Looking for Information

by Case, Donald O.

• ISBN13: 9781780526546
• ISBN10: 1780526547
• Edition: 3rd
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2012-04-19
• Publisher: Emerald Group Pub Ltd

Summary

Looking for Information: A Survey of Research on Information Seeking, Needs, and Behavior reviews more than 50 years of research on information seeking and related topics, and contains over 1,300 citations to relevant works. Now in its third edition, this book is the most comprehensive text on the topics of information seeking, information behavior and information practices. Coverage includes the nature of information, information needs and uses, sensemaking, information avoidance, communication among scientists and scholars, relevant social and psychological theories, models of information behavior, and applicable research methodologies. Interdisciplinary in the choice of examples, the book cites research in information studies, communication, education, management, medicine, sociology and psychology. The book is intended for students and scholars in library and information science, communication, education and related disciplines. Presenting a broad view of these topics, this text is suitable as a companion for courses ranging from undergraduate level to doctoral studies related to information-seeking, information practices and information behavior. In addition, it is a useful reference guide for established scholars.

Table of Contents

List of Figures and Tables	p. xi
Editorial Advisory Board	p. xiii
Preface	p. xv
Introductions and Examples
Information Behavior: An Introduction	p. 3
Introduction	p. 3
A Bit of Vocabulary	p. 4
Emphasizing People Rather Than Systems	p. 5
Ten Myths About Information and Information Seeking	p. 7
When, Why, and Where Information Behavior has been Studied	p. 10
The Contexts in Which Information Behavior Is Investigated	p. 13
The Scope of "Information Behavior"	p. 14
How This Book Is Organized, and How to Use It	p. 15
Organization of the Chapters	p. 15
Which Chapters to Read If...	p. 16
Common Examples of Information Behavior	p. 19
Six Information Seeking Scenarios	p. 20
Buying Products	p. 20
Finding Information in a Library	p. 24
Healing a Patient	p. 27
Betting on Race Horses	p. 30
Finding the Law	p. 34
"I Want to Know More about Cancer"	p. 36
Summary	p. 39
Recommended for Further Reading	p. 41
Concepts Relevant to Information Behavior
The Concept of Information	p. 45
Searching for a Definition of Information	p. 46
Explicating "Information"	p. 47
The Concept of Information	p. 48
Typologies of Information Concepts	p. 49
Definitions of Information and their Problems	p. 51
The Influential and Restrictive "Information Theory"	p. 52
Five Problematic Issues in Defining Information	p. 56
Utility as a Requirement	p. 57
Physicality as a Requirement	p. 61
Structure/Process as a Requirement	p. 62
Intentionality as a Requirement	p. 66
Truth as a Requirement	p. 67
Must there be a Universal Definition of Information?	p. 68
Distinctions among Information, Knowledge, and Data	p. 72
Summary	p. 73
Recommended for Further Reading	p. 75
Information Needs and Information Seeking	p. 77
The Motivational Puzzle	p. 77
What Is a "Need?"	p. 78
Needs versus Demands	p. 80
Four Scholars Ponder Information Needs	p. 81
Seeking Answers	p. 81
Reducing Uncertainty	p. 82
Making Sense	p. 84
The Spectrum of Motivations	p. 85
The Trouble with Information Needs	p. 87
Information Seeking and Information Behavior	p. 89
Summary	p. 91
Recommended for Further Reading	p. 92
Related Concepts	p. 95
Decision Making	p. 96
Making Decisions	p. 96
Solving Problems	p. 99
Browsing, Etc.	p. 100
Browsing, Scanning, Encountering, and Serendipity	p. 100
Additional Distinctions	p. 102
Relevance, Pertinence, and Salience	p. 104
Relevance and Pertinence	p. 104
Relevance in Information Retrieval	p. 106
Salience	p. 108
Avoiding Information	p. 109
Selective Exposure and Information Avoidance	p. 109
Knowledge Gaps and Information Poverty	p. 113
Information Overload and Anxiety	p. 115
Information versus Entertainment	p. 120
Sharing and Collaboration	p. 127
Summary	p. 129
Recommended for Further Reading	p. 129
Models, Paradigms, and Theories in the Study of Information Behavior
Models of Information Behavior	p. 133
Models	p. 134
What is a Model?	p. 134
Models of Information Seeking	p. 135
Examples of Information Seeking Models	p. 139
The First Wilson Model	p. 139
The Krikelas Model	p. 140
The Ellis Model	p. 143
The Kuhlthau Model	p. 145
The Leckie Model	p. 146
The Byström and Järvelin Model	p. 148
The Savolainen Model	p. 149
The Johnson Model	p. 151
The Second Wilson Model	p. 155
Comparing the Models	p. 157
Additional Models	p. 158
Recommend for Further Reading	p. 161
Metatheories, Paradigms, and Theories	p. 163
Metatheories, Perspectives, and Paradigms	p. 164
Metatheories and the Great Divide	p. 164
Perspectives and Paradigms	p. 166
Theories	p. 168
What Is a Theory?	p. 168
Levels of Theory	p. 170
Sources of Theory in Information Seeking	p. 172
Objectivist Research Paradigms	p. 174
Zipf's Principle of Least Effort and Cost-Benefit	p. 175
Uses and Gratifications and Expectancy Theory	p. 178
Uncertainty Management Theory, etc.	p. 184
Other Objectivist Theories	p. 185
Interpretivist Research Paradigms	p. 187
Constructivist, Activity Theory, and Sense-making	p. 187
Social Constructionism and Discourse Analysis	p. 190
Phenomenology	p. 192
Other Interpretivist Paradigms	p. 192
Mapping the Theoretical Influences on Authors	p. 194
Summary	p. 196
Recommended for Further Reading	p. 197
Methods for Studying Information Behavior
The Research Process	p. 201
Relating Theory to Methodology	p. 201
Why We Need Methods	p. 202
Techniques of Measurement and Analysis	p. 204
Basic Considerations in Research	p. 205
Stages of Research	p. 205
Induction and Deduction	p. 207
Validity and Reliability	p. 208
Purpose, Units, and Time	p. 211
Ethics in Research	p. 213
Summary	p. 216
Recommended for Further Reading	p. 218
Methods: Examples by Type	p. 221
Types and Examples of Methods	p. 222
The Case Study: Analyzing an Analyst	p. 222
Laboratory Experiments: Shopping for Cars	p. 227
Field Experiments: Reading the Label	p. 232
Postal Surveys: Information Needs and Issue Relevance	p. 235
E-mail and Web Surveys: Studying Scholars	p. 238
Brief Interviews: Studies of Everyday Folks	p. 240
Intensive Interviews: The Lives of Janitors and Brothers	p. 246
Focus Group Interviews: Doctors and Nurses Search	p. 250
Network Analysis: Mongols and Managers	p. 252
Discourse Analysis: Repertoires and Practices	p. 253
Diaries and Experience Sampling: Incidents and Alarms	p. 254
Unobtrusive Approaches: Historical Analysis	p. 257
Unobtrusive Approaches: Content Analysis	p. 260
Mixed/Multiple Methods	p. 262
Meta-Analysis	p. 264
Summary	p. 265
Recommended for Further Reading	p. 266
Research Results and Reflections
Reviewing the Research: Its History, Size, and Topics	p. 271
Overview of Part Five	p. 271
The History of Studying Information Behavior	p. 272
Estimating the Size of the Literature	p. 274
Contexts and Categories	p. 277
Choosing Examples of Studies	p. 280
Summary	p. 282
Recommended for Further Reading	p. 283
Research by Occupation	p. 285
By Occupational Category	p. 285
Scientists and Engineers	p. 287
Social Scientists	p. 294
Humanities Scholars	p. 297
Health Care Providers	p. 301
Managers	p. 309
Journalists	p. 313
Lawyers	p. 315
Farmers	p. 317
Other Occupations	p. 318
Summary	p. 321
Recommended for Further Reading	p. 322
Research by Social Role and Demographic Group	p. 325
Two Other Ways of Studying People	p. 326
By Role	p. 326
Citizen or Voter	p. 328
Consumer	p. 333
Hobbyist	p. 336
Gatekeeper	p. 338
Patient	p. 340
Students	p. 346
Other Roles	p. 348
By Demographic Group	p. 349
Age	p. 349
Racial and Ethnolinguistic Minorities	p. 355
Socioeconomic Status	p. 357
Other Demographic Groups	p. 360
Summary	p. 362
Recommended for Further Reading	p. 362
Reviewing, Critiquing, Concluding	p. 365
Reviewing	p. 365
Critiquing	p. 368
A History of Complaint	p. 368
Other Considerations	p. 370
Conclusions and Trends	p. 373
Eight Lessons of Information Behavior Research	p. 375
Trends and Final Thoughts	p. 378
Recommended for Further Reading	p. 379
Glossary	p. 381
Questions for Discussion and Application	p. 393
References	p. 407
Subject Index	p. 481
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