Extract 1
Q: According to the extract, information overload is the experience of feeling ______ by large amounts of information.
A: Burdened / overwhelmed
Q: Name one synonym or related term for information overload mentioned in the extract.
A: Any of the following: cognitive overload, sensory overload, communication overload, knowledge overload, information fatigue syndrome.
Q: According to cognitive load theory, how many items can the working memory hold at once?
A: About seven items or pieces of information at a time .
Q: What does this extract examine?
Summarize the extract
A: It examines how information overload affects mental health, leading to issues like anxiety and poor decision-making, especially from multitasking.
Q: Summarize the main points in extract 5.
A: Summary: Argues that information overload can foster critical thinking and information literacy as individuals learn to filter and prioritize data.
Q: Name one early scholar who defined information overload.
A: Any of the following: Lipowski (1975), Milgram (1970), Miller (1978), Sweller (1988).
Synthesis
Q: What is the main academic contribution of this extract?
A: It reviews information overload across multiple disciplines.
- It reviews various fields to explain how excessive information affects cognitive processing and leads to confusion.
Definition:
Q: According to Klapp (1986), what happens when the information is too excessive?
A: The receiver can’t process it efficiently, leading to distraction, stress, errors, and reduced efficiency.
Q: What is the main argument of this extract?
Q: How can this extract be used in the essay?
A: Main Argument: Against information overload
•Use in Essay: Can be used in arguments against overload, focusing on its effects on mental health and decision quality due to multitasking.
What is the main argument?
Main Argument: For information overload
Background:
Q: Name one communication source mentioned in the extract that contributes to overload (e.g., email, voicemail).
A: Any valid source: email, voicemail, online conferencing, telephones, fax, surface mail, and telex)
Q: What cognitive process becomes harder when individuals face a heavy information load?
A: Recalling prior information.
Q: Name two disciplines that consider information overload a relevant topic.
A: Medicine, social sciences, marketing, computer science, education, psychology.
Q: According to the passage, how does multitasking affect a person’s behavior?
A: Multitasking can exhaust the brain, leading to poor decision-making, and it increases the release of stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline, which are associated with the “fight-or-flight” response.
include integral and non-integral citation
Koltay (2017) argues that ...
(Koltay, 2017)
Q: What do advanced technologies impose on people, according to the extract?
A: Behavioral and psychological burdens.
Q: What is one positive effect of receiving information (before overload occurs)?
A: Improves decision-making / enhances reasoning quality.
The extract provides evidence that information can improve performance when given in appropriate amounts.
In Extract 2, what verb means “to go beyond or surpass a limit"
According to Extract 2, performance decreases when information begins to surpass what an individual can handle. What is the academic verb used in the extract to describe this?
exceed
Q: Write a synonym that means “done quickly without careful thought.”
hasty
How will you include this source in the reference list?
Journal article – one author
Reference format: Surname, INITIALS. (year) ‘Article title’. Journal Title in italics. Volume number(issue number) pages.
Q: Explain in one sentence how information overload affects organizational productivity.
A: High volumes of communication and data make it difficult for individuals to cope, reducing productivity and effectiveness.
Q: Give two cognitive consequences of information overload from the extract.
A:
Confusion
Inability to set priorities
Difficulty recalling information
(Any two)
Q: How would you write an integral citation in Harvard style using the authors of Source 3?
integral
&
non-integral
A:
Arnold et al. (2023) state that…
... (Arnold et al., 2023).
Q: How can this source be listed in the references?
A: Reference format: Surname, INITIALS. (year) Title in italics. Organisation. Available at: URL [accessed: date].