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 From Now On
The Educational Technology Journal


 
Vol 9|No 7|March|2000

 

 

 

Selectivity

A book provides an offering of the most pertinent and reliable information. Less is more.

With the advent of the Internet we note the noise to signal ratio rising at an alarming rate. Many complain that info-glut and info-garbage interfere with the search for insight. Data Smog: Surviving the Information Glut by David Shenk (Harpercollins, 1997

We expect that our author will focus upon certain essential questions and issues. We go looking for a book likely to match our own questions.

Like Sherlock Holmes, our investigator looks for clues, evidence and information of high quality, pertinence and value. Researching to cast light on significant matters, our surrogate sorts and sifts in service to the questions at hand. We don't want a roving or random spotlight. We expect illumination.

We buy the book - "hire" the author, if you will - because we cannot devote two years of our lives to replicating the research. We want a high signal to noise ratio.

We trust the researcher to throw away the garbage and show us just the best information.

We seek findings, gleanings and discoveries. We expect treasures and nuggets.

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