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Information seeking in electronic
environment: a comparative investigation among computer scientists in
British and Greek universities.
Rania
Siatri
Department of Information & Communications
Manchester Metropolitan University
[email protected]
1. Aim and objectives
The aim of the study is to examine the information seeking behaviour of
academic computer scientists in an electronic environment
The objectives are:
- To investigate the different practices and methods used by academic computer scientists in retrieving
information from electronic information sources.
- To identify the types and range of electronic information resources used currently by academics and determine the level and spread of their use.
- To examine the impact of these systems on communication and exchange of professional knowledge among computer scientists.
- To examine if it is possible to identify the factors which trigger the information need and the association of ideas, or logical consequence which leads to a particular information seeking behaviour.
- To investigate if the availability of information resources affects the information seeking patterns and communication of academics and to what extent.
- To determine whether or not different kinds of information needs ( e.g. professional, personal) lead to a different information seeking behaviour and communication channels.
It was decided to concentrate the study on computer scientists, since they are leaders in information technology, and thus can be expected to be at the forefront of exploiting IT in their communication behaviour. Although there have been many studies examining the behaviour of various academic and non-academic groups, none of them has focused on computer scientists. Narrowing the focus of the study should provide a better understanding of the information tools used by the particular group of scientists, a more detailed and accurate profile of the users leading to an in-depth understanding of the information seeking process. This study seeks to investigate how electronic information resources and information communication facilities especially those located on the Internet, have affected the computer scientists in terms of communication, exchange of knowledge and information seeking behaviour.
Another feature of the study is that, part of it will take place in Greece. The different level of information and library provision in Britain and Greece makes it appropriate to compare and contrast groups from these countries; this should enable us to draw a picture of the current situation in information use, given the different development of information and library provision in the two countries.
2. Background Information
User studies are one of
the areas most researched in library and information science and form a
large body of literature in the discipline. However it is an area which
combines some of the most used and the least precisely defined concepts of
library and information science. These concepts, such as information use
or need, information seeking behaviour channel of communication, exist in
a system of complicated and interdependent relations. Wilson provides a
framework for defining the field and "suggests that the information
seeking behaviour results from recognition of some need perceived by the
user" [Wilson, 1981, p4.] A user may follow formal and/or informal
channels of communication in order to acquire the desired information. The
course of action that a user will engage determines and the information
seeking behaviour.
The origin and conception of user
studies were based upon the notion "that if one could somehow identify the
information needs and uses of a population subset, one could design
effective information systems"[Crawford, 1978]. This phrase summarises
exactly the essence of user studies; studying a community and its needs
helps in order to provide the information services demanded.
Throughout the historical development of user studies,
methodological issues always seemed to be the centre of attention and
debate among information scientists. However the main issue is not the use
of defective methodology but rather the absence of a theoretical framework
surrounding user studies. Methodology, in order to be effective, should be
embedded within in a coherent conceptual framework which somehow will
provide the boundaries of the subject area, by describing and defining the
concepts within the field and by creating a systems of dependencies and
interrelation among these concepts.
There are two
dominant kinds of user studies, the system-oriented studies, and the
user-oriented studies. In the first case users are viewed as passive
recipients of information and the study investigates their external
behaviour, generally by means of qualitative methods. Although these
surveys have yield much quantitative data, which gives an overall picture
of information needs and seeking behaviour, they fail to convey a real
picture regarding the factors which trigger the information search and a
more in-depth insight into the individual�s conception�s and thoughts. On
the other hand in user-oriented studies, users are viewed as active and
self-controlling recipients of information and they are concerned with the
internal cognitions of users, which are investigated by qualitative
methods. [Dervin & Nilan,1986] The researcher espouses the conceptual
framework upon which user-oriented studies are based, as she acknowledges
the dynamic and responsive to changes nature of human behaviour and thus of
information seeking.
Some conceptual frameworks have
been developed, which respond to the user-oriented model of user study.
According to Sugar there are four wide categories of such frameworks. The
cognitive approach, where the researchers focus their efforts to understand
"how individuals process information and then illustrate this process
through models" [Sugar, 1995, p.80] In the holistic approach the
researcher is not only interested in the cognitive needs of the users but
also takes into account other factors which influence the users such as
physiological and affective needs. Another category is the action
research: this approach views users as active participants during their
research and tries to understand -- the language, the activities and the
social interrelationships of users. A more recent one is the theory of
usability techniques, which was developed in order to respond to the
increased number of studies, which deal with the use of computers and new
technology in conjunction with information seeking behaviour. They focus
on the use of a system but from the user�s point of view. They take as a
base user�s needs in order to create an environment which will be friendly,
effective and easy for a user to handle.
Despite the large
number of user studies, information scientists are still left with an
unsettling feeling of an elementary level of knowledge as far as it
concerns user needs and information seeking behaviour. Taking into account
the constant development in the provision of recent electronic systems, the
lack of understanding the information seeking behaviour poses an obstacle
in the process interpreting the way in which the electronic information
services are being delivered. There is a need for alternative research
methods and conceptual frameworks which will provide to the information
science community, the evidence to acquire a more in-depth understanding of
the users of information services.
3. Methodology
To meet the main aim and objectives of the study, a combination of quantitative
(questionnaires) and qualitative (interviews and logbooks) research
methods along with a comprehensive literature review will be used. The
first part of the review will identify previous and present research
projects on the subject and will assist the researcher to gain a better
understanding of the complexity and diversity of the subject. The second
part of the review will deal with the possible impact of the electronic
environment on academic information use. It will examine whether or not
the development of new technology has affected the theoretical frameworks
developed, as well as the research methods which are employed in user
studies.
A questionnaire was designed and it was
distributed to a number of academic computer scientists in all universities
in each country. Its purpose was to collect evidence concerning the use
of electronic information resource and the patterns of different practices
used by academics to retrieve the required information. The analysis
(SPSS is used for it) and critical evaluation of the data should draw an
overall picture of the use of electronic information resources and patterns
of information seeking by academic computer scientists in both countries
(aims 1, 2, 3).
The means which will produce the
qualitative information required will take the form of semi-structured and
in-depth interviews along with some personal logbooks which will be kept
for a period of time, by a small number of academics in both countries.
Dervin�s sense-making theory will be applied to both interviews and
logbooks. The interviews will attempt to identify the factors which are
liable to affect the information seeking behaviour of a researcher such as
nature of the information need, the purpose of it will serve or the
existence of external barriers posed by the environment such as
availability of resources (aims 5, 6). The logbooks will serve as a
readily available tool of documenting any thoughts, questions and
information needs that an academic researcher may have during the
pre-arranged period of time (aim 4). The information documented in the
logbooks will hopefully provide an insight into whether or not is possible
to identify the factors which trigger the information needs. The
researcher is aware of the difficulties involved with research which is
heavily depended on keeping journals but it is considered that is worth
while. The use of questionnaires, interviews and logbooks will provide the
grounds for rigorous and constant comparisons of the data. Additionally the
engagement of different research methods seeks to assist towards the
validity of the findings.
4. Progress to date
A literature
review of information seeking behaviour and user studies has been undertaken. The review assisted the researcher to identify previous and present research projects and has provided valuable knowledge for the understanding of the theoretical and methodological issues surrounding user studies.
A questionnaire has been developed tested and administered in both Greece and the UK. I have obtained preliminary results from the UK and currently I am working on the analysis of the results, from the questionnaires administered in Greece. For the analysis of the data it is used the SPSS. The interviews are almost prepared and
they are scheduled to be piloted in September.
5. Timetable
|
Activity |
Target completion |
Status |
1 |
Literature review |
---------- |
1st version completed but ongoing |
2 |
Determine research methodology |
---------- |
Completed |
3 |
Design of Questionnaire |
---------- |
Completed |
4 |
Pilot questionnaire (UK & Greece) |
---------- |
Completed |
5 |
Data collection UK & Greece |
---------- |
Completed |
6 |
Data analysis & comparison of findings |
Aug. 98 |
Currently undertaken |
7 |
Design & pilot interview (UK & Greece) |
Nov. 98 |
Under consideration |
8 |
Conduct interviews and analysis |
Mar. 99 |
---------- |
9 |
Design & pilot logbooks ( UK & Greece) |
April 99 |
---------- |
10 |
Data collection & analysis of logbooks |
July 99 |
---------- |
11 |
Compare findings form interviews & logbooks |
Oct. 99 |
---------- |
12 |
Writing up of thesis |
June 00 |
---------- |
13 |
Slippage |
Sept. 00 |
---------- |
6. References
- Crawford, Susan. [1978] Information needs and uses. In: Williams, Martha, ed. Annual Review of Information Science and Technology: volume 13. Knowledge Industry Publications, p.61-81.
- Dervin, Brenda and Nilan, Michael.[1986] Information needs and uses. In: Williams, Martha, ed. Annual Review of Information Science and Technology: volume 21. Knowledge Industry Publications, p.3-33.
- Sugar, Williams. [1995] User-centered perspectives of information retrieval research and analysis methods. In: Williams, Martha, ed. Annual Review of Information Science and Technology: volume 30. American Society of Information Science, p.77-109
- Wilson,T.D. [1981] On user studies and information needs. Journal of Documentation, 37(1), p.3-15.
Information Research, Volume 4 No. 2 October 1998 Information seeking in electronic environment: a comparative investigation among computer scientists in British and Greek Universities., by Rania
Siatri Location: http://InformationR.net/ir/4-2/isic/siatri.html © the author, 1998. Last updated: 9th September 1998
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