Ma'anar ƙamus na kalmar "ilimin jama'a" yana nufin bayanai ko gaskiyar da aka sani ko kuma isa ga jama'a. Bayani ne wanda ba a ɗaukarsa na sirri, sirri, ko ƙuntatawa ta kowace hanya, kuma yana samuwa ga kowa don samun dama ko amfani da shi. Ana iya samun ilimin jama'a ta hanyoyi daban-daban, kamar rahoton labarai, wallafe-wallafe, bayanan jama'a, ko lura da al'amura gaba ɗaya.
