SI 551: Information-Seeking Behavior

Information-seeking is a complex information and communication activity requiring access to diverse information systems and resources in order to deal with work-related, personal, and social information problems. This course provides students an introduction to the human aspects of systems and technology in various information contexts, including work place, schools, health care, and everyday life. This course critically examines concepts, models, and frameworks relevant to human information behavior. Understanding human information seeking behavior tends to be qualitative and inductive in nature. Therefore, students have opportunities to learn various ethnographic techniques step-by-step, including how to conduct ethnographic interview and nonparticipant observation and how to take field notes. Students will also practice qualitative data analysis using QSR N6 software.

1. Implications of understanding information seeking behavior for designing information systems and services
2. Multi-paradigms in information seeking and comparison of models across LIS, IR, and HCI fieldsM
3. Frameworks for conceptualizing information seeking in a broad sense including accessing, searching, browsing, encountering, evaluating, and disseminating information
4. Notions of relevance, authority, and credibility with respect to information seeking
5. When to use quantitative research methods and when to take qualitative research approaches
6. How to conduct ethnographic interviews and observation and how to analyze qualitative data
7. Critical reviews of information seeking research conducted in various contexts including work place, schools, health care, and everyday life
8. Impact of the Internet on information seeking and use