What does informativeness mean?
Informativeness is the quality of being informative, meaning capable of conveying useful, relevant, or illuminating information. It is commonly used to evaluate documents, presentations, articles, websites, educational materials, and other forms of communication. A source may contain abundant information yet still be low in informativeness if that information is unclear, irrelevant, poorly organized, or difficult to understand. The word therefore focuses not simply on how much information is available, but on how effectively it is communicated and how much benefit a reader or viewer gains from it. In academic and professional contexts, informativeness often appears alongside qualities such as clarity, accuracy, concision, and usefulness. It is also useful when comparing summaries, reports, instructional resources, or media, since these qualities help determine whether they serve their intended audience well.
nounThe quality of being informative: the extent to which something conveys useful, relevant, or illuminating information.
- The quality of being informative, especially of a text, document, presentation, or other source that conveys useful or illuminating information.
"The guide's clarity and informativeness make it an excellent introduction to the subject."
"The documentary was praised for its informativeness without being overly technical."
"Researchers assessed the informativeness of the summaries for readers with limited background knowledge."
Informativeness is normally used as an uncountable noun, so plural forms are not used in ordinary modern English.
"The study examined the informativeness of emergency instructions for passengers."
Information is what you have; informativeness is how well it works.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does informativeness come from?
Informativeness was formed in the 19th century by adding the suffix -ness to informative. The adjective informative derives from inform, which comes from Latin informare, meaning “to instruct” or “to shape.” The Latin verb is related to forma, meaning “shape” or “form.” The modern noun thus literally refers to the state or quality of being informative.
Related word forms
How informativeness is actually used
Usually formal or academic. It describes the quality of conveying useful information rather than the information itself, and is often used in evaluations of texts, documents, presentations, and media.
Easily confused with informativeness
Information is the content or facts communicated, whereas informativeness describes how useful, clear, or illuminating that content is.