Human Information Interaction

Background and Aim: this study aimed to explore the impact of objective complexity and Product of work task on user's interactive information searching behavior.

Method: The research population consisted of MSc students of Ferdowsi university of Mashhad enrolled in 2012-13 academic year. In 3 stages of sampling (random stratified, quota, and voluntary sampling), 30 cases were selected. Each of these cases searched 6 different types of simulated work tasks. Students’ Interactive Information searching behavior was measured by “loud thinking reports” and “log files”. Also, reliable questionnaire (Cronbach's alpha= 0.88) was applied to measure subjective complexity. Validity of tools was verified through Faculties of KIS at Ferdowsi university of Mashhad.

Results: By increasing level of objective complexity, users view more databases, search engines and web OPACs. Also they use more queries and select resources, visit and analyze more results and spend more time during search process. Totally, they feel less satisfaction and success. It was also found that most participants spend more time to search IR systems related to tasks including intellectual product. Also, they iterate queries, use more search facilities, view, analyze and select more search results and resources. At the end, in spite of more interaction, satisfaction and perception of search success were reported not favorable.

Conclusion: It is necessary to pay attention to work task characteristics in designing interactive and personalized IR systems. So, recommendations raised from this study are appropriate to improve and develop Interactive IR systems.

Background and Aim: The need for cognition to the extent of involvement of the individual in intellectual activities, to assess individual differences in motivation for information processing, individual differences in the tendency of people to engage in and enjoy effortful thinking and, finally, refers to the processing of sound messages. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of need for cognition on students' collaborative information behavior.

Method: This study is applied research .Among 340 students graduate from the Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences in Allameh Tabatabai University, 181 students were selected randomly and measures need to recognize the information behavior participatory out the questionnaires.

Results: The research findings indicate the need to recognize significant differences by gender and field of study participants were women. Students seeking a partnership relationship between need for cognition and behavior were observed. Information seeking behavior in terms of the need to know their students significant difference was found and thus the need to know the information seeking behavior of effective student participation.

Conclusion: the need for cognition is effective on Students’ collaborative information behavior (CIB).

Background and Aim: The aim of this study is to assess the Iranian Personal electronic information management of knowledge and information science and medical Library and Information Sciences faculty members based on the Jones model.

Method: This study is kind of application research and in terms of data collection is descriptive and analytical study. The statistical population included faculty of knowledge and information science and medical library and information science in Iranian state universities. Data were collected by a questionnaire that its validity is confirmed by the ISprofessors, and its reliability was measured by Cronbach's alpha coefficient (0.81). To analyse the data, descriptive and inferential statistic using SPSS statistical software was used.

Results: Analysis of the data showed that the average of activities in finding and re-finding were 4.0101, in storage was 4.0783, in organization was 3.2424, in maintaining were 2.8106, in security were 3.1162, in measuring and evaluation was 3.7803, in making sense of things was 3.9192 and total average personal electronic information management was 3.5659. Findings showed that there was nosignificant difference in the personal electronic information management in terms of gender and organizational affiliation, but in terms of the scientific and age there, there were significant differences among faculty members. The differences were found between the scientific degrees of associate professor and professor, and between the age group 36-45 years old and up to 56 years old.

Conclusion: The results indicated that faculty members in the age group 46-55 years old as well as associate degree had the best performance. Also, faculty members of medical library and information science had been used greater extent personal information management activities and personal information management quality women had better than men. Faculty members had desirable operation to Retrieve and store information, but they do not well maintained this information and do not provide appropriate security measures. In general, management of personal electronic information was in the relatively good level.

Background and Aim: Considering the increasing number of users who interact with online social networks, it can be inferred that these networks have become an essential part of users' lives and play different roles in their everyday life. Therefore, the present study aims to explore the role of these networks in users' everyday-life information seeking.

Method: This research is an applied research with qualitative approach and it was conducted using thematic analysis method. This method includes a semi - structured interview with active users of online social networks.

Results: Results indicate that online social networks play different roles in the users' lives, such as entertainment, education, communication and interactions; accompanied by, news, favorite contents, and up-to-date information; but, these networks face some challenges that affect information seeking behavior of users which compels users to utilize active information seeking.

Conclusion: Richer social capital and diversity of users in an individual's social network leads to the access to more qualitative information which in turn increases the probability of finding the required information and achieving the expected results with the least effort.

Background and Aim: These days, Internet and online databases play a significant role in peoples’ information-seeking behavior, especially for postgraduate students. The kind of behavior seen on the part of those students who get help from online databases to write their theses might be completely different from those who search library sources to get the needed information. This study investigates the information-seeking behavior of postgraduate students of Kharazmi University who are writing their theses.

Method: This study used both qualitative and quantitative methods of data collection. Quantitative data were gathered using an information-seeking behavior questionnaire, which was then, analyzed using statistical analysis (T-Test and Friedman-Test). Content analysis and semi-structured interviews were used to analyze qualitative data. The participants were 100 students including 50 male and 50 female students.

Results: Results of analyzing the T-Test for male and female groups showed that there is not any significant difference of girls' and boys' information-seeking behavior. Results of analyzing the Friedman-Test however showed difference in average ratings of information-seeking behavior dimensions. With regard to results obtained from this analysis: pre-existing knowledge confirmation, relevancy judgments, bringing up new thoughts, time and effort for searching information contain maximum to minimum rates in a respective manner. Results of the qualitative data also showed that: most of the students’ problems lie in: seeking for and using the collaborative behavior and collaborative searching, difficulty in finding the related information, language limitations, diversity of goals, limitations the forms of the sources, unfamiliarity with the specific sources, lack of information literacy, and spending so much time to search.

Conclusion: Findings obtained in this study showed that postgraduate students do not have the skills and knowledge needed for using online data. This also indicates their deficiency and lack of information seeking and information literacy skills. So, recognizing the obstacles on the way of knowing and using these online databases and training students for purposeful searching seem to be essential.

Background and Aim: Personal Information Management (PIM) process consists of four activities; acquisition, organization, maintenance and retrieval. Obviously this process is due to human limitations and expanding scope of personal space of information which has become an exhausting and difficult process. Use of technology and tools related to PIM could facilitate this procedure.

This survey study aims to investigate PIM behavior and its four activities among graduate students in the University of Birjand and was performed on the basis of digital environment.

Method: Population of this study was all graduate students at the University of Birjand in the 2013-2014 academic year. Self assessment questionnaire was used to collect information.

Results and Conclusion: The results show that the overall PIM and all four activities among graduate students at the University of Birjand were less than estimated desired rate and there were significant differences between PIM in various course studies, also among master's and doctoral students. Computer and laptop was most used tools for storage of personal collection, the most widely used method for organizing based on content and finally the most common method for retrieval of information was based on the explanatory notes.

Originality: personal information management filed is a relatively new area of research and yet little research was performed in PIM area in Iran. Meanwhile the studies perform, have less focused on the behavioral aspects of PIM and have been more observing PIM tools and affecting factors

Background and Aim: This study aimed to identify and Analyzing the structural and outward features and expected activities of a service-extension agricultural website, based on the views of experts in the field of agriculture and related sciences and webmasters and blogs in Iran.

Method: The methodological approach was a descriptive and survey study. The statistical population of the study consisted experts in the field of agriculture and related sciences and webmasters and blogs in this area, that 310 of them were selected by stratified random sampling method. Information was gathered through a questionnaire and its face validity was confirmed by expert viewes. Its reliability was confirmed by Cronbach's alpha coefficient (α= 0/88). Data were analyzed using SPSS software.

Results: The factor analysis results showed that views of experts in the field of structural features and outward of a service-extension website led to extraction six factors including user-friendly and interactive, availability and transparency of content, the ability to change according to the needs of the audience, update and authenticity of the content, unique content and comprehensiveness of content. Views of experts in the field of expected activities of a service-extension website led to extraction six factors including Banking facilities and interactive services, providing comprehensive and professional services (content and services), the online marketing and the introduction of rural farmers and provide extension services and information, social networking and provide successful models and dealing with farmers.

Conclusion: Use of ICT is one of the effective phenomena in the implementation of roles and extension services which has been led to the emergence of virtual extension. The application of this technology in agricultural extension in addition can meet the increasing demands of stakeholders and has created potentials and new opportunities for enhancing the capacities of outreaches and provide development of agricultural extension in new space

Background and Aim: This research aims to explore relation between health literacy and information literacy of post-graduate students in Ferdowsi university of Mashhad.

Method: This research is descriptive-correlational survey research. Population included post-graduate students of Ferdowsi university of Mashhad that 368 of them were selected via stratified sampling. Two Questionnaires were used for data collection. First one was Health Literacy for Iranian Adults (HELIA) that was a reliable and valid instrument for measuring health literacy in Iran and include the following constructs: ability to read, ability and skills to access, understand, and appraise health information, make decisions, and practice in order to maintain or improve health. The second one was designed by the researchers in order to measure information literacy skills including four dimensions: identifying information needs, locating, organizing, and evaluating information.

Results: Finding showed that 25% of students have inadequate health literacy, 38.31% of them have moderate literacy and others have normal high-quality health literacy. Also, their information literacy level is higher than average. Also the results show significant and positive correlation between information literacy and health literacy. Level of health literacy in female students is higher than males and level of this variable in Ph. D. Students is more than Master students. Findings showed that post graduate students search the internet and communicate with friends in order to acquire health information.

Conclusion: Since, Impact of Information literacy on information skills from the access to evaluation and use of information. So, Enhancement of information literacy skills in students could improve their health literacy. Accordingly, libraries can increase level of students’ health literacy by learning information literacy skills. Some libraries’ programs are noticed in order to enhance level of students’ health literacy and information literacy

Background and Aim: This study attempted to investigate the information-seeking process of Shahid Chamran University postgraduate students, and how they use various information sources. The research also investigated he role of demographic characteristics in students' information-seeking process, as well as the problems and barriers they encounter in the process.

Method: The population of the study consisted of 5000 postgraduate students among whom 298 students were randomly selected through classified ratio sampling method. A researcher-made questionnaire was developed and after measuring its validity and reliability, distributed among the sample in person. To analyze the data, descriptive statistics as well as inferential statistics including Friedman Rank Test and MANOVA were applied.

Results: The results show that students were statistically different in some variables. On average, students use the Internet 25.11 hours per week. They also prefer to use electronic, print, and human information sources, respectively, both to meet their information needs and to update their information. Students believe that information and communication technologies have reduced their visits to libraries. Students seek help from librarians primarily to locate books and other documents and to search for information. Students encounter a range of problems and barriers in their information-seeking process; the most important being the scattered information. Females face more problems than males. While students refer to specialists to meet their information needs at the first stage, they refer to their classmates and friends at the first stage to update their information.

Conclusion: Despite the effects of new technologies on students’ presence in academic libraries, all types of information resources are still consulted by them. Various purposes for information-seeking determine the information resource being consulted, and students consider their information needs as well as the context in which they seek information, when decide to choose the information resources

Background and Aim: This paper aims at the analysis of the definitions and categorizations of the realm of “Information Ethics” to criticize assumptions and clarify points of departure for introducing a new definition and categorization.

Method: I used documentary research method and conceptual analysis approach. This method and approach is the best fits with the goal of pursuit roots of social concepts and their pre-assumptions. After collecting all literature of the domain of “Information Ethics”, I tried to extract core definitions and categorizations and analyze their assumptions and points of departure. Then, I used the concepts extracted from all definitions and some aspects of the “General theory of Practice” (Pierre Bourdieu) and “Deconstruction” (Jacques Derrida) to introduce new definition and categorization of the domain of “Information Ethics”.

Results: Results shows that 20 original definitions have been offered and two main stream point of departure have been adopted, however, some other views such as legal, societal, Islamic, Marxian, Habermasian approaches have been introduced too. I adopted “access” and “position” as original points for categorization and used Derrida’s and Bourdieu’s viewpoints to offer a new sociological definition. I categorized social groups by their valuation on information production and consumption on the basis of Fuches’ viewpoints. Four social groups distinguished as “information consumer”, “prosumer (information producer-consumer)” “information producer” and “information governor”. Freedom of expression, censorship and content conrol and filtering is questions of the individuals that put in to the “position” of “information consumer”. Information security and information piracy is the core questions of information producers and information governors. Eventually, privacy, intellectual property and plagiarism is the questions of information procumers & information producers. 

Originality/Value: originality of this paper is about its new approach in the definition of “Information Ethics”. By this categorization we can argue about the “access problem” in terms of the “position” of individuals or groups in the production, consumption or governance of information

Background and Aim: According to the social media development in libraries and necessity of social media literacy for librarians, the aim of this study was to elucidate the viewpoints and experiences of librarians about social media literacy. Also, strategies for increasing librarians' social media literacy was suggested.

Method: A qualitative study with University librarians in Sistan district was performed using interview method. Fourteen out of 40 university librarians were studied using convenience sampling method. Content analysis approach was used to analyze data.

Results: Themes such as "Network awareness, proper incorporation and   understanding of social media, observance of copyright law and personal privacy, critical and evaluative use, exchange of information, and targeted use," were derived from findings. Librarians accentuated the importance of social media literacy education.

Conclusion: Planning for formal and informal instruction of social media literacy as an essential part of information society should be pursued thoroughly. Social media literacy culture requires to be promoted. Attention to the production of practical works in social media literacy field is essential, especially among librarians

Background and Aim: The aim of this article is to revise the methodological status of some of the most prominent studies and models in the field of Information Seeking Behavior in order to provide Iranian researchers with a brief comparative perception of the field.

Method: A literature review approach is applied to identify the research methods and historical origins of each study related to the realm of ISB.

Results: Research studies suggest that Iranian researchers - in their information seeking endeavors - have been unaware of the methodological tradition of the most prominent studies in this capacity, which are mainly based on the principle of methodological diversity and most of time have been imitating the methodological approach of other researchers in a stereotyped manner.

Conclusion: By deliberating the books written on the subject of study and research methodologies across a wide range of scientific disciplines, one can in a deductive manner, grasp a list of scientific methods in the form of independent researches to test the extent of their capabilities.  The main Key to current problems is methodological diversity

Background and Aim: paying attention to users information needs will increase usability of information systems. Identifying user’s information needs in various phases of information system development will increase number of its users. One of the important information systems in research landscape is current research information system known as CRIS. CRISs provide integrated access to research information for researchers in organizational or national level. Two main elements of every CRIS are its data model and tools for managing research information. CERIF data model is a standard data model proposed for CRISs. Therefore, this research main goal is customizing this data model based on Iranian researchers information needs.

Method: this research was conducted using systematic review of existing research publications including:  papers, thesis and project reports on information needs of researchers.  Systematic review in this research includes six steps and 160 research documents, including 110 thesis, 46 journal papers, and 4 research project reports.

Results: related research documents are analyzed in terms of bibliometric and content aspects. Regarding bibliometric analyzing results, the findings confirmed the results of past studies completed on this subject. The results of content analyze includes different tasks and information resources that Iranian researchers are engaged with them. These results finally are presented in the form of entities and metadata elements existed in CERIF structure.

Conclusion: Generally according to results of this paper it can be said that Iranian researchers need mainly current information on formal research results including books, papers, journals etc.

Background and Aim: This research aimed to study emotions attribution style of users in information retrieval based on Weiner's theory.

Methods: The survey method was used in this study. Population consisted of graduate students in humanities at Imam Reza (AS) International University. Sample of 72 students was selected.  Data was collected by attribution style questionnaire (ASQ) and two researcher made questionnaires.

Results: Research findings showed that users attributed success and failure in information retrieval to internal causes. Also, consistent with Wiener theory, users attribute success to attempts and failure to inability and insufficient effort. On the other hand, it was found that there is significant relationship between users overall attribution style and information retrieval attribution style.

Conclusion: It can be determined that style of user attribution in information retrieval would strengthen correct attributions and destroys incorrect attributions in information retrieval and thereby provided better information retrieval.

Background and Aim: The intellectual structure of knowledge and its research front can be identified by co-word analysis. This research attempts to reveal the intellectual structure of knowledge in information behavior inquiries, via co-word, network analysis, and science visualization tools.

Methods: Bibliometric methodology and social network analysis are used. Population comprises 2146 records in the field of Information Behavior during 2006-2014, which had been retrieved from Web of Science.

Results: finding indicate that “Information Retrieval” is the most frequent keyword in the Information Behavior inquiries. Also, “Information Needs and Information Behavior” are the most frequent co-occurred keywords. Use of hierarchical cluster analysis by Ward method led to the creation of 11 topical clusters in Information Behavior, including among others: “User Studies,”  “Health Information Behavior,” and “Social Networks.”

Conclusions: The results indicated that the co-word analysis can be well uncover the intellectual structure of scientific disciplines. The results of the strategic diagram showed that “health information behavior”, “user studies”, “social networks”, and “relevance in information retrieval” are among well-matured and central clusters with pivotal role. Moreover, four clusters, including “information resources”, “Web search”, “information retrieval”, and “information management” are among emerging or declining clusters. Finally, although the “interface and information technology” cluster is in the central part, but it is underdeveloped. Due to the frequency of keywords on the one hand, and clusters obtained on the other hand, it seems to be a close relationship between information behavior and health studies. Therefore, it seem that many of information behavior studies have been conducted in health and medical communities

Background and Aim: Contrary to the fact that information must be accessible to all in every society, it is not obtainable for immigrants and refugees. The aim of this study is to find Information needs and the effective factors on information seeking of foreign immigrants in Iran and finding solution and presenting refining Policies.

Method: Mixed research method was applied. Participants selected from 12 provinces (384 immigrants), were all Afghan and Iraqi legal immigrants.  Instrument was a researcher made questionnaire which its reliability and validity was tested and approved.  Further, to identify most convenient strategies for immigrants information accessibility ten managers and Policy makers were interviewed to find refining policies. 

Result: Findings revealed that most important social, cultural, political and health information needs of immigrants needs extended from: Job (4.02), religion (3071), borders, illegal and legal places (3.81), and diseases (4.05).  Afghanistan and Iraq’s TV and radio (3.84) and educational institutions (3.85) had most significant role in  securing the information needs of immigrants.

Conclusion: Study shows that the major challenges of Afghans and Iraqi immigrant are accessibility to information to  solve Information needs.  Substantial portions of these challenges might be resolved by suitable Planning and proper legislation. Also, Information providers could help immigrant by supporting humanitarian outlook and overlooking national  origins of people.

Background and Aim: The aim search was to investigate the relationship between media literacy and information literacy of students of communication and information sciences and knowledge studies, and its impact on their entrepreneurial ability.

Methods: This is a survey correlational method. Population consists of postgraduate students in information science and knowledge and communication sciences at Tehran and Allameh Tabatabai University. Data was collected from two sources: library documents and questionnaires. First, library method was used to examine the theoretical foundations of media literacy, information literacy and entrepreneurship. Then, by careful examination of literature - based on the research model - a questionnaire created and distributed. Data was analyzed by  Independent One-Sample t-Test  and Spearman Rank Correlation Coefficient.

Results: Findings showed that the level of media literacy and information literacy of students is desirable and the level of characteristics of entrepreneurship is relatively desirable.

Conclusion: The Pearson Correlation test showed a significant relationship between the variables of media literacy and information literacy. The impact of information literacy on entrepreneurial ability was confirmed and the impact of media literacy on entrepreneurial ability was rejected. 

Background and Aim: The aim of this research was to determine the quantity and quality of qualitative studies accomplished by Knowledge and Information Science (KIS) Researchers.

Methods: For this purpose, methodology section of articles published in 13 main Persian Journals in the field of KIS during 2004-2015 had been systematically scrutinized.

Results: Findings showed that:  total of 143 articles had been completed by qualitative methods, indicating unfavorable status of qualitative researches among KIS researchers.   Further, findings showed that mix and Content analysis methods were prevalent methods investigators had used, among the issues examined two publications informing research and academic libraries and library and information science had the highest share in qualitative research publications in KIS. While check list and document analysis were common way of data gathering.

Conclusion: Although the convention of qualitative research in recent years has been of interest to researchers of KIS,  it is still far from preferred objective of focusing on quantitative approaches.  Most focus is on quantitative approach, consequently not incorporating qualitative approaches in KIS studies

Abstract

Background and Aim: Research was carried out as a survey utilizing a researcher made questionnaire. 1149 postgraduate students were selected to fill in the research questionnaire, and 837 questionnaires were sent back. Along with descriptive statistics, independent samples t test was used to examine the difference between groups and Pearson co-efficient  to measure correlations of variables.

Findings: More than 60 percent of students evaluated electronic information resources as most valuable and responsiveness to their information needs. More than half of students were only after free search engines, databases and  simple searches.  Sixtey   percent   did not formulate their search languages and relied  on trial and error to obtain pertinent information.  Less than 40 percent of students prefer the databases subscribed by their university.  Among different types of electronic documents, electronic papers were most popular amongst students. Most of retrieved documents   were used for writing research papers. Seventy percent of students believed that in the case of cessation  of  electronic resources, their research activities will be hampered. Only 18 percent of students were intended to pay per access to electronic resources and most of them indicated that in the case of disconnection, they will try to find an alternative way of access.

Conclusion: Vis-à-vis the favored situation in science production of the country, in order to fulfill national scientific development strategies, secure access to electronic resources should be guaranteed.