scholarly journals The Urgency and Importance of an Active Information Seeking Task Influence the Interruption of Information Encountering Episodes

2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (4) ◽  
pp. 167-170
Author(s):  
Barbara M. Wildemuth
Keyword(s):  
Information Seeking ◽  
Critical Incident ◽  
Information Science ◽  
Personal Network ◽  
Think Aloud Protocols ◽  
Dead End ◽  
Information Encountering ◽  
Study Setting ◽  
Inductive Thematic Analysis

A Review of: Makri, S., & Buckley, L. (2020). Down the rabbit hole: Investigating disruption of the information encountering process. Journal of the Association for Information Science and Technology, 71(2), 127–142. https://doi.org/10.1002/asi.24233 Abstract Objective – To understand when and why information encountering episodes are interrupted. Design – Naturalistic observational and interview study. Setting – Personal network of the study authors in London. Subjects – Fifteen personal contacts of authors, aged 22-60, recruited via word-of-mouth and social media. Methods – Each participant was asked to conduct a search on a self-chosen topic. The researchers took notes and recorded search interactions and think-aloud protocols. After the search, a follow-up interview asked whether the participant had unexpectedly encountered any interesting or useful information; if so, the researchers asked for more details about that episode. If not, they conducted a critical incident technique interview, focused on a memorable example of a past information-encountering episode. The researchers used inductive thematic analysis to analyze the data, augmented with constant comparison across the data and the themes to ensure analytical rigor. Main Results – The most frequent point at which participants interrupted an information encountering (IE) episode was near its beginning, when the searcher noted an information stimulus but then immediately returned to the active information-seeking task. IE episodes were also interrupted 1) after the searcher examined the encountered content but did not explore it further, and 2) after the searcher explored it but decided it was not useful. The factors that influenced interruptions of IE episodes included the searcher’s reluctance to invest the time and effort needed to engage with the encountered information, due to the importance or urgency of the active information-seeking task; the searcher’s reluctance to leave the active information-seeking task, seeing IE as a distraction from that task; the searcher’s reluctance to multitask, i.e., to keep track of both the IE episode and the active information-seeking task; the searcher’s reluctance to risk a dead end; the searcher’s reluctance to be seduced by the “shiny thing” of encountered information (p. 136) and to drift too far away from the active information-seeking task; and the searcher’s reluctance to get “caught up” emotionally in the IE episode (p. 138), a “temptation that is satisfying only in the short-term” (p. 138). Conclusion – Overall, the results help us understand when and why disruption of IE can occur. When an IE episode begins, the searcher is not able to estimate the time and effort required to pursue it or the fruitfulness of following it through. Thus, factors associated with the primary information-seeking task (e.g., its importance or urgency) and with the searcher (e.g., ability to multitask) tend to influence decisions about when to interrupt an IE episode.

A Model for a Statewide Critical Incident Stress (CIS) Debriefing Program for Emergency Services Personnel

1997 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 43-48 ◽  
Author(s):  
Keith W. Neely ◽  
William J. Spitzer
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Police Officers ◽  
Psychological Functioning ◽  
Critical Incident ◽  
Emergency Services ◽  
Fire Department ◽  
Critical Incident Stress ◽  
Emergency Services Personnel ◽  
Response Team

AbstractPurpose:Emergency services personnel are highly vulnerable to acute and cumulative critical incident stress (CIS) that can manifest as anger, guilt, depression, and impaired decision-making, and, in certain instances, job loss. Interventions designed to identify such distress and restore psychological functioning becomes imperative.Methods:A statewide debriefing team was formed in 1988 through a collaborative effort between an academic department of emergency medicine and a social work department of a teaching hospital, and a metropolitan area fire department and ambulance service. Using an existing CIS debriefing model, 84 pre-screened, mental health professionals and emergency services personnel were provided with 16 hours of training and were grouped into regional teams.Debriefing requests are received through a central number answered by a communicator in a 24-hour communications center located within the emergency department. Debriefings are conducted 48–72 hours after the event for specific types of incidents. Follow-up telephone calls are made by the debriefing team leader two to three weeks following a debriefing. The teams rely on donations to pay for travel and meals.Results:One hundred sixty-eight debriefings were conducted during the first four years. Rural agencies accounted for 116 (69%) requests. During this period, 1,514 individuals were debriefed: 744 (49%) firefighters, 460 (30%) EMTs, and 310 (21%) police officers, dispatchers, and other responders. Deaths of children, extraordinary events, and incidents involving victims known to the responders (35%, 14%, and 14% respectively) were the most common reasons for requesting debriefings. Feedback was received from 48 (28%) of the agencies that requested the debriefing. All of those who responded felt that the debriefing had a beneficial effect on its personnel. Specific individuals identified by agency representatives as having the greatest difficulty were observed to be returned to their pre-incident state.Conclusion:CIS debriefings are judged as beneficial. A statewide response team is an effective way to provide these services at no cost to agencies.

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.

scholarly journals Experiences of recovery from colorectal cancer surgery after hospital discharge among the oldest old: A qualitative study

2021 ◽  
pp. 205715852199445
Author(s):  
Kristina Sundt Eriksen ◽  
Sissel Iren Eikeland Husebø ◽  
Hartwig Kørner ◽  
Kirsten Lode
Keyword(s):  
Colorectal Cancer ◽  
Thematic Analysis ◽  
Oldest Old ◽  
Healthcare Services ◽  
Hospital Data ◽  
Colorectal Cancer Surgery ◽  
Discharge From Hospital ◽  
Depth Interviews ◽  
Inductive Thematic Analysis

Colorectal cancer affects a large number of people aged ≥80 years. Little is known about how they manage after discharge from hospital. The aim of this study was to explore the experiences of individuals aged ≥80 years recovering from surgery for colorectal cancer, and the challenges they may encounter after discharge from hospital. Data were collected between January and March 2016 through in-depth interviews with ten participants approximately one month after surgery. Inductive thematic analysis was employed to analyse the data. The COREQ checklist was used in reporting this study. Two themes were identified: Managing the recovery from CRC surgery, and Insufficient follow-up from the healthcare services after CRC surgery. The findings indicate that older people treated for colorectal cancer manage surprisingly well after discharge despite challenges in their recovery; however, there are seemingly areas of improvement in their follow-up healthcare.

scholarly journals Blurred reputations: Managing professional and private information online

2018 ◽  
Vol 52 (1) ◽  
pp. 16-26 ◽  
Author(s):  
Frances V.C. Ryan ◽  
Peter Cruickshank ◽  
Hazel Hall ◽  
Alistair Lawson
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Private Information ◽  
Information Seeking ◽  
Information Science ◽  
Private Lives ◽  
Professional Reputation ◽  
Media Platform ◽  
Everyday Life Information Seeking ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Reputation Building

Results are reported from a study that investigated patterns of information behaviour and use as related to personal reputation building and management in online environments. An everyday life information seeking (ELIS) perspective was adopted. Data were collected by diary and interview from 45 social media users who hold professional and managerial work roles, and who are users of Twitter, Facebook and/or LinkedIn. These data were first transcribed, then coded with NVivo10 according to themes identified from a preliminary literature review, with further codes added as they emerged from the content of the participant diaries and interviews. The main findings reveal that the portrayal of different personas online contributes to the presentation (but not the creation) of identity, that information-sharing practices for reputation building and management vary according to social media platform, and that the management of online connections and censorship are important to the protection of reputation. The maintenance of professional reputation is more important than private reputation to these users. They are aware of the ‘blur’ between professional and private lives in online contexts, and the influence that it bears on efforts to manage an environment where LinkedIn is most the useful of the three sites considered, and Facebook the most risky. With its novel focus on the ‘whole self’, this work extends understandings of the impact of information on the building and management of reputation from an information science perspective.

Do engineering master’s students know what they don’t know?

2015 ◽  
Vol 64 (1/2) ◽  
pp. 36-57 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paula C Johnson ◽  
Jennifer E. Simonsen
Keyword(s):  
Information Seeking ◽  
Critical Incident ◽  
State University ◽  
Electronic Information ◽  
Master's Students ◽  
Web Based ◽  
Content Type ◽  
New Mexico State University ◽  
Scholarly Article ◽  
Materials Used

Purpose – The purpose of this study was to determine whether engineering master’s students at a medium-sized university use library-provided abstracting and indexing (A&I) services (e.g. Compendex), and if they do, to what extent, in what manner and for what purposes. Design/methodology/approach – A mixed methodology approach was used to explore electronic information-seeking patterns of engineering master’s students at New Mexico State University. Usage statistics, a focus group and a Web-based survey were used, the latter composed of 17 questions using a critical incident approach and direct questions to probe: reasons for and method of search, types of materials used (with relative frequencies), means of obtaining materials and evaluations of the usefulness of five library-provided A&I services. Findings – Only 15 per cent of respondents used a subscription A&I service such as Compendex when searching specific terms. The majority of sources used were located through known term searches, and master’s learned of these information resources through article citations or conversations with colleagues. Half the respondents reported using Google Scholar to find the last scholarly article they had read. Engineering master’s students – similar to practicing engineers – evaluate the costs associated with obtaining information, and may “satisfice”. Even so, students expressed interest in increasing their knowledge of skills and strategies to find worthwhile electronic information. Originality/value – This study sheds light on engineering master’s students’ use of A&I services, and examines their perceptions of five of these services commonly provided by academic libraries.

scholarly journals Serendipity and its study

2014 ◽  
Vol 70 (6) ◽  
pp. 1015-1038 ◽  
Author(s):  
Allen Edward Foster ◽  
David Ellis
Keyword(s):  
Information Seeking ◽  
Process Model ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Science Research ◽  
Empirical Literature ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Information Studies ◽  
Information Encountering ◽  
Citation Classics

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the concept of serendipity and approaches to its study particularly in relation to information studies. Design/methodology/approach – The origins of the term serendipity are described and its elaboration as an exploratory and explanatory concept in science and the social sciences are outlined. The distinction between serendipity and serendipity pattern is explained and theoretical and empirical studies of both serendipity and the serendipity patterns are explored. The relationship between information encountering is described. Empirical studies of serendipity using Citation Classics and other research approaches in information studies are described. Findings – The discrepancy between occurrences of serendipity in studies using Citation Classics and reported serendipity in philosophy of science, research anecdotes, information encountering and information seeking by inter-disciplinary researchers is highlighted. A comparison between a process model of serendipity and serendipity as an emergent behavioural characteristic are indicates directions for future research. Originality/value – The paper provides and original synthesis of the theoretical and empirical literature on serendipity with particular reference to work in information studies and an indication of the methodological difficulties involved in its study.

scholarly journals Empirical studies of collaborative information seeking: a review of methodological issues

2019 ◽  
Vol 75 (1) ◽  
pp. 140-163 ◽  
Author(s):  
Morten Hertzum ◽  
Preben Hansen
Keyword(s):  
Information Seeking ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Statistical Testing ◽  
Methodological Issues ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Current State ◽  
Lab Experiments ◽  
Major Implication ◽  
Collaborative Information Seeking ◽  
Study Setting

Purpose Information seeking is often performed in collaborative contexts. The research into such collaborative information seeking (CIS) has been proceeding since the 1990s but lacks methodological discussions. The purpose of this paper is to analyze and discuss methodological issues in existing CIS studies. Design/methodology/approach The authors systematically review 69 empirical CIS studies. Findings The review shows that the most common methods of data collection are lab experiments (43 percent), observation (19 percent) and surveys (16 percent), that the most common methods of data analysis are description (33 percent), statistical testing (29 percent) and content analysis (19 percent) and that CIS studies involve a fairly even mix of novice, intermediate and specialist participants. However, the authors also find that CIS research is dominated by exploratory studies, leaves it largely unexplored in what ways the findings of a study may be specific to the particular study setting, appears to assign primacy to precision at the expense of generalizability, struggles with investigating how CIS activities extend over time and provides data about behavior to a larger extent than about reasons, experiences and especially outcomes. Research limitations/implications The major implication of this review is its identification of the need for a shared model to which individual CIS studies can contribute in a cumulative manner. To support the development of such a model, the authors discuss a model of the core CIS process and a model of the factors that trigger CIS. Originality/value This study assesses the current state of CIS research, provides guidance for future CIS studies and aims to inspire further methodological discussion.

scholarly journals Lag screw cutout in intertrochanteric fractures fixed with DHS.

2020 ◽  
Vol 27 (09) ◽  
pp. 1862-1866
Author(s):  
Muhammad Nasir Ali ◽  
Muhammad Khalid Chishti ◽  
Kashif Siddiq ◽  
Muhammad Hamayun Hameed ◽  
Muhammad Tayyab Waheed ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Intertrochanteric Fractures ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Middle Position ◽  
Lag Screw ◽  
Screw Position ◽  
Hip Screw ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Study Setting

Objectives: To determine the failure of DHS (dynamic hip screw) in terms of lag screw cutout. Study Design: Hospital Based Cross Sectional study. Setting: BVH and Civil Hospital Bahawalpur. Period: From 2013 to 2018. Material & Methods: 273 patients of both genders with age more than 50 years having stable intertrochanteric fractures were included in this study. With the help of C arm, the best possible anatomical reduction and rigid internal fixation was done with 135 degree DHS. Lag screw position and TAD determined on first postoperative day on radiographs (Anteroposterior & Lateral). Failure of fixation was determined on the radiographs during follow up. Lag screw cut-out was the projection of the screw from the femoral head by more than 1mm. Results: The mean age of the patients was 68.6 years (50-88). There were 132 (51.1 %) males and 126 (48.8%) females. Overall lag screw cutout rate was 11.2%. 21(30.8%) had screw cutout while 47 (69.1%) healed successfully among 68 patients with TAD ≥ 25mm. On the other hand 8(4.2%) had screw cutout while 182 (95.7%) healed successfully among 190 patients with TAD < 25mm. Middle middle and inferior middle position had highest success rate (˃ 92%) while inferior posterior position had highest cutout rate (36.2%). Among different age categories high failure rate (17.8%) seen in patients more than 70 years. Conclusion: The incidence of lag screw cutout is 11.2 % and risk of cutout can be minimized by placing lag screw in middle middle or inferior middle position and keeping the TAD < 25mm. More attention during follow up should be paid to patients with age ˃ 70 years.

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