Use of narrative interviewing in everyday information behavior research

With an increasing focus on developing a theoretical understanding of everyday life information behaviors, researchers need to consider the appropriateness of the methods and techniques utilized in empirical research in this area. Progressively, studies articulate the need for a person-centered approach to researching human information behavior, yet research methods can be adopted that do not encourage the study participants to express freely their views and experiences. This article proposes that narrative and episodic interviewing techniques are qualitative research methods that sustain a person-centered paradigm of human information behavior and that provide a particularly useful methodological framework for studies of everyday life information-seeking behavior. Furthermore, the author discusses her own work-in-progress that involves narrative interviews.     

Using everyday life information seeking to explain organizational behavior

Everyday life information-seeking (ELIS) studies have previously addressed nonwork or citizens' information needs and seeking. This article contributes to the theoretical growth of the field by applying Chatman's small-world theory—a conception of ELIS—and social network theory to explain organizational behavior. The applicability of these two theories to analyze human information behavior in strategic value creation is discussed and shown through the results of an earlier pilot study in higher education. The concepts of social types, described as insiders and outsiders, worldview, social norms, information behavior, and trust are invoked. Combined with the concepts of homogeneity, density, and content from social network theory, Chatman's small-world theory yields a promising social dimension for a new theory of strategic information management. However, the conceptual base of the proposed new theory requires validation by testing in strategic partnerships.     

Older adults' health information behavior in everyday life settings

Health information seeking is an important part of older adults' everyday lives as they cope with their health conditions. Semi-structured interviews conducted with 21 older adults in the United States were analyzed using Savolainen's everyday life information seeking (ELIS) model, especially its key concepts such as way of life and mastery of life. The interview data revealed that except for health care providers, a spouse or partner was mentioned as a credible interpersonal source of health information among older adults in a marital or romantic relationship. Characteristics of older adults' health information behavior in the ELIS context were identified based on types of way of life and mastery of life. For example, those who had more varied types of hobbies, including cognitive, affective, and social hobbies, were exposed to diverse people as they performed their daily routine, potentially resulting in different sources of useful health information. In couple relationships, those with an optimistic as opposed to pessimistic attitude toward a problem-solving situation played the information provider role rather than information receiver role.     

Understanding everyday life information seeking behavior in the context of coping with daily hassles: A grounded theory study of female students

Studying everyday life information seeking (ELIS) in a variety of contexts contributes to its conceptual development. The primary goal of this study was to understand ELIS in the context of female university students' coping with daily hassles. To identify the dimensions and determinants of ELIS, and to fill this current gap in the literature, a grounded theory study was conducted using Flick's stages of episodic interviewing with 21 Iranian female first-year university students. Data were collected through semistructured interviews and analyzed through open, axial and selective coding. The findings showed that ELIS in coping with daily hassles is a multidimensional phenomenon that is affected by individuals' characteristics and sociocultural norms and values. Three main categories emerged as determinants of ELIS, namely normative status of the daily hassles, normative status of the information resources, and the individual's characteristics. Two main categories emerged as dimensions of ELIS which were type and strategy of action. Results of this study can contribute to the conceptual development of ELIS and may indicate how and in what circumstances ELIS dimensions emerge. The findings can also be used as a basis for developing information and intervention services in the context of coping with daily hassles.     

Making across space: Mapping creative information creation in the everyday environment

Information creation can be a varied and changing process. In information science, an increasing amount of research is conducted to explore the maker product as information creation. However, what is left relatively unknown is how space may associate with information creation in a private everyday space. Therefore, this qualitative research applied diary studies and semi-structured individual interviews with 25 arts and crafts hobbyists to investigate the potential relationship between space and information creation in the context of making at home. The findings reveal that making can occur across the house and be facilitated and hampered by space. Also, this research shows that space is malleable in an information-creating episode where people can display cunning to reconfigure the environment. This study demonstrates a novel perspective to analyzing information creation, highlighting that information creation is a complex landscape shaped by the spatial property, bodily experience, and often the presence of others.     

Documenting the fun: Studying artistic information-creating behavior using research diaries

Research diaries as a qualitative method are found practical in information science. In information behavior literature, they are effective for capturing human experience and thought in situ in emic view. Although previous scholars undertook research diaries to explore information needs, seeking, use, and more, what is left relatively unknown is how this method may garner diverse forms of data beyond text when studying inherently dynamic information creation. To address this gap, this study applied research diaries inspired by cultural probes and maker documentation to investigate the making process of 25 arts and crafts hobbyists. Findings present a wide variety of entries generated from participants, illuminating the benefits of using research diaries to facilitate making and encourage reflection. Design implications are shared to unlock the potential of research diaries for examining information behavior, demonstrating their value in gathering rich empirical data and bringing participants engaging research experiences.     

Studying health information from a distance: refining an e-learning case study in the crucible of student evaluation

Purpose: To present a formative evaluation of the impact of a multimedia case study as a component of a masters course in health informatics delivered by distance learning. Setting/Participants/Resources: First and second year health informatics students undertaking four core modules of a masters programme at the University of Sheffield. Methodology: Individual qualitative user surveys and interviews. Results/Outcomes: Formative evaluation has played a significant role in refining the case study through its text‐based, intermediate and CD‐ROM based stages. Feedback from students has resulted in clarification of case study tasks, clearer definition of teaching roles and a revised approach to assessment. At the same time it has highlighted the importance of ongoing revision and maintenance in keeping the scenarios realistic and current. Discussion/Conclusion: The multimedia case study has met many of its original aims in providing greater cohesion for core modules and encouraging greater levels of interaction and multidisciplinary collaboration.     

Normative behavior and information: The social aspects of information access

Information access is central to library and information science, yet explorations of its conceptual nature have been limited. Given the importance of information access to the discipline, there is a need for research to create a better understanding of the concept and its many roles in all activities and behaviors related to information. Drawing on the theoretical work of Elfreda Chatman, this article proposes that the study of information access can be facilitated through the recognition and examination of the physical, intellectual, and social aspects of information access. These types of access are examined through three case studies in terms of different information behaviors and contexts, with a particular focus on the importance of social access. The article also discusses the future roles that considerations of social access can play in research and theory.     

信息技术的发展对信息弱势群体信息行为的影响

文章通过问卷调查和随机访谈的方法,获取柳州市信息弱势群体的信息行为的相关数据,利用质性和量化的方法进行实证分析,揭示了在信息技术快速发展的环境下信息弱势群体一些具有重要意义的信息行为特征,为优化信息弱势群体的信息服务提供定量依据和帮助。     

Place,community and information behavior: Spatially oriented information seeking zones and information source preferences

Even in a digitally advanced society, much of our daily lives is based in place, but information behavior research has largely ignored place as theoretically relevant to information behavior. This study explores the implications of a place-based approach to studying information practices, and examines factors that influence information seeking and sharing in place-based communities among parents of individuals with disabilities. Based on qualitative data gathered from 35 parents of individuals with disabilities, it proposes a spatial model of information source preferences based on the theory of information horizons, and discusses implications of the model for future research related to information seeking and places. It also presents substantive place-related findings about local information needs, including discussion of the local parent network as an information seeking system.     

Media effects on information sharing: A field experiment

The purpose of this field experiment was to test hypotheses concerned with media effects on the ability to share and discuss information in administrative appeals hearings in the area of unemployment insurance. Three communication modes were compared: (a) face‐to‐face, the traditional mode; (b) split telephone, in which participants speak from locations convenient to each; and (c) office telephone, in which the agency representative is at one location and all other participants are located together at another agency office. Of the numerous tests conducted, few revealed significant differences among the three modes. These results corroborated findings from previous laboratory and field research: in‐person hearings compared favorably with the two telephone modes, and the split conference hearing tended to receive higher ratings than the office telephone configuration.     

Toward community-engaged information behavior research: A methodological framework

There is a dearth of information behavior research employing a community-engaged approach. This research takes the concept of community engagement as its central focus, reviewing its proximal use in information behavior research and arguing its potential as an integrative process that can restore and reposition the community-researcher relationship in the information behavior field. The “why – what – how” of undertaking community-engaged information behavior (CEIB) research were elaborated and a methodological framework was developed based on these discussions. The CEIB methodology introduced advances a new approach to study human-information interactions, consisting of principles and core components and characteristics of CEIB research that moves beyond the one-sided, researcher-led information behavior study.     

Popular information: An analysis of FOI use and behavior

A substantial amount of freedom of information research exists, though a majority is focused on U.S. laws' outcomes and FOI's shortcomings. But little is known about who makes requests and why requests are made in the United States. The exploratory study addresses these gaps via a nationally representative survey across key demographic variables of 1116 U.S. residents. Analysis found advanced education to be a strong, positive predictor of FOI familiarity and request submission. Malegender and a belief that FOI improves government accountability were also found to be significant predictors of FOI knowledge and use. The survey sampled U.S. residents, but the results may have international application and suggest continued research on who uses FOI laws and why.     

数字资源整合:信息资源管理领域的新课题

我们正面临这样一种信息环境的变革时期:数字信息日渐成为信息资源的主流载体,整序数字信息的异构资源系统急剧增加,数字资源局部有序但整体呈现无序的状况日趋严重,优化数字资源利用环境,有效获取信息知识成为人们关注的重点.如何利用新型的技术和方法,对局部有序而整体无序的数字资源进行类聚、融合和科学的重组,最终形成以知识组织体系为支撑的数字资源知识整合的大环境,提高数字资源传播与利用效率,既是图书情报界、企业界等领域数字资源建设的重要任务,也是信息资源管理领域的一个新的重要研究课题.     

Genetic information resources: a new field for medical librarians

The Human Genome Project is generating unprecedented quantities of new genetic information. The new discipline of bioinformatics has created many new molecular biology databanks to store the results of the Human Genome Project. This data is expected to be the information source for biomedical science in the 21st century. As molecular biology research moves out of the laboratory and becomes molecular medicine, a growing number of people need access to genetic information. Medical students, healthcare practitioners and patients need help in finding appropriate information. Medical librarians should know how to search key genetic information resources and should have a basic understanding of the type of information contained in each.     

Clarifying identity in information behavior research: A conceptual analysis

Using a conceptual analysis approach, how identity has been theorized in the information behavior literature was explored. Findings indicate that researchers have employed five approaches when conceptualizing identity: identity as personal project, identity and social groups, identity as self-presentation, fragmented discursive subjects, and intersectional, hybrid and global identities. Structure and clarity are brought to a complicated concept often used to understand people's information behaviors. The findings contribute to the identification of the key factors of information behavior and suggest areas for future research.