Module 3 lecture comments

Definitions of information

“The reduction of uncertainty” – Shannon and Weaver, 1948

This seems true. I suppose it is. I prefer statements that are positive in nature – in this case something more like “The increase of certainty” but I guess that Shannon and Weaver have it correct here. Their version is more consistent with the scientific method and deals more with falsifiability than my more “positive” version. As we gain information, we will reduce the amount we don’t know about something. Isn’t that the same as saying the we increase the amount we know about something? Thinking while typing here…. and sometimes more information makes us less certain about things we thought we knew, right?

“A difference that makes a difference” – Bateson, 1979

Those 6 words don’t mean very much but Dr. Roland’s explanation clarified things a great deal. The example of something happening that is outside of our normal sphere of knowledge, e.g. an appliance breaks down, is a good one because we realize our need to gain information to create a different situation.

“A coherent collection of data organized in a particular way that has meaning” – Ruben, 1988

Previous definitions implied “data” but this one explicitly mentions the term and adds “organization” to the definition. It hints at the growing volume of data we were seeing in the 1980s and reminds us that without organization, information is difficult to generate.

“The meaning that a human being assigns to data by means of the conventions applied to that data” – Stallings, 1988

This also mentions “data” and introduces the importance of context (Stallings says “conventions).

“We know that we are continually subjected to a huge range of sensory inputs and internal experiences of sensations and thoughts. In fact, almost anything existing in the universe, that can come into human and other animals’ purview, can be experienced as information – a bird call, our friend’s ‘hello,’ the rock we trip over, the intuition we have about the honesty of someone we are talking to, a book we read.” – Bates, 2006

Certainly, we are, as Dr. Roland says, “we are - every one of us – walking, talking, living, breathing information processing machines”. Sometimes a bird call is data but I suppose that sometimes it is information – and the context of that bird call within my own experience is what makes the difference between it being data or information. I’m intrigued by Dr. Roland’s mention of us being information sharing machines through modern social networks.

Data and information

I appreciate the time spent on calling librarians to consider the individual needs of information seekers. As library and information professionals, we not only need to know the difference between data and information, but we also need to understand the various ways in which individuals will engage with data and make sense of it. The simple question, “do you think this is what you are looking for?” is GOLD. It seems good to me that we remember that we do not hold all the answers ourselves but that we can be a resource to help people find data and unlock information that is meaningful to them. If we have the proper attitude (Roland says “learn to accept your ignorance”) we can be very helpful even with questions which we have no personal knowledge about because we value the question itself and the information seeker as an individual with a need.

I have seen a great deal of student work that simply reproduces facts/data, e.g. a report about Germany. I’d like to be able to learn ways in which I can help students go beyond reproducing facts so their work can actually impart information to others and perhaps increase their knowledge. I plan to work on this in the upcoming school year. I do not know the best way to help all of the students but think that asking good questions will be a key component.