scholarly journals The Information Practices of Physical Science Librarians Differ from Those of the Scientific Community: More Research is Needed to Characterize Specific Information Seeking and Use

2008 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 57 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carol Perryman
Keyword(s):  
Content Analysis ◽  
Information Seeking ◽  
Physical Science ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Science And Technology ◽  
Personal Communication ◽  
Specific Information ◽  
Sources Of Information ◽  
Research Dissemination ◽  
Mailing Lists

A Review of: Brown, Cecilia M. and Ortega, Lina. “Information-Seeking Behavior of Physical Science Librarians: Does Research Inform Practice?” College & Research Libraries (2005). 66:231-47. Objective – As part of a larger study exploring the information environments of physical science librarians (Ortega & Brown), the authors’ overall objective for this study is to profile physical science librarians’ information behaviours. The authors’ two-part hypothesis was that first, peer-reviewed journals would be preferred over all other sources for research dissemination, resembling the preferences of scientists, and second, that peer-to-peer consultation would predominate for practice-oriented decisions. Design – Mixed methods: survey questionnaire followed by citation and content analysis. Setting – Five internationally disseminated professional association electronic mailing lists whose readership comprised those with interests in science librarianship: the American Library Association (ALA) Science and Technology Section; the American Society for Information Science & Technology (ASIST) Science and Technology Information Special Interest Group; the Special Library Association (SLA) Chemistry Division and its Physics-Astronomy-Mathematics Division; and the American Geological Institute Geoscience Information Society. Subjects – Seventy-two physical science librarians voluntarily responding to an online survey. Methods – A questionnaire was distributed to inquire about physical science librarians’ professional reading practices as well as their perceptions about the applicability of research to their work. Participants were asked to rank preferences among 11 resource types as sources supporting daily business, including personal communication, conference attendance, electronic mailing lists, and scholarly journals. Differences between the mean rankings of preferences were tested for significance by applying the Friedman test with p>0.0005. Journals identified most frequently were analyzed using the Institute for Scientific Information’s (ISI) Web of Science index and Ulrich’s Periodical Index to measure proportions of research and non-research citations, as well as the general topic areas covered by the journals. Next, content analysis was performed for the years 1995, 1997, and 2000 in order to characterize research methodologies used in the previously identified journals according to a previously tested schema (Buscha & Harter). Results from this portion of the study were compared with participants’ responses about journal usage. Main Results – Librarians reported using personal communication (both face-to-face and electronic mailing lists) more frequently as a means of information gathering than professional journals, Web sites, conferences, trade publications, monographs, or ‘other’ resources. Variations in responses appeared to correlate with years in the profession and in the respondents’ time in their current positions, although there are indications that the importance of all information resources to practice and research declines over time. The relative importance of resources is also shown in time spent reading journal literature, less than 5 hours per week for 86% of participants. Conclusion – For the first hypothesis, the authors found that unlike scientists, survey participants did not prefer research publications as vehicles for dissemination of their research results. For the second, librarians ranked peer-reviewed journals third in preference after personal communication and electronic mailing lists as sources of information supporting daily practice, supporting the second hypothesis that respondents would emulate the information use practices of mathematicians.

scholarly journals Physicists and Astronomers Use Google as a Starting Point for Specific Queries, but Do Not Intentionally Use It to Search for Articles

2011 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 81
Author(s):  
Laura Newton Miller
Keyword(s):  
Search Engine ◽  
Information Seeking ◽  
Critical Incident ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Daily Basis ◽  
Specific Information ◽  
Information Seeking Behaviour ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
General Search ◽  
Information Event

A Review of: Jamali, H. R., & Asadi, S. (2010). Google and the scholar: The role of Google in scientists' information seeking behaviour. Online Information Review, 34(2), 282-294. Objective – To determine how Google’s general search engine impacts the information-seeking behaviour of physicists and astronomers. Design – Using purposive stratified non-random sampling, a mixed-methods study was conducted which included one-on-one interviews, information-event cards, and an online questionnaire survey. Setting – Department of Physics and Astronomy at University College London. Subjects – The researchers interviewed 26 PhD students and 30 faculty members (23% of the department’s 242 faculty and students), and 24 of those participants completed information-event cards. A total of 114 respondents (47.1% of the department members) participated in the online survey. Methods – The researchers conducted 56 interviews which lasted an average of 44 minutes each. These were digitally recorded, fully transcribed, and coded. The researchers asked questions related to information-seeking behaviour and scholarly communication. Four information-event cards were given to volunteer interviewees to gather critical incident information on their first four information-seeking actions after the interview. These were to be completed preferably within the first week of receiving the cards, with 82 cards completed by 24 participants. Once initial analysis of the interviews was completed, the researchers sent an online survey to the members of the same department. Main Results – This particular paper examined only the results related to the scholars’ information-seeking behaviour in terms of search engines and web searching. Details of further results are examined in Jamali (2008) and Jamali and Nicholas (2008). The authors reported that 18% of the respondents used Google on a daily basis to identify articles. They also found that 11% searched subject databases, and 9% searched e-journal websites on a daily basis. When responses on daily searching were combined with those from participants who searched two to three times per week, the most popular method for finding research was by tracking references at the end of an article (61%). This was followed by Google (58%) and ToC email alerts (35%). Responses showed that 46% never used Google Scholar to discover research articles. When asked if they intentionally searched Google to find articles, all except two participants answered that they do not, instead using specific databases to find research. The researchers noted that finding articles in Google was not the original intention of participants’ searches, but more of a by-product of Google searching. In the information-event card study, two categories emerged based on the kinds of information required. This included participants looking for general information on a specific topic (64%, with 22 cases finding this information successfully), and participants knowing exactly what piece of information they were seeking (36%, with 28 cases finding information successfully). There was no occurrence of using Google specifically to conduct a literature search or to search for a paper during this information-event card study, although the researchers say that Google is progressively showing more scholarly information within its search results. (This cannot be ascertained from these specific results except for one response from an interviewee.) The researchers found that 29.4% of respondents used Google to find specific pieces of information, although it was not necessarily scholarly. Conclusion – Physics and astronomy researchers do not intentionally use Google’s general search engine to search for articles, but, Google seems to be a good starting point for problem-specific information queries.

Examining Knowledge and Information Seeking Behaviors towards Blood Transfusion Among Individuals with Cancer

Blood ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 118 (21) ◽  
pp. 4762-4762
Author(s):  
Ahmad B Naim ◽  
Danielle Walls ◽  
Jan Gollins ◽  
Chuck Reynolds
Keyword(s):  
Blood Transfusion ◽  
Information Seeking ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Informed Choice ◽  
Blood Type ◽  
Blood Transfusions ◽  
Sources Of Information ◽  
Nationally Representative ◽  
Doctor's Office ◽  
Information Seeking Behaviors

Abstract Abstract 4762 Objective: Examine knowledge and information seeking behaviors towards blood transfusions among individuals with metastatic or recurrent cancer. Methods: An online survey was conducted from a nationally representative patient panel in 1Q2011. All respondents were ≥18 years and diagnosed with cancer by a physician. Participants were asked about their blood transfusion history, information seeking behaviors, and knowledge about blood transfusion. Results: 206 individuals responded to survey. 65% (n=133) were female and 25% (n=52) were over 55 years. 55% (n=114) were anemic and 45% (n=92) not anemic. 62% (n=128) had received blood transfusion, whereas, 38% (n=78) had no transfusions. Top two sources of information are doctor (85%) and Internet (78%). Among those previously transfused, 74% received right amount of information, whereas, 11% received too little information, and 15% received too much information. More than 90% of transfused indicated they knew the reasons for and benefits of getting a blood transfusion. Less than two-thirds received information about the costs. Over 65% of not transfused said that it is extremely important to know risks of infections, right blood type and screening techniques. Among previously transfused, about 70% agreed that they made an informed choice about receiving blood transfusions. Among the previously transfused, 78% agree that they knew the benefits compared with 68% not transfused. About 68% of transfused and not transfused agree they knew the risks of blood transfusion. Conclusions: Doctor's office and internet are primary sources of information about blood transfusions. Gaps in knowledge exist about benefits, risks, and costs of blood transfusions. A significant number feel that they need more information about blood transfusion to make an informed choice. Providers should consider adopting shared-decision making with their patients. Disclosures: Naim: Janssen Scientific Affairs, LLC: Employment. Walls:Janssen Scientific Affairs, LLC: Consultancy. Gollins:Janssen Scientific Affairs, LLC: Consultancy. Reynolds:Janssen Scientific Affairs, LLC: Consultancy.

scholarly journals Uses and Gratifications of Political Information: Student Perceptions of Information from the 2014 Tunisian Elections

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. 36-44
Author(s):  
Steven D. Sheetz ◽  
Andrea Kavanaugh ◽  
Hamida Skandrani ◽  
Edward A. Fox
Keyword(s):  
University Students ◽  
Student Perceptions ◽  
Information Seeking ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Uses And Gratifications ◽  
Political Information ◽  
Survey Method ◽  
Sources Of Information ◽  
Information Providers

People use diverse sources of information to obtain political information. We apply uses and gratifications theory (UGT) to illustrate how the use of different political information sources influences perceptions of information satisfaction related to the Tunisian elections of 2014. An online survey of 175 university students in Tunisia, with a 58% response rate. We use partial least squares structural equation modelling to test our research model of hypotheses relating content, process, and social gratifications to information satisfaction. We find that content, process, and social gratifications constructs combine to explain 41% of the variance in information satisfaction. Content gratification has the strongest influence (p=.505) followed by similar levels of influence of process (p=.163) and social (p=.140) gratifications. Social gratifications are partially mediated by process gratification. Limitations of our study include our online survey method and our sample of university students. However, our respondents experienced the uprising, the election campaigns, and voted in the elections, suggesting their perceptions are valid, if not generalisable to all of Tunisia. Practically our study suggests that individuals searching for political information should 1) determine how they’ll know information is accurate, 2) maximize the number of different activities for information-seeking rather than focusing on the frequency of a few activities, and 3) know that information sharing contributes to information satisfaction. The dominance of content gratifications, i.e., information reliability and accuracy, is important for information providers, such as, government and political leaders. Our study provides evidence that UGT is useful in the novel context of emerging political situations.

Between Coronavirus and COVID-19: Influence of Nigerian Newspapers’ Headline Construction on Audience Information-Seeking Behaviour

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. R. Ojebuyi ◽  
M.I. Lasisi ◽  
U.O. Ajetunmobi
Keyword(s):  
Content Analysis ◽  
News Media ◽  
Information Seeking ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Chi Square ◽  
Health Crisis ◽  
News Stories ◽  
Information Seeking Behaviour ◽  
Key Terms ◽  
The Relationship

Since the onset of the new coronavirus, the mass media, across the globe, have continued to draw special attention to the disease by adopting different pragmatic and rhetoric strategies. In Nigeria for instance, the news media have continued to draw people’s attention to the virus by using COVID-19 and coronavirus as synonymous lexical entities in the headlines of their news stories. These lexical choices are believed to have some influence on how the audience understand and seek information about the virus. However, existing studies in media and health communication have not copiously explored the relationship between the lexical choices by media to report the COVID-19 pandemic and people’s information-seeking behaviour about the virus. This study was, therefore, designed to investigate how Nigerian journalists used coronavirus and COVID-19 as the key terms to report the virus and how the pragma-semantic implicatures of the lexical choices influenced audience information-seeking behaviours. Pragmatic Acts and Information-Seeking theories were employed as the theoretical framework while online survey and content analysis were adopted as methods. Findings show that although Nigerian journalists used coronavirus (SD=2.090) more often than COVID-19 (SD=1.924) in the headlines, the audience employed COVID-19 (M=2.23, SD=.810) more than coronavirus (M=1.88, SD=.783) while searching information about the virus. Besides, journalists’ use of COVID-19 in the headlines to educate (Chi-square =37.615, df=11, P<.000), warn (Chi-square =26.153, df=11, P<.006), assess (Chi-square= 24.350, df=11, P<.011) and sensitise (Chi-square =24.262, df=11, P<.012) facilitated audience interest in seeking information about the virus than when coronavirus is used as a keyword in the headlines. The lexical choices made by journalists to report a health crisis such as the COVID-19 pandemic have implications for citizens’ knowledge about the crisis.

scholarly journals Nurses’ and midwives’ information behaviour: a review of literature from 1998 to 2014

2015 ◽  
Vol 116 (3/4) ◽  
pp. 155-172 ◽  
Author(s):  
Catherine Ebenezer
Keyword(s):  
Information Seeking ◽  
Literacy Skill ◽  
Specific Information ◽  
Sources Of Information ◽  
Professional Literature ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Information Behaviour ◽  
Information Professionals ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Nurses And Midwives

Purpose – This paper aims to provide an overview of recent literature on nurses’ and midwives’ information behaviour, with a particular focus on sources used and barriers encountered. Design/methodology/approach – Comprehensive searching was undertaken and an analysis of the appropriate literature carried out. Findings – Practitioners within the nursing profession have a marked preference for interactive and human sources of information. They habitually associate information seeking with professional development rather than with clinical practice. Lack of time is the most frequently reported problem; also, they frequently lack confidence in searching and appraising the professional literature and in applying research in practice. Cultural factors may inhibit information seeking in the workplace, and access to appropriate information technology may be limited. Practical implications – As a group, nurses and midwives present significant challenges to health library and information professionals seeking to design services to meet their needs. A perceived lack of access to information resources may be associated with pervasive information literacy skill deficits, with the inability to undertake critical appraisal of material that is retrieved, or with the lack of a workplace culture that is supportive of information seeking. To reach nurses and midwives, more than diligent marketing is required; library and information professionals need to work closely with the holders of nursing and midwifery research, practice development and educational roles within their institutions on “embedded”, specific information initiatives. Originality/value – An overview of recent work is presented on the information behaviour of nurses and midwives within developed economies, focusing particularly on the UK. It may be of interest and value to health librarians and to nursing and midwifery educators in facilitating evidence-based practice.

“We Need Psychological Support”: the information needs and seeking behaviors of African refugees in the United States

2020 ◽  
Vol 72 (6) ◽  
pp. 869-885
Author(s):  
Musa Dauda Hassan ◽  
Dietmar Wolfram
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Information Seeking ◽  
Information Needs ◽  
The United States ◽  
Specific Information ◽  
Sources Of Information ◽  
Content Type ◽  
African Refugees ◽  
Information Behaviors ◽  
Midwest United States

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to examine the information needs and seeking behaviors of African refugees in the Midwest United States. The research also investigates the sources participants consulted and their satisfaction with their information seeking and the information found.Design/methodology/approachThis qualitative research study recruited 18 African refugees to participate in one or more data collection modes used in the study (questionnaire, interview, focus group). The data were analyzed using qualitative open, axial and selective coding approaches to identify themes.FindingsThe analysis of the data collected provides evidence that refugees had specific information needs centered on housing, health care, employment and education. They were not necessarily satisfied with the information they were able to find. Participants reported initially relying heavily on their caseworkers as sources of information when they first arrived in the United States until they were able to establish larger networks of contacts, which then expanded their information behaviors.Research limitations/implicationsThe number of participants and regional focus of the study do not allow for generalization of the findings to all African refugees in the United States. Still, the findings shed light on how to better serve the information needs of African refugees to help them adjust to life in their new environment.Practical implicationsThe findings of the study provide guidance for agencies that assist African refugees in adjusting to life in the United States.Originality/valueThis study represents one of the few investigations of the information needs and seeking behaviors of African refugees in the United States.

scholarly journals COVID-19 information seeking and utilization among library and information science professionals in Nigeria

IFLA Journal ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 034003522110315
Author(s):  
Esharenana E Adomi ◽  
Gloria O Oyovwe-Tinuoye
Keyword(s):  
Information Seeking ◽  
Information Needs ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Information Science ◽  
Herbal Medicines ◽  
World Health ◽  
Library And Information Science ◽  
Library Services ◽  
Sources Of Information ◽  
Test Procedures

Like many countries, Nigeria’s library services were affected by COVID-19. This study (conducted in 2020) examined the priorities and barriers for information seeking and use by library and information science professionals in Nigeria, including what type of information was sought, the sources used and how these were evaluated. An online survey, with questions informed by a literature survey, was sent to library and information science professionals in Nigeria with WhatsApp accounts (individual and library and information science group accounts). The responses were automatically collected and saved into Google Sheets for further analysis using descriptive statistics. There were 167 responses (61% response rate). The main information needs were causes of the virus, COVID-19 symptoms, providing library services during physical library closure, the timing of reopening, and staff and user safety measures required for library reopening. The respondents were also concerned about COVID-19 test procedures and transmission mechanisms, treatment (including herbal medicines), vaccines, government policy and restrictions on movement. The main information sources used were the Internet (including government and World Health Organization websites), social media, television and radio. The authority, reliability, currency and relevance of the information were considered when evaluating COVID-19 information consulted, and were using the information primarily to ‘keep safe’ in accordance with government regulations, to provide library services on time and to plan for safe reopening. The barriers to information seeking and use were technical (poor telecommunications), financial (lack of funds to purchase resources) and physical (library closures). One barrier was the volume of information (both reliable and unreliable). Verification was viewed as important but seemingly difficult to do. The respondents were concerned about the safe and effective operation of library services. Library and information science professionals in Nigeria may need advice from health professionals on the most reliable sources of information on COVID-19 and how to use them for themselves and their users.

scholarly journals Information-seeking Behavior of Physical Science Librarians: Does Research Inform Practice?

2005 ◽  
Vol 66 (3) ◽  
pp. 231-247 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cecelia M. Brown ◽  
Lina Ortega
Keyword(s):  
Information Seeking ◽  
Physical Science ◽  
Personal Communication ◽  
Discussion Groups ◽  
Research Articles ◽  
Original Research ◽  
Scholarly Journals ◽  
Library And Information Studies ◽  
Information Studies ◽  
Seeking Behavior

Physical science librarians rely on personal communication and online discussion groups for information to enlighten their practice. Scholarly journals appear third on the list of resources used to inform daily activities and are used primarily to support information literacy instruction, subscription decisions, and their own research as well as to learn about best practices in other libraries. The preferred library and information studies journals publish virtually equal proportions of research and nonresearch articles, with the majority of research articles being reports of qualitative surveys without statistical analysis. The popular journals were not those most highly cited, nor were the research articles cited to a greater extent than the nonresearch articles. In essence, the experiences and opinions of colleagues and patrons were found to be of greater value to the practice of physical science librarianship than reports of original research.

Information Seeking in a Global Context. The Creeping Influence of Economic Globalization & Corporatization: Neoliberal Discourse in Canadian Academic Libraries

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Courtney Waugh
Keyword(s):  
Content Analysis ◽  
Academic Libraries ◽  
Information Seeking ◽  
Economic Globalization ◽  
Institutional Discourse ◽  
The Public ◽  
Global Context ◽  
Institutional Values ◽  
Strategic Plans ◽  
Key Sites

Strategic planning documents are "key sites to institutional discourse" and reflect the public face of the library. This research explores the extent to which Neoliberal discourse permeates the strategic plans of three Canadian academic libraries, and examines how they are responding to global economic and political pressures. Through content analysis, the tension between libraries as a public good versus libraries as commodity is examined. Within this context, the disconnect between librarian core values and changing institutional values is also explored.Les documents de planification stratégique sont des « sites clés pour tout discours institutionnel » et reflètent le visage public d’une bibliothèque. Cette recherche tente de prendre la mesure dans laquelle le discours néolibéral imprègne les documents de planification stratégique de trois bibliothèques universitaires canadiennes, et examine comment ces institutions répondent à la montée et à la diversification des pressions économiques et politiques mondiales. En utilisant l'analyse de contenu et un regard critique, cette recherche exploratoire examine la tension entre la conception de la bibliothèque comme bien public et sa conception comme produit de marchandisation.

scholarly journals Survey of young people in one region of the UK on accessing COVID-19 information (SOCIAL)

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. e000942
Author(s):  
Oliver G P Lawton ◽  
Sarah A Lawton ◽  
Lisa Dikomitis ◽  
Joanne Protheroe ◽  
Joanne Smith ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Young People ◽  
Significant Role ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Descriptive Statistics ◽  
Sources Of Information ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Education Gaps ◽  
The Uk

COVID-19 has significantly impacted young people’s lives yet little is known about the COVID-19 related sources of information they access. We performed a cross-sectional survey of pupils (11–16 years) in North Staffordshire, UK. 408 (23%) pupils responded to an online survey emailed to them by their school. Descriptive statistics were used to summarise the data. Social media, accessed by 68%, played a significant role in the provision of information, despite it not being considered trustworthy. 89% felt that COVID-19 had negatively affected their education. Gaps in the provision of information on COVID-19 have been identified.

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