detached from the individual
information user is a passive recipient

4. Effects perspective What is information?
intangible, personal, subjective
constructed by human beings
process of making sense
knowledge structures capable of being modified or transformed by information
process of adjustment to the existing knowledge structure

5. What is information? Sense making
information is a process of inward forming
a process of creating meaning
Sense making
information as the sense created at a specific moment in time and space
responsive to situational conditions defined by the user
individual attempts to bridge discontinuities and gaps

6. Practical Theoretical
Information science - Practical and theoretical problems (Brookes, 1980) W2
Popper
W1 = Physical world
W2 = Subjective human
knowledge
W3 = Objective knowledge W1 W3
Practical
to collect and organize for use the records of World 3
Theoretical
to study the interactions between World 2 and 3, to describe and explain them