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Physicists´ information behavior: a qualitative study of users
Abstract
The work analyzes information seeking behavior of students who are in the process of getting a PhD in Physics or who have recently done so. The analysis was made within the sense making approach which is centered in the user. An attempt is made to explain situations in the seek and use of information in terms of the sources, the relevance judgment criteria, organizational strategies as well as information presentation strategies. The study also looks at the physicists feelings during the information seeking process and the way the idea of information evolves in their minds throughout their PhD.
... We have developed a test collection that supports system-driven as well as user-oriented evaluation, based on genuine work task situations, real information tasks, and non-binary relevance judgements [2]. The scientific domain of physics comprises a realistic case with longstanding traditions for self-archiving of research publications in open access repositories and information sharing between scholarly and professional environments [3]. The test collection consists of approx. ...
In this poster, we describe central aspects of 65 natural information tasks from 23 senior researchers, PhDs, and experienced MSc students from three different university departments of physics. We analyze 1) the main purpose of the information task, 2) which and how many search facets were used to describe the tasks, 3) what semantic categories were used to express the search facets, and 4) retrieval performance. Results show variety in structure and length across task descriptions and task purposes. The results indicate effect of length and, in particular, of task purpose on retrieval performance of different document description levels that should be examined further.
... The scientific domain of physics comprises a realistic case with longstanding traditions for self-archiving of research publications in open access repositories and information sharing between scholarly and professional environments [3]. One of the largest repositories is arXiv.org, ...
The poster discusses the characteristics needed in an information retrieval (IR) test collection to facilitate the evaluation
of integrated search, i.e. search across a range of different sources but with one search box and one ranked result list, and describes and analyses
a new test collection constructed for this purpose. The test collection consists of approx. 18,000 monographic records, 160,000
papers and journal articles in PDF and 275,000 abstracts with a varied set of metadata and vocabularies from the physics domain,
65 topics based on real work tasks and corresponding graded relevance assessments. The test collection may be used for systems-
as well as user-oriented evaluation.
Over the period of four decades plenty of information seeking behavior models have been presented by many researchers. James Krikelas (1983) was the first to develop an information seeking model derived from published Library and Information Science (LIS) literature about information needs and uncertainty. The present chapter discusses the Krikelas model, the researcher's views of the model and the empirical studies that implemented it. The Krikelas model can be reassessed considering the advances taking place in today's online environment. The internal and external source preferences which are important part of the model have taken new form. The advanced online tools and techniques can help the researcher in capturing information, organizing and eventually collaborating with others to fulfill the information giving and gathering process. Further studies are recommended to redesign the Krikelas model considering new possibilities with the addition of feedback at the end.
Uno de los propósitos de este artículo es presentar un estado de la cuestión en lengua castellana que integre la literatura teórica generada en el área de los estudios de usuarios. El trabajo podrá utilizarse tanto globalmente como en forma fragmentada, dado que su estructura así lo permite. En primer lugar se aborda el tema de las teorizaciones generales que dieron lugar, dentro de esta área de investigación, a abordajes alternativos opuestos a los tradicionales. Luego se pasa revista a los ejes problemáticos y a la definición de conceptos: información, estructuras del conocimiento, necesidades de información y búsqueda y uso de la información. Se concluye que, en el área de los estudios de usuarios, las investigaciones actuales muestran un marcado progreso teórico y metodológico. Los argumentos a favor del abordaje centrado en el usuario se han vuelto predominantes y aumenta la significación de la investigación multidisciplinaria. La conducta informativa se comprende como parte un proceso más amplio. Se considera a la información como una construcción creada en la interacción de personas y mensajes. El objeto de la investigación se conceptualiza cada vez más como un fenómeno social que conduce al uso de variables de nivel organizativo y social = One of the purposes of this article is to present the state of the art in Spanish, of the theoretical literature generated in the user studies field. Due to its structure, the article may be used both globally or fragmented. First, there is an approach of the general ideologies, that give place to opposed alternative approaches to the traditional ones in this field of research. Afterwards, the main issues and definition of concepts: information, information needs, search and use of information are being analyzed. The author concludes that in the field of user studies, the current investigations show a strong theoretical and methodological progress. User focus approaches have become predominant, and the significance of the multidisciplinary research increases. The information behavior is undestood as part of a wider process. Information is considered as a construction created in the interaction between people and messages. The object of the research is conceptualized more and more as a social phenomenon that leads to the use of variables of organizational and social level.
This paper reports on a recent review of the literature of “information behaviour” as it is studied in a variety of disciplines, other than information science. As a result of the review, areas of research interest to information science are identified and a general model of information behaviour is proposed.
Information literacy has been of growing concern in the education sector in the past decade. In the workplace, information literacy has been suggested as one of the essential criteria for the workforce. However, managers have limited understanding of what information literacy is and here to put the concept into practical use. In general. managers have attended more narrowly to the need for computer and information technology skills. This paper presents the findings of a research project on how engineers seek and use information to complete their projects. From the data gathered from interviewing eight engineers using Sense-Making approach, seven Information Seeking and Using (ISU) situations were identified; and associated with each ISU situation a distinctive set of information strategies are noted. The findings provide suggestions on what is and how to promote information literacy in the workplace. The implications for managers informing information policies and developing in-house information literacy education are explored.
The article (*) demonstrates the development of information science through three stages: its emergence prior to the second World War, its search for identity and alliances during the sixties and seventies, and its establishment as a discipline during the period 1977-80. The scope and present state of the discipline is discussed, pointing to five major areas of concern for information science as well as a number of core sub-disciplines. Current and future trends are emphasized. Based on the cognitive view, as defined in 1977 by M. De Mey, the author discusses the understanding of the concept of "information" in relation to the discipline and proposes a consolidated concept which has to satisfy dual requirements in relation to both sender and recipient of conveyed messages, in order to be operational from a current perspective of information science. The proposal relies primarily on arguments and suggestions previously put forward by G. Wersig, A. Debons, and F. Machlup, and extends the information concept proposed by N. Belkin in 1978. The author draws special attention to the views expressed by the late B. C. Brookes by reviewing and re-considering the arguments associated with his "fundamental equation" for information science. The implications of the consolidated concept are briefly discussed.
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Information science, or informatics, has almost from its beginnings been characterized by a seemingly inordinate self-consciousness, exemplified by concern with its status vis-à-vis other disciplines, with its status as a science, and with the significance of its objects of investigation and the goals of that investigation. The bibliography by Port, and the survey by Wellisch, of definitions of information science, and the historical survey by Harmon, all give substantial evidence of this self-consciousness. Some aspects of this attitude are of course due to the social and political problems facing any new discipline (or field of investigation aspiring to such status), such as indifference or hostility from the established academic community, the fight for a share of limited research and development funds, the inferiority complex associated with having no well-defined methods of investigation in a social situation which requires them for acceptance, and so on. Other aspects of this self-consciousness may, however, be more related to strictly internal, ‘scientific’ concerns; that is, to problems within the theoretical structure of information science which must be solved in order for substantial progress in solving its practical problems to be made. This review surveys contributions to one such problem: the question of a suitable concept of information for information science.
This paper examines the elements of user studies and presents them as unified concepts within a model of information-seeking behavior. Definitions of information-seeking behavior, information needs, information gathering, information giving, and source preference are discussed. Thirty-two references are cited. (EJS)
The sense-making theory of Brenda Dervin, based on constructivist assumptions on human information seeking and use, is reviewed. The study focuses on the epistemic and practical interests of the theory, discussing them in relation to the interests of the traditional intermediary-centered approach. The interests of the theory are reviewed by analyzing its conceptions of information, information seeking and use, structure, and action. In addition, the assumptions of the theory are assessed in the context of the recent developments of social science and methodology. Finally, the paradigmatic demands of the theory for the study of information seeking and use are considered. Sense-making theory, having its strongest roots in communication research, is a programmatic research effort suggesting user-centered ideas for the conceptualization of information seeking and use. The theoretical assumptions of the theory based on the metaphors of situation-gap-uses/helps has been validated in numerous empirical studies. As to LIS research at large, the major contribution of the present theory seems to be the inspiring critique addressed to the limitations of the traditional intermediary-centered approach.