Information Seeking

Module 1 Min-Yen KAN

Fundamentals of LIS

Why “seeking”?

Don’t want to limit to “retrieval”

IR: match query to documents.

Seeking as the larger context: berrypicking

We’ll revisit IR later in another lecture

Information Need

Taylor’s (68) model of need

Visceral: The actual, but unexpressed need

Conscious: ________________

Formalized: e.g., a search statement

Compromised:_________________

Berry Picking

“… picking blueberries in the forest. The berries are scattered on the bushes; they do not come in bunches. One must pick them one at a time…”

- paraphrased from Bates (89)

The nature of the query is an evolving one

The nature of the search process is such that it follows a berrypicking pattern

The query is satisfied not by a final set of documents but by __________________

Information Foraging

Techniques that expert searchers use:

_____

_____

_____

_____

_____

_____

To think about: How well does LINC support these functions? How about Google?

Vocabulary Problem

The fact that a user is looking for something means that they don’t know what exactly they are looking for (otherwise, they wouldn’t be looking in the first place)

- paraphrased from Belkin et al. (82)

Therefore, they may not be using the right vocabulary to express their needs.

Anomalous State of Knowledge

means that the seeker realizes that there is a gap or lack of knowledge in some area: an ASK.

Partial or even incorrect search results can alter the ASK and change the seeker’s perception.

Three aspects of Information Seeking

Cognitive Factors

Selecting a source that is most relevant and useful

Purpose

Authority

Scope

Audience

Cost

Format

Affective Factors – Kuhlthau (93)

Initiation: uncertainty

Selection: optimism

Exploration: confusion/frustration/doubt

Formulation: clarity

Collection: sense of direction and confidence

Presentation: satisfaction or disappointment

Implications of Kuhlthau (93)

Users tend to try to move towards
______________

Vague, invitation mode transforms to focused, indicative mode

Corollaries:

Too much redundant information = __

Too much unique information = __

Unfocused search without selection/formulation gives information overload = __

Situational Factors

Often the most important situational factor:

Perceived source accessibility

Principle of Least Effort – Zipf 49

Rural libraries get less utilized than urban ones

RBR / ILL services / acquisition library features rarely used

Dimensions of Accessibility –
Culnan (85)

Physical / Automated library

Physical: Location, location, location!

Interface: Catalog use, organization of library

Informational: locating the book, article

Digital library

Physical:

Interface:

Informational:

Quality is (often) secondary!

People often access easily accessible material first irrespective of quality

But informed professionals accept ideas from sources in proportion to their technical quality

But what about the uninformed?

Putting the models together


	Don’t want to limit to “retrieval”
	IR: match query to documents.
	Seeking as the larger context: berrypicking





		We’ll revisit IR later in another lecture


	Taylor’s (68) model of need

		Visceral: The actual, but unexpressed need

		Conscious: ________________

		Formalized: e.g., a search statement

		Compromised:_________________


	“… picking blueberries in the forest. The berries are scattered on the bushes; they do not come in bunches. One must pick them one at a time…”
	- paraphrased from Bates (89)

		The nature of the query is an evolving one

		The nature of the search process is such that it follows a berrypicking pattern

		The query is satisfied not by a final set of documents but by __________________


	Techniques that expert searchers use:

		_____
		_____
		_____
		_____
		_____
		_____

	To think about: How well does LINC support these functions? How about Google?


	The fact that a user is looking for something means that they don’t know what exactly they are looking for (otherwise, they wouldn’t be looking in the first place)
	- paraphrased from Belkin et al. (82)

		Therefore, they may not be using the right vocabulary to express their needs.


	means that the seeker realizes that there is a gap or lack of knowledge in some area: an ASK.

		Partial or even incorrect search results can alter the ASK and change the seeker’s perception.


	Selecting a source that is most relevant and useful
		Purpose
		Authority
		Scope
		Audience
		Cost
		Format


	Initiation: uncertainty
	Selection: optimism
	Exploration: confusion/frustration/doubt
	Formulation: clarity
	Collection: sense of direction and confidence
	Presentation: satisfaction or disappointment


	Users tend to try to move towards ______________
	Vague, invitation mode transforms to focused, indicative mode
	Corollaries:
		Too much redundant information = __
		Too much unique information = __
		Unfocused search without selection/formulation gives information overload = __


	Often the most important situational factor:
	Perceived source accessibility

	Principle of Least Effort – Zipf 49
		Rural libraries get less utilized than urban ones
		RBR / ILL services / acquisition library features rarely used


	Physical / Automated library
		Physical: Location, location, location!
		Interface: Catalog use, organization of library
		Informational: locating the book, article

	Digital library
		Physical:
		Interface:
		Informational:


	People often access easily accessible material first irrespective of quality

	But informed professionals accept ideas from sources in proportion to their technical quality

	But what about the uninformed?