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Science Information Cycle: Why Format?

 

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Why is the Format Relevant?

Because...

  • Information that is important to scientists comes in a variety of formats and categories.
  • A researcher must explore various formats because different formats provide information suitable for different needs.
  • Simply put, diverse formats meet different needs.
  • Most likely, no one format will provide all the information you need.
  • The format affects the ability of the researcher to:
    • Search particular items for specific facts
    • Manipulate data within it
    • Determine what can be done with the information (e.g., download, forward, save)

If you know how science information is organized, then you will know where to look for it!

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