Dominique Burns e-Portfolio

Introduction

Information seeking is a “Fundamental human process closely related to learning and problem seeking” (Marchionini, 1997, p. 6). When an individual searches for information it is to gain knowledge that they did not have. Information seeking is a behavior and as information professionals it is important that we understand how our patrons seek information.  Information seeking however is not the same as information retrieval. Information retrieval is the process of gathering information related to a search through a computerized system. Büttcher, Clarke, and Cormack (2010) described information retrieval as the process were an individual has a search need and so forth performs a query through a computerized system (p. 6).  The computerized system then matches any of the query terms to relevant documents, while also deleting irrelevant documents. These components of an information retrieval system are shown below in Figure 1.1.

 

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Figure 1.1

(Büttcher, Clarke, & Cormack, 2010, p. 6)

 

Information retrieval systems are created with the goal of understanding how humans seek information through search queries. Information seeking though is unique to each individual and is “Often part of learning or problem solving” (Marchionini, 1997, p. 6). For that reason, there are many different information seeking theories and models. Bates, Dervin, and Kuhlthau are three known theorists who have each developed their own theories and models that strive to better understand information seeking behaviors.

 

Bates’ Berry Picking Model

Marcia Bates created the Bates’ Berry Picking model in the 1980s as a way “To assist in more closely identifying the true behavior of information searchers” (Hart, 2008, p. 16). During this time period librarians made search quires on behalf of their patrons and computers had many information retrieving limitations. This required librarians to “berry pick” their way through information provided by the seeker in order to make well calculated search queries through computerized information retrieval systems. Figure 1.2 below represents the Bates’ Berry Picking model.

 

 

 

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Figure 1.2

(Bates, 1989, p. 1)

 

Bates’ model was based on five assumptions, which were:

1. The search query is continually changing.

2. Searchers may utilize an extensive variety of sources.

3. Information retrieved may give way to new ideas and directions to proceed

4. Information is gathered in bits and pieces picked up along the way (Hart, 2008, p. 18).

 

In order to “berry pick” through information, Bates (1989) recommended that librarians follow six search strategies. These six strategies included footnote chasing, citation searching, journal run, area scanning, subject searches in bibliographies and abstracting and indexing, and author searching (p. 1). The first strategy ‘footnote chasing’ is a technique that “Involves following up footnotes found in books and articles of interest, and therefore moving backward in successive leaps through references lists” (Bates, 1989, p. 1).  ‘Citation searching’ is using citations to find other citations. Bates (1989) describes it as “forward chaining” and is when “One begins with a citation, finds out who cites it by looking it up in a citation index, and thus leaps forward” (p. 1). Another search strategy is ‘journal run,’ where an individual will search through every journal related to their information interests. ‘Area scanning’ is when an individual will search for information in the same space. For example if you find one book in the area of the library that meets the information need, you would continue scanning that area for more related books. ‘Subject searches in bibliographies and abstracting and indexing’ is when an individual searches for information through available tools that are arranged by subject. ‘Author searching’ is similar to this, but is when an individual searches by author.

 

Dervin’s Sense-making Model

Dr. Brenda Dervin first created Dervin’s Sense-making model in the 1980s as “A conceptual tool of broad applicability for use in understanding the relationship of communication, information, and meaning” (Fisher, McKechnie, 2005, p. 113). Dervin believed that every human being had their own history, which uniquely defined them and their information seeking needs.  Librarians needed to better understand their patrons in order to make sense of their information needs. Dervin referred to this information seeking process as “sense-making” and can be seen below in Figure 2.

 

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Figure 2

(Cheuk & Dervin, 2011, p. 128)

 

The Dervin Sense-making model is a metaphor that “Human beings traveling through time-space, coming out of situations with history and partial instructions, arriving at new situations, facing gaps, building bridges across those gaps, evaluating outcomes and moving on” (Cheuk & Dervin, 2011, p. 127).  The Sense-making model provides librarians with a format to better understand information seeking behaviors for each individual patron. Cheuk and Dervin (2011) suggest that librarians answer the following questions in order to identify the “situation” and “gaps” in order to “help” their patrons.

 

• What led you to this situation?

• Where did you want to get to?

• What gaps did you see?

• What got in the way?

• What help did you get along the way?

• What emotions/feelings did you experience?

• If you had a magic want, what would like to happen (Cheuk & Dervin, 2011, p. 128)?

 

Kuhlthau’s Information Search Process Model

Kuhlthau’s Information Search Process model was created by Carol Kuhlthau in the 1990s and is a theory which “Conceptualizes information seeking as a process of knowledge construction that progresses through different stages” (Choo, 2015, p. 126). Kuhlthau’s model included six stages of information seeking behaviors, which were initiation, selection, exploration, formulation, collection, and presentation (Kuhlthau, 1991, p. 367). This model is referred to as the Information Search Process (ISP) and can be seen below in Figure 3.

 

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Figure 3

(Kuhlthau, 1991, p. 367)

 

Each stage according to Kuhlthau represents a different part of the information seeking process that an individual goes through. The first stage ‘initiation’ is when “A person first becomes aware of a lack of knowledge or understanding” (Kuhlthau, 1991, p. 366). During this stage an individual may seek out help from an information retrieval system or a librarian. They will ask questions and discuss the information need. The next stage is ‘selection’ and is when an individual will “Identify and select the general topic to be investigated or the approach to be pursued” (Kuhlthau, 1991, p. 366). Depending on the information they seek, they may have “Feelings of uncertainty and apprehension,” because they do not know the answer (Kuhlthau, 1991, p. 366). The selection stage depending on ease and pace can be very stressful for an individual. Next is the ‘exploration’ stage, described by Kuhlthau (1991) as a stage filled with “Feelings of confusion, uncertainty, and doubt” (p. 366). This is because an individual must spend time searching and researching their information need. Individuals have to try different ways of communicating their information needs as part of the information retrieval process. This can be frustrating if an individual does not know how to communicate what information they seek.  The fourth stage ‘formulation’ is a “Turning point,” because “Feelings of uncertainty diminish and confidence increases” (Kuhlthau, 1991, p. 367). Individuals at this point will have successfully found information that helps them narrow their search and will better understand what they are looking for. The ‘collection’ stage is the “Process when interaction between the user and information system functions most effectively and efficiently” (Kuhlthau, 1991, p. 368). Individuals gain confidence as they narrow their search results and findings. The last stage is ‘presentation’ and is when “The task is to complete the search and to prepare to present or otherwise use the findings” (Kuhlthau, 1991, p. 368). If the search was successful in this stage, individuals will show signs of relief and fulfillment. This is because their information need has been satisfied and they no longer feel inadequate.

 

Evidence

The following evidence includes MLIS coursework that I have completed during my time at San Jose State University.

 

1. INFO 200 Information Communities: Blog Report #3 – Information-seeking Behaviors and Information Needs of Twitch.tv Online Community

2. INFO 200 Information Communities: Final Research Paper -The Online Information Community Twitch.tv

3. INFO 250 Design and Implementation of Instructional Strategies for Information Professionals:  Learning Activity 1 – Needs Assessment

4. INFO 250 Design and Implementation of Instructional Strategies for Information Professionals: Final Paper - Instructional Design Plan

 

INFO 200 Information Communities: Blog Report #3 – Information-seeking Behaviors and Information Needs of Twitch.tv Online Community

 

Evidence:

• Blog Report #3 – Information seeking Behaviors and Information Needs of Twitch.tv Online Community 

(https://domburns.wordpress.com/2015/02/20/blog-report-3-information-seeking-behavior-and-information-needs/)

 

This blog report required me to reflect on an information community of my choice and discuss their information seeking behaviors and information needs. The assignment was to also include theories covered in lecture, assigned readings, and an interview from at least one community member.  I researched the online information community Twitch.tv for this blog report. The purpose of this blog report was to help gather information for my final research paper in the class. 

 

INFO 200 Information Communities: Final Research Paper -The Online Information Community Twitch.tv

 

Evidence:

• Final Research Paper -The Online Information Community Twitch.tv

 

This final paper was the result of a semester long research project on an information community of my choosing. I researched the online information community Twitch.tv and their information seeking behaviors. I choose this community because of their unique landscape as an online gaming community. Here is the abstract from my paper, explaining what I researched.

 

This research paper will examine the online information community Twitch.tv. It will touch on the concept of other online communities and take a look at Twitch.tv’s early years. It will offer up a succinct evaluation of Twitch.tv’s online ecosystem. With large amounts of information readily and quickly available online, this paper will discuss how Twitch.tv community members find and share information. It will answer the question of how members of the site sort and validate information on Twitch.tv. It will also answer how members know what roles to take on and what online interactions are considered socially acceptable. This paper will offer up various arguments on the negatives and positives of online gaming communities.  Discussing specifically Twitch.tv and how the site fits into today’s most recent definition of the word community. It will conclude with a reflection about the role of information professionals in relation to online communities and online information seeking. This paper will discuss how information professionals can help cultivate these online communities of information seekers. 

 

INFO 250 Design and Implementation of Instructional Strategies for Information Professionals:  Learning Activity 1 – Needs Assessment

 

Evidence:

• Learning Activity 1 – Needs Assessment

 

Over the semester I completed different learning activities that would help with the final paper for this class.  In this learning activity I completed a needs assessment, which can be found on page five of the above document. I wrote about learner characteristics, such as potential users, prior knowledge, skills, and available time.  This needs assessment answered questions about sixth grade middle students with an interest in social media and blogging.  For this learning activity I had proposed a unit of instruction to teach sixth grade middle school students how to utilize WordPress.com to create book related blogs.  A needs assessment was important, because it addressed information seeking needs and behaviors that I should consider while designing a mode of instruction.

 

INFO 250 Design and Implementation of Instructional Strategies for Information Professionals: Final Paper - Instructional Design Plan

 

Evidence

• Final Paper - Instructional Design Plan

• Video – Audio Version of Instructional Design Plan (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uuiOFHEkn7o)

 

This culminating project was to design an instructional plan for a library of my choosing. My proposed unit of instruction was to teach sixth grade middle school students how to create a WordPress.com blog and collaborate with other students to create book related content in various forms on their blogs. I created an in-depth needs assessment, which can be found on pages 1-2.  I discussed learner characteristics, extant materials, and the teacher.  I also recorded an audio version of my final paper, where I read and discuss my instructional design plan. The needs assessment can be found at 1:14 on the video.

 

Conclusion

Information seeking behaviors are unique to every human and so forth it is important for librarians to recognize this. It also important to recognize different ways in which librarians can help individuals with their information needs. My evidence above reflects my experiences researching differing information communities and their information seeking behaviors. These assignments have helped me derive new modes of helping different individuals find information. It is not ‘what’ they are searching for, but the ‘why’ or ‘how’ of their information seeking needs that I need to be aware of. Through my assignments I have researched information seeking needs for information communities in the physical world and information communities in the virtual world. I believe that I now have a better understanding of the information seeking processes that different communities and individuals go through. This is an essential skill set to have as a librarian, because librarians today help individuals in physical and virtual library settings.

 

References

Bates, M. J. (1989). The design of browsing and berrypicking techniques for the online search interface. Retrieved

from

https://pages.gseis.ucla.edu/faculty/bates/berrypicking.html

 

Büttcher, S., Clarke, C. L., & Cormack, G. V. (2010). Information retrieval: Implementing and evaluating search

engines. Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press.

 

Cheuk, B., & Dervin, B. (2011). Leadership 2.0 in action: A journey from knowledge management to knowledging.

Knowledge Management & E-Learning: An International Journal, 3(2), 119-138. Retrieved from

http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.718.3572&rep=rep1&type=pdf

 

Choo, C. W. (2015). The inquiring organization: How organizations acquire knowledge and seek information.

Oxford, NY: Oxford University Press.

 

Fisher, K. E., & McKechnie, L. (2005). Theories of information behavior. Medford, NJ: Information Today, Inc.

 

Hart, C. T. (2008). Exploring the information-seeking behavior of the staff and students of the Florida virtual

school: A case study. Ann Arbor, MI: ProQuest LLC.

 

Kuhithau, C. C. (1991). Inside the search process: Information seeking from user’s perspective. Journal of the

American Society for Information Science, 42(5) 361-371. Retrieved from

http://faculty.washington.edu/harryb/courses/INFO310/Kuhlthau.pdf

 

Marchionini, G. (1997). Information seeking in electronic environments. New York, NY: Cambridge University

Press.

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