Support for Information-Seeking Strategies

Längere Such-Episoden umfassen mehrere Such-Aktionen. Diese Such-Aktionen können in verschiedene Klassen unterteilt werden. Die Klassifikation, die in dieser Arbeit verwendet wird, ist die ISS-Klassifikation von Belkin, Marchetti und Cool, die vier Facetten verwendet (method, goal, mode, resource used), von denen jede zwei Werte hat. Unter der Annahme, dass Support-Mechanismen für jede Klasse bekannt sind, war die Forschungsfrage, ob man jede dieser Klassen durch ein anderes, spezialisiertes Such-Interface unterstützen muss, um eine optimale Unterstützung über unterschiedliche Situationen hinweg zu erreichen, oder ob es reicht, wenn ein einziges Interface Support-Mechanismen für alle denkbaren Such-Aktionen anbietet. Die Forschungsfrage wurde in insgesamt drei Experimenten untersucht. Die ISS-Klassifikation besteht aus 16 Klassen. Da die Untersuchung der Forschungsfrage für jede dieser 16 Klassen zu aufwändig gewesen wäre, wurden zwei Facetten, goal und resource used, ausgeschlossen. Dadurch blieben zwei Facetten, method und mode, mit insgesamt vier Klassen übrig. Support-Mechanismen für die vier Facetten-Werte, scanning, searching, recognition und specification, wurden gesammelt unter der Annahme, dass diese Mechanismen ebenso unabhängig voneinander sind wie die zugrunde liegenden Facetten. Der Facetten-Wert recognition wurde in zwei Experimenten untersucht. Das erste Experiment untersuchte eine Tabellen-basierte Ergebnislisten-Darstellung mit einer Listen-basierten Darstellung mit Highlighting bezüglich ihrer Auswirkung auf den Erfolg bei visueller Suche. Versuchsteilnehmer wurden gebeten, Such-Ziele in vorgefertigten Ergebnislisten mit beiden Darstellungs-Varianten, aber nur unter Verwendung visueller Suche, zu finden (Messwiederholung). Ihr Erfolg wurde gemessen anhand der gefundenen Such-Ziele pro Zeit. Weder Liste noch Tabelle zeigten statistisch signifikante Vorteile gegenüber der jeweils anderen Variante. Das zweite Experiment führte eine Baseline-Variante ein, die aus einer herkömmlichen Listen-basierten Darstellung ohne Highlighting bestand. Von dieser Änderung abgesehen, war das Experiment dem ersten recht ähnlich. Auch in diesem Experiment wurde kein statistisch signifikanter Unterschied zwischen den Darstellungs-Varianten gefunden. Für die anderen Facetten-Werte wurden Support-Mechanismen anhand einer Literatur-Suche identifiziert und im letzten Experiment verwendet. Die Haupt-Forschungsfrage wurde untersucht anhand von drei verschiedenen Such-Systemen, die sich einander ähnelten und auf dem ezDL-System basierten. Die erste Variante (baseline) war eine sehr vereinfachte Variante des ezDL-Systems, das außer einer Übersetzungs-Einrichtung keine Support-Mechanismen enthielt. Das zweite System war ein adaptives System, das Support-Mechanismen passend zur aktuellen Such-Aktion des Teilnehmers anbot. Das dritte System enthielt alle Support-Mechanismen des zweiten Systems für alle ISS-Klassen auf einmal. Versuchsteilnehmer wurden gebeten, Suchaufgaben mit einem der drei Systeme zu bearbeiten (ohne Messwiederholung). Ihr Erfolg wurde gemessen durch die Anzahl der gefundenen Dokumente pro Zeit. Kein statistisch signifikanter Unterschied zwischen den Systemen wurde gefunden.Longer search episodes comprise multiple search actions. These search actions can be grouped into several classes. The classification used in this work is the ISS classification by Belkin, Marchetti and Cool, which uses four facets (method, goal, mode and resource used), each of which has to values. Assuming that support features for each class are known, the research question was whether it is necessary to support each ISS class by a different search user interface in order to optimally help the user across many situations, or if a single interface can offer support mechanisms for any search action the user is being involved in. The research question was examined in three experiments. The ISS classification consists of 16 classes. Since studying the research question for all of these classes would have been too difficult, two facets, resource used and learning, were omitted, leaving the two facets method and mode with a total of four remaining classes for examination. Support mechanisms for each value of the two facets, scanning, searching, recognition, and specification, were gathered, assuming that the support mechanisms are as independent of each other as the underlying facets. Support features for the facet value recognition was examined in two experiments. The first experiment compared a table-based result list presentation with a list-based one using highlighting in terms of their support for visual search. Participants were asked to locate search targets in manufactured result lists using each of the result list variants solely by means of visual search (within-subjects design). Their success was measured by how many search targets they found per time. Neither list nor table provided a statistically significant advantage. The second experiment added a baseline result list without any support for visual search; apart of this, the experiment was very similar to the first one. Again, none of the studied result list variants showed statistically significant differences to any other. For the other facet values, the support mechanisms were gathered in a literature search, which identified some promising mechanisms which were then used in the last experiment. The main research question was examined using three search systems that were similar to each other. The first one (baseline) was a very basic variant of the ezDL system and provided no advanced support features other than a translation feature. The second system was an adaptive interface that provided support features only for the ISS class the user was being engaged in. The third system provided all support features of the second system for all ISS classes at once. Participants were asked to complete search tasks with one of the systems (between-subjects design). Their success was measured by how many of the required documents they could locate per time. None of the systems studied provided any statistically significant benefit over any of the other systems

Sometimes the Internet reads the question wrong: children’s search strategies & difficulties

When children search for information on a given topic, how do they go about searching for and retrieving information? What can their information seeking strategies tell us about the development of search interfaces for children's digital libraries, search engines and information repositories? We interviewed New Zealand (NZ) school children to seek insights into how they are conducting information searches during their education

Covid-19 Information Seeking Strategies of Rural Dwellers in Delta North, Nigeria

The study assessed the COVID-19 information seeking strategies of rural dwellers in Delta North, Nigeria. This study adopted a survey research design. Fifty (50) respondents were randomly selected from each of the rural communities in Delta North used for the study, which amounted to 450 respondents used for the study. Out of the 450 copies of the questionnaire distributed to the respondents, the researcher was able to retrieve 418 copies of the questionnaire from the rural dwellers, thus there was 92% response rate. The method of data analysis adopted was descriptive statistics covering frequency count and percentage. The finding of the study revealed that the COVID-19 information needs as indicated by respondents were on general emerging news on COVID-19, COVID-19 prevention, ways of seeking medical help in the pandemic era, government policies on COVID-19, among others. It is evident from the finding that the preferred information sources on COVID-19 as indicated by the respondents are family members/ friends, mass media (Television, Radio, Newspapers, etc.), herbal doctors/ traditional healers, healthcare providers/ physicians, town criers, herb hawkers, pharmacist/ chemist, NGOs, books (print/ electronic), among others. The respondents indicated they use the COVID-19 information they seek to educate family members/ friends about current news on COVID-19, stop the spread of COVID-19 by observing precautionary measures, abide by government policies on COVID-19, understand how to seek medical help in the pandemic era, educate their kinsmen on preventive measures from the COVID-19 disease, among others. The challenges that militate against the accessibility and use of COVID-19 information as indicated by the respondents are too many fake news about COVID-19, too many contradicting information on COVID-19, non-availability of relevant information on COVID-19, communication/ Language barriers, government policies on COVID-19 are not adequately publicized, among others. It was recommended from the study that government accredited health agency platforms should publish COVID-19 information in both English and the local dialect of the rural people to ensure the information penetrate more in society. It was also recommended that researchers/ scholars and writers should desist from publishing fake and other irrelevant information on COVID-19

Managing Uncertainty: An Exploratory Study of Information Seeking Strategies of Online Consumers

Uncertainty has been widely recognized as a primary barrier in online C2C transaction processes. This research explores the effectiveness of strategies typically employed to reduce uncertainty in C2C electronic commerce based upon the uncertainty reduction theory and Kelley’s attribution theory. We inspect the effects of the information from four information seeking strategies on online consumers’ perception of uncertainty when initially transacting with an unknown seller in an online marketplace in China; we also integrate the two most prominent contextual factors, information consistency and seller reputation, to explore their direct effects, as well as their interactive effects with information from the four strategies on uncertainty. An online survey is used to collect data from the three most prestigious online store marketplaces in China. The results specify the exact effects of these factors on uncertainty in different contextual conditions. Finally, the theoretical and practical implications of this research are discussed

Mentoring Relationships for the New Graduate Assistant: The Role of Communication Apprehension and Information Seeking Strategies

Graduate assistants are in unique positions within the university system as they may teach or conduct research as well as complete their own coursework. As a newcomer, graduate assistants learn about the university\u27s culture and history, the norms and expectations of their peers, and their own job duties. To reduce the uncertainty that surrounds a new environment, a new graduate assistant may enact different information seeking strategies. For example, they may directly ask questions from a supervisor, quietly observe their co-workers, or ask indirect questions about a topic. These strategies can vary from person to person, depending on the type of information requested and the information source. Another aspect that may play a role in a graduate assistant\u27s choice of information seeking strategy is communication apprehension. Individuals with higher levels of communication apprehension feel more uncomfortable or tense and embarassed communicating with others, therefore it seems likely they will also avoid more direct information seeking strategies. Most individuals with communication apprehension avoid certain communication situations, and therefore avoid seeking the information necessary to reduce uncertainty. One way individuals can receive the information they need to reduce their anxiety and also develop support behaviors is to engage in a mentoring relationship. A mentor is willing to share his or her knowledge, as well as provide support, advice, or friendship. This study examines mentoring relationships for new graduate assistants, as well as the role of communication apprehension and information seeking strategies. Questionnaires were distributed to graduate assistants at the University of Maine. The questionnaire contained three items, each relating to mentoring, information seeking, and communication apprehension. The results indicate that engaging in a mentoring relationship is important to graduate assistants. 61 of the 69 respondents indicated they did have a mentor, and more specifically, 73% indicated their mentor was a faculty member or advisor. Overall, communication apprehension does appear to be moderately relatd to information seeking strategies, specifically in those involving one-on-one interactions. Since graduate assistants must learn an overwhelming amount of information in an a short amount of time, information seeking strategies, and more importantly, mentoring relationships, have proven to be effective strategies in reducing anxiety and providing the necessary tools to navigate their way through research projects, teaching, and the future

Information Seeking and Students Studying for Professional Careers: the Cases of Enginerering and Law Students in Ireland

This paper reports the results of two empirical studies which explored the information seeking behaviour of engineering and law students in Ireland. Findings reveal similar patterns in the information seeking behaviour between students studying to become professionals and information seeking patterns of these groups identified in the Leckie et al. model. Students learned their information seeking strategies, including effective and less effective approaches, from educators. Mis-perceptions of the role and value of libraries and information professionals in their studies were common, and as a result, students often adopted information seeking strategies that excluded libraries and library staff. The two studies suggest that engineering and law students in Ireland could benefit from greater information literacy training and awareness, enabling them to acquire the information skills they need to function effectively and efficiently in their future professional work lives

Information Need And Information-Seeking Behaviour Of Agricultural Extension Workers In Daerah Istimewa Yogyakarta, Indonesia

One of the important factors that contribute to agricultural development is information. As such, agricultural extension workers who link agricultural agencies to the farmers must have adequate and up-to-date information about agriculture practices before they could inform, educate and train the farmers on the methods and techniques of farming. Previous studies have shown that agricultural extension workers seldom use the internet, read books, or even go to the library and university, and research institution to obtain relevant information pertaining to their work. Therefore, there is a need to determine information seeking strategies used by these agricultural extension workers in obtaining work information relevant to their professions.This study aimed to determine the types of information needed by agricultural extension workers, the sources of information used by them to obtain information and the information seeking strategies used by the agricultural extension workers. It is also tried to identify the information seeking strategy according to selected demographic variables, and to determine the factors influencing information seeking strategies used by agricultural extension workers. This study used survey design, and it was conducted in Daerah Istimewa Yogyakarta, Indonesia. The total population of the study was 338 agricultural extension workers; cluster sampling method was used to select 181 respondents as its sample. The dependent variables involved in the study include information seeking strategies (which were further categorized as passive, active and interactive strategy), while the independent variables are selected demographic variables, types of information needs and types of information sources. A structured-questionnaire was employed as the instrument for gathering data. The data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS version 16) and Pearson Chi Square Test was used to determine the factors influencing information seeking strategies of agricultural extension workers. In general, the finding showed that agricultural extension workers needed various information related extension service, innovation and extension role. Most of the agricultural extension workers need innovation information. Besides that, most agricultural extension workers used interpersonal source in seeking information. These agricultural extension workers also used various types of strategies; there are active, passive and interactive strategies to seek the required information. Regardless of the types of information, most agricultural extension workers were found to have used active strategy by seeking agricultural information inside and outside the agency. In addition, they also utilized interactive and passive strategy for all types of information which was sought by means of direct enquiring method and seek the information inside the agency. Factors influencing information seeking strategy used by agricultural extension workers indicated that types of information need influenced the information seeking strategy used by agricultural extension workers. Print media; electronic media and scientific meeting source influenced the information seeking strategy used by agricultural extension workers for extension service information. Whereas for information related to innovation, electronic media and scientific meeting influenced information seeking strategy. For extension role information, interpersonal, print media, electronic media and scientific meeting influenced information seeking strategy. Therefore, it was suggested that further study be conducted to cover a wider geographical area such as other provinces in Indonesia with different geographical characteristics, farming system, custom and traditions. By covering wider area, a better picture of information seeking strategies used by agricultural extension workers could be obtained

The Information-seeking Strategies of Humanities Scholars Using Resources in Languages Other Than English

ABSTRACT THE INFORMATION-SEEKING STRATEGIES OF HUMANITIES SCHOLARS USING RESOURCES IN LANGUAGES OTHER THAN ENGLISH by Carol Sabbar The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 2016 Under the Supervision of Dr. Iris Xie This dissertation explores the information-seeking strategies used by scholars in the humanities who rely on resources in languages other than English. It investigates not only the strategies they choose but also the shifts that they make among strategies and the role that language, culture, and geography play in the information-seeking context. The study used purposive sampling to engage 40 human subjects, all of whom are post-doctoral humanities scholars based in the United States who conduct research in a variety of languages. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and research diaries in order to answer three research questions: What information-seeking strategies are used by scholars conducting research in languages other than English? What shifts do scholars make among strategies in routine, disruptive, and/or problematic situations? And In what ways do language, culture, and geography play a role in the information-seeking context, especially in the problematic situations? The data were then analyzed using grounded theory and the constant comparative method. A new conceptual model – the information triangle – was used and is presented in this dissertation to categorize and visually map the strategies and shifts. Based on data collected, thirty distinct strategies were identified and divided into four categories: formal system, informal resource, interactive human, and hybrid strategies. Three types of shifts were considered: planned, opportunistic, and alternative. Finally, factors related to language, culture, and geography were identified and analyzed according to their roles in the information-seeking context. This study is the first of its kind to combine the study of information-seeking behaviors with the factors of language, culture, and geography, and as such, it presents numerous methodological and practical implications along with many opportunities for future research

Health Information Seeking Behaviour during the Pandemic: Exploring the experiences of Chinese International Students

Many Chinese students choose Australia to study abroad. Studying abroad is a great opportunity, but it can also bring challenges for international students. In particular, during the Covid-19 pandemic, Chinese international students in Australian universities have new challenges in managing health information and misinformation across different platforms. There is currently a lack of research on Chinese international students’ health information-seeking strategies. A deeper understanding of Chinese international students’ social, cultural, and welfare support through online health information-seeking behaviour can be important. This can help support providers, educational institutions and governments to formulate better public health strategies for supporting international students. It will also help students better understand effective health information-seeking strategies. This study first synthesized relevant articles on information-seeking behaviour by international students. Then it identifies the gaps in studying Chinese international students’ health information-seeking behaviour. Finally, recommendations are made to bridge the identified gaps