Académique Documents
Professionnel Documents
Culture Documents
1
Media, Information Sources, and Information Languages
Sources of Information
The previous modules have discussed the various sources where you could get information
and its distinct qualities. There are four main types of sources of information:
1. Primary Source – these are sources from original manuscripts, documents or records
that are used in preparing for a published or unpublished work. This type of source
includes autobiographies, case studies, correspondence, diaries/personal papers,
dissertation/thesis, films, first-person accounts, historical documents, laboratory data,
minutes of meetings, original manuscripts/documents, original research, photographs,
religious documents, speeches, technical reports and works of literature. The authors of
this type of source are either authors writing about personal experiences/work or an
expert or graduate student in the same field.
2. Secondary Source – these are published and unpublished works that heavily rely on a
primary source. Some examples of this type of source are analysis, biography, criticism,
dissertations/thesis (the literature review part), editorials, film documentaries, and
reviews of literature. The author of this type of source must have a genuine interest in
the topic he/she has written or an expert in the field.
3. Tertiary Source – these are works that were used secondary sources as reference. Some
examples of this type of source are film documentaries. The author of this type of
source must have a genuine interest in the topic he/she chose to write, or freelance
writers and staff writers who can research on the field they choose to write for.
4. Gray Literature – these are sources that are not usually made available for distribution.
Some examples of this type of source are conference proceedings, data exchange,
dissertations/thesis, government documents/publications, market research reports,
online documents, oral presentations, technical reports, and working papers. Authors of
this type of source must belong in the same field that they are writing about with a high
Course Module
degree of education. Gray literature is hard to locate most of the time but some can be
found through print or electronic means.
distinguishing features. Through genres, audiences can expect a particular code to appear
in similar ones. Most texts produced by media are made to suit a genre for the audience to
easily choose what it is they’re particularly interested in.
It must be understood that while we assume that we know what media is trying to convey,
we barely know something about how media make meanings.
Glossary
Rhetorical analysis: the analysis of how words were used in order to create meaning.
Codes: a system of signs that create meaning when put together
Conventions: are meanings attached to media that were learned from past experiences
and practiced through culture
Audience: mostly passive receivers of messages.
Producers: creators and distributors of messages.
Stakeholders: active receivers of messages.
Course Module
Online Supplementary Reading Materials
Media Texts and Meanings;
http://catalogue.pearsoned.co.uk/assets/hip/images/catalog/uploads/NEW%20Long_C
h1.pdf; July 5, 2017
The Work of Representation; https://uk.sagepub.com/sites/default/files/upm-
binaries/55352_Hall_ch_1.pdf; July 5, 2017
Audiences and Stakeholders: Knowing the Difference is Critical to Reputation
Management; http://standingpartnership.com/audiences-and-stakeholders-knowing-
the-difference-is-critical-to-reputation-management; July 7, 2017
Codes and Conventions; http://media-studies.tki.org.nz/Teaching-media-studies/Media-
concepts/Codes-and-conventions; July 7, 2017
Online Instructional Videos