A comparison of information behavior studies in United States and India: Number of publications, authorship, journals, theories, research populations, and methods

2022 ◽  
pp. 096100062110696
Author(s):  
Vinit Kumar ◽  
Brady Lund

This study compares attributes (authors, journals, populations, theories, methods) of information seeking behavior studies based in the United States and India, based on a search of published articles from 2011 to 2020 in relevant information science databases. The findings indicate major differences in information behavior research among the two countries. Information behavior research in the United States tends to focus more on health and medicine-related research populations, employ greater use of information behavior theories, and use a variety of quantitative and qualitative research methods (as well as mixed methods). Information behavior research in India tends to focus more on general populations, use less theory, and rely heavily on quantitative research methods—particularly questionnaires (88% of studies). These findings suggest a healthy and intellectually-diverse information behavior research area in the United States and ample room for growth of the research area within India.

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (11) ◽  
pp. 6259
Author(s):  
Jizhong Shao ◽  
Minge Yang ◽  
Guan Liu ◽  
Ye Li ◽  
Dan Luo ◽  
...  

As current society’s reflection on the rapid development of motorization and increasing emphasis on the ecological environment, the study of walkable cities has become one of the key points of urban sustainable design. Creating a walkable city is an effective way to build a low-carbon and healthy city. With the development of cities, walkability concepts and theories are constantly being given new life, and research methods and design strategies continue to be updated. A city’s walkability and walkability index have become current research hotspots. Based on prior research on walkability and related urban policies, this study selects Coomera Town on the Gold Coast of Queensland, Australia, as the research area because of Coomera Town policy regulations and environmental requirements. This study utilizes traditional qualitative and quantitative research methods, machine mining technology, and the deep learning big data analysis technology to conduct thematic design research in a real place. Its combines walkability evaluation with walkability design to construct a walkable city in a targeted manner. This provides a reference for related city design in the future.


10.2196/15817 ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (5) ◽  
pp. e15817 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhaomeng Niu ◽  
Jessica Fitts Willoughby ◽  
Jing Mei ◽  
Shaochun Li ◽  
Pengwei Hu

Background Approximately 42.5 million adults have been affected by mental illness in the United States in 2013, and 173 million people have been affected by a diagnosable psychiatric disorder in China. An increasing number of people tend to seek health information on the Web, and it is important to understand the factors associated with individuals’ mental health information seeking. Identifying factors associated with mental health information seeking may influence the disease progression of potential patients. Objective This study aimed to test the planned risk information seeking model (PRISM) in China and the United States with a chronic disease, mental illness, and two additional factors, ie, media use and cultural identity, among college students. Methods Data were collected in both countries using the same online survey through a survey management program (Qualtrics). In China, college instructors distributed the survey link among university students, and it was also posted on a leading social media site called Sina Weibo. In the United States, the data were collected in a college-wide survey pool in a large Northwestern university. Results The final sample size was 235 for the Chinese sample and 241 for the US sample. Media use was significantly associated with mental health information–seeking intentions in the Chinese sample (P<.001), and cultural identity was significantly associated with intentions in both samples (China: P=.02; United States: P<.001). The extended PRISM had a better model fit than the original PRISM. Conclusions Cultural identity and media use should be considered when evaluating the process of mental health information seeking or when designing interventions to address mental health information seeking.


2017 ◽  
Vol 44 (2) ◽  
pp. 165-183 ◽  
Author(s):  
Min Zhang ◽  
Feng-Ru Sheu ◽  
Yin Zhang

Although Twitter has been widely adopted by professional organisations, there has been a lack of understanding and research on its utilisation. This article presents a study that looks into how five major library and information science (LIS) professional organisations in the United States use Twitter, including the American Library Association (ALA), Special Libraries Association (SLA), Association for Library and Information Science Education (ALISE), Association for Information Science and Technology (ASIS&T) and the iSchools. Specifically explored are the characteristics of Twitter usage, such as prevalent topics or contents, type of users involved, as well as the user influence based on number of mentions and retweets. The article also presents the network interactions among the LIS associations on Twitter. A systematic Twitter analysis framework of descriptive analytics, content analytics, user analysis and network analytics with relevant metrics used in this study can be applied to other studies of Twitter use.


2019 ◽  
Vol 52 (4) ◽  
pp. 757-762
Author(s):  
Besir Ceka ◽  
Andrew J. O’Geen

ABSTRACTThe use of course-management software such as Blackboard, Moodle, and Canvas has become ubiquitous at all levels of education in the United States. A potentially useful feature of these products is the ability for instructors to administer assessments including quizzes and tests that are flexible, easy to customize, and quick and efficient to grade. Although computer-based assessments offer clear advantages, instructors might be concerned about their effect on student performance. This article evaluates whether student performance differs between handwritten and computer-based exams through a randomized field experiment conducted in a research methods course. Overall, our findings suggest a significant improvement in student performance on computer-based exams that is driven primarily by the relative ease of producing thorough responses on the computer versus by hand.


1977 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 316-316
Author(s):  
Howard A. Hood

Recognizing the high value of information and knowledge, as well as the need for a safe and efficiently retrievable storage of the records of such knowledge, the Congress of the United States established some years ago an independent agency known as the National Commission on Libraries and Information Science. This agency was entrusted with the responsibility of developing and recommending a plan leading to the improvement of library and information services in the United States. Its work has progressed slowly. Various committees and task forces have been appointed, and they are in the process of conducting their investigations and preparing their reports.


2016 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 304-323 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin Radermacher

This article takes up the implications of the spatial turn in the wider context of a material turn (Manuel A. Vásquez) and deals with concrete emplacements of religion. It argues that the concrete, material space of religious practice is not just a passive stage, but itself has ‘agency,’ i.e. it shapes and facilitates discourse and embodiment of human actors in space. The materiality of space influences sensory perception, communication and embodiment, and also relates to imaginations about space as well as social norms. The emplacement of religious practice is illustrated by examples of rooms of silence and rooms of Christian fitness classes in the United States. The article opens a research area at the interface of architecture, spatial studies, embodiment studies, and the psychology of perception – and intends to make this encounter productive for the study of religions.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document