7.4 Sources of knowledge

Academic Publications

Advantages:
Usually focus on one topic/subtopic of an area.
Time between its writing and publication is relatively short, so information and knowledge they provide is as up to date as possible
Textbooks give good overviews of a topic and are proof read before publication.

Disadvantages:
Level of language used, which can be inaccessible without pre-existing level of knowledge in the topic area.
As publishing usually takes over a year to publish elements of the textbook may become out date

E-learning

Advantages:
Accessiblity, as it can be accessed anywhere.

MOOC's:
Massive - Number of learners taking the course can be massive.
Open - Anyone can take part in the courses.
Online - This is how courses are accessed.
Course - The courses teach a specific topic.

Websites Google Search

Advantages:
Allows an extensive list of possible sources to be generated within seconds.
Algorithms search through the sources to give the most accurate list of relevant sources.

Disadvantages:
The WWW is not regulated, information could be unreliable.
Approx. 252K new webpages are added a day, therefore SERP pages can be large, making it dificult to find a reliable source.
Fake news and breaches of user information.

Professional networks and peers

Can be a personal network of associates gathered over time as a person progresses through their career.
Professional bodies: Will run conferences, provide lectures and give access to experts and subject matter.

Advantages:
Reliability of information from peers and conferences is high. Due to the requirements to meet membership will require professional qualifications.

Minor Disadvantage:
Time off work to attend; negotiated with employer usually. Large number of lectures available on specific topics.

SDK - Software Development Kit

API - Application Programming Interface
IDE - Integrated Development Environment
HDK - Hatdware Developer Kit

Advantages of SDKs:
Prove supporting material: e.g. Sample software, technical notes, documentation, tutorials.

Disadvantages:
Only allow the addition of specific feature, therefore quite rigid/inflexible.
They can be platform, hardware, OS specific, which limits their use.

Supplier Literature

This is a formal document such as a manual supplied with a device. May be a hard copy or customers will be given a digital link. It is a reliable source of information as it is produced by the manufacturer.

They will contain:
Technical details
User guide
Fault fixing

Disadvantages:
Will contain technical possibly confusing terminology.

White Papers

  1. An information document providing details of a solutions or product that an organisation sells or plan to sell.
  2. A document that presents government policies and legislation to gather public reaction.

Reliability and Validity

Author expertise: A team of authors may have written a publication, but using the WWW it easy to check the instituation. The date of the publication is also key as technology may have moved on, so the information is no longer relevant.
Bias: Author Bias - Relates to the opinion and views of the author. They could have no evidence to substantiate their opinions or may have selected only those that are aligned to their own.
Confirmation Bias: This is where sources have been selected to align with those of the author.
Selection Bias:
There will be little consideration of a range of demographic groups, including their opinions and views
Cultural Bias: Views based on the assumptions of different demographic groups. With little consideration for the opinions or views of the groups.

Subjectivity

Information from only one view point.
It may include assumptions or interpretations of a topic which is rarely backed up by citations evidence.

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