The English language is sometimes typical to understand and in order to use it in the correct way one needs to know about the precise meaning of a word and therefore only could be predicted that where it is to be used in the right manner. Many words like enquire-inquire, hear-listen, and information-knowledge are often used interchangeably but when looked closely, it can change the meaning of the sentence.
Information vs Knowledge
The main difference between information and knowledge is that Information means the investigated, revised, and processed data of something while knowledge is the useful information gained through experience or learning. These two terms are really very similar in a way and that is why most of the people often get confused and use them in place of each other.
Information is the organized, processed and structural data that is presented with a proper context for a better understanding of any subject or any matter. It is further transformed into an intelligible form for a better and precise decision-making process. Characteristics that define information is its relevance, accuracy and last but not the least, availability.
On the other hand, knowledge refers to the awareness of a person regarding any particular topic. Knowledge is gathered through experience, training, learning or even practical understanding. Knowledge develops insights and draws interferences based on a person’s experience which helps in the decision-making process and finally in taking actions.
Comparison Table Between Information and Knowledge
| Parameters of Comparison | Information | Knowledge |
| Meaning | It is refined data. | It contains useful information. |
| Transfer | Transfer of information is easy. It can be transferred through verbal ways or electronic ways. | Transfer of knowledge can only be possible if the receiver is ready to take it. |
| Reproduction | Information can be reproduced. | Knowledge is hard to reproduce. |
| Prediction | Information alone is not helpful for making predictions. | Prediction is possible if the learner has proper knowledge. |
| Outcome | Comprehensive | Understanding |
What is Information?
Information could be defined as the knowledge obtained from investigation, study, or instruction and knowledge are used interchangeably without even realizing their differences. In a general sense, a piece of information is processed, organized and structured data. It enables decision making and provides context for data. It can also be regarded as organized data about a thing or a person obtained from various types of sources which includes verbal ways or electronic ways like Television, newspaper, media etc.
Data compiled in meaningful sentences is known as information. For example, all the data, material, concepts, and rest of the things given in books, videos, newspapers, etc. are pieces of information procured from a source and provided to you. Everything that comes back as an answer to a query searched on the internet is information and it will not become knowledge until and unless someone reads it, understands it and memorizes it.
Information is a building block for anything. Information is the knowledge that is remodelled in intelligible type. Information is basically a combination of context and data. But it is not helpful in taking decisions or came on to a conclusion. After conversion, when knowledge is refined and become purposeful, it becomes information. It can even be reproduced and presented in the form necessary for a parti9cular discussion, explanation, presentation, etc.
What is Knowledge?
Knowledge is the acquired facts, information, and skills through experiences or education. It could also be defined as the theoretical or practical understanding of a subject. It can be acquired in a variety of ways and from different sources, including but not limited to perception, reason, memory, testimony, scientific inquiry, education, and practice.
Whenever someone reads a book, watches an informative video, or attends a lecture; all the things that he or she understands and retains is regarded as knowledge. Just reading something or listening to a piece of information without understanding it completely is not considered as knowledge since when asked later the person will not be able to recall it and give a correct explanation or state it as it was mentioned in the original and right form.
Knowledge shows the familiarity of a person or place or anything that we gained through learning, practice, experience or experiment. A mixed form of intuition, information and expertise formed knowledge. It helps in the decision-making process. And for any judgement, one needs familiarity with the particular subject they are supposed to talk about. Information is the processing of data and when the information is further manipulated and processed, it will convert into knowledge.
Differences Between Information and Knowledge
- Information is building block for everything that exists in this universe, while knowledge can be regarded as a whole building which is properly processed and refined.
- Data compiled in meaningful context provides information and when the information is further combined with various other factors like experience, conscience or intuition, it then converts into knowledge.
- Information provides the comprehensiveness of facts while knowledge leads to the understanding of a subject.
- Information can be easily transferred through various ways like verbal or non verbal. But the transfer of knowledge is totally based upon the interest of the receiver.
- Information can be done in low cost while the process of knowledge is rather costly as it requires experimentation.
Conclusion
These two terms could be highly confusing in general. The usage could be ambiguous on multiple occasions. A lot of times these terms are interchangeable but still there is no denying the fact that the terms knowledge and information are different from each other and when used in place of one another, they clearly hold the capability to change the whole sense of a sentence. There are even more words like this in the English language and therefore it is important to pay special attention while learning them so that when required, they can be used correctly and convey things in the right manner.
References
- http://www.providersedge.com/docs/km_articles/understanding_the_difference_between_im_and_km.pdf
- https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/1320194/