Contextual Search: From Information Behaviour to Information Retrieval

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luanne Freund ◽  
Elaine G. Toms
Keyword(s):  
Information Retrieval ◽  
Software Engineering ◽  
Information Seeking ◽  
Contextual Information ◽  
Search System ◽  
Information Behaviour ◽  
Information Seeking Behaviour ◽  
Engineering Work ◽  
Search Systems

Context influences information seeking behaviour; however, search systems have not made much use of contextual information to date. We present research that combines information behaviour and information retrieval approaches to develop a contextual search system for a software engineering work domain.Le contexte influence le comportement informationnel; cependant, les systèmes de recherche n'ont pas fait beaucoup d'utilisation de l'information contextuelle jusqu'ici. Nous présentons une étude qui combine des approches de comportement informationnel et de repérage d’information a fin de développer un système contextuel de recherche pour un domaine de travail de technologie de la programmation. 

scholarly journals Meta-synthesis of the Research on Information Seeking Behaviour of Graduate Students Highlights Different Library Resource Needs Across Disciplines and Cultures

2013 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 132 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joanne L. Jordan
Keyword(s):  
Graduate Students ◽  
Information Seeking ◽  
Sources Of Information ◽  
Doctoral Level ◽  
Information Behaviour ◽  
Information Seeking Behaviour ◽  
Different Types ◽  
Library Resources ◽  
Research Questions ◽  
Google Search

Objective – To synthesize research on the information seeking behaviour of graduate students. Design – Meta-synthesis of quantitative and qualitative research. Setting – Higher education institutions mainly in the U.S. and Canada, but including studies from other countries in Europe, Asia, and Africa. Subjects – Graduate students (master’s and doctoral level). Methods – The Library Information Science and Technology Abstracts (LISTA) database was searched from 1997 to 2012. References of retrieved studies were reviewed and a Google search carried out. Studies were critically appraised using the Evidence Based Librarianship (EBL) critical appraisal checklist by Glynn (2006). The author extracted information from the included studies and took notes on the studies’ findings. Notes were then grouped into themes according to relevant research questions that emerged. A critical interpretive synthesis approach used qualitative and quantitative information from the synthesis to answer these research questions. Small user surveys were summarized in the tables but not included in the synthesis. Main results – The review included 48 studies. Most studies were rated as having good study design and results, but many were thought to be weak when it came to their sampling and data collection techniques. Students often initially look on the Internet for information. Many acknowledged that this information may be unreliable and turn to sources recommended by their advisors. Increasingly library resources are accessed remotely, rather than print versions. However, knowledge of library web resources and services is not always good, with many students using Internet search engines to find information. It is suggested that accessibility of resources in different disciplines and familiarity with technology drives information behaviour. It is not always feasible for all sources of information needed in different subjects to be made readily available electronically. Professors, faculty members, and advisors were consulted most often by students, however this varied between disciplines and institutions. Librarians who demonstrated and promoted their expertise to academic departments were more highly valued by students. Students used reference lists of articles to find other relevant material (citation chasing). Students were more concerned about the speed of accessing material rather than the quality or reliability of the content. Some students were put off by seemingly complex library systems and tools. Boolean operators and advanced search strategies were rarely used and if they were used, it tended to be by students with more computer expertise. International students may not be as aware of the library services that are available to them. Differences in culture and language can affect whether a student feels comfortable asking for help with library resources. Conclusion – Different types of students, such as master’s and doctoral level students or those from different disciplines, access different types of resources in different ways. Graduate students may benefit from training offered in a variety of different formats to address these different needs. Other people are important in helping students begin their research and therefore institutions should ensure those advising students are aware of information services and training available. It is suggested that further research should be done looking into cultural differences in information behaviours. It is also recommended that researchers should increase their use of standardized, validated questionnaires to improve consistent measurement of information behaviour.

scholarly journals The Use of Psycholinguistic Patterns in Interactive Systems of Active Information Retrieval

2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (4.38) ◽  
pp. 422
Author(s):  
Valery Evgenevich Sachkov ◽  
Dmitry Aleksandrovich Akimov ◽  
Sergey Aleksandrovich Pavelyev
Keyword(s):  
Information Retrieval ◽  
Information Exchange ◽  
Semantic Information ◽  
Interactive Systems ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Search System ◽  
Active Search ◽  
Search Systems ◽  
Short Messages

The article explores the possibility of using psycholinguistic patterns in a dialogue with the Internet visitors. The scheme of the semantic kernel is shown for the purpose-setting installation of the search system and the methodology for constructing patterns, taking into account the psycholinguistic features of constructing a dialogue for obtaining the required information. The model of building psycholinguistic patterns for revealing the semantic information in dialogues is given. Patterns are based on associative links of words and word combinations. Such associative connections allow expanding the list of related words and revealing key information in the best way from short messages. The use of such a method in interactive active search systems makes it possible to improve information exchange and achieve a higher level of identifying the purpose of the dialogue.   

Safety Information-Seeking Behaviour of Artisanal and Small-Scale Miners in Selected Locations in Nigeria

Libri ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 65 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Williams E. Nwagwu ◽  
Ebelechukwu G. Igwe
Keyword(s):  
Information Seeking ◽  
Theory Of Planned Behaviour ◽  
Tertiary Education ◽  
Safety Information ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Full Time ◽  
Significant Component ◽  
Information Behaviour ◽  
Information Seeking Behaviour ◽  
Positive Attitudes

AbstractArtisanal and small-scale mining constitutes a significant component of the mining sector activities in Nigeria. Many studies have been carried out on the artisanal and small-scale mining, but the studies focused mainly on exploration, excavation, exploitation and marketing of mined minerals, among others. The results of the studies, however, show that the miners are not provided with adequate safety information they require to minimize mining-related accidents and illnesses. In view of this observation, this study looks at the information behaviour of these miners. Guided by the theory of planned behaviour, this study examines specifically the information-seeking behaviour of 357 artisanal and small-scale miners in selected locations in Nigeria using a questionnaire, interviews and observations as the instruments for data collection. More than 95% of the miners reported the need for safety information and that they currently rely on their colleagues, who they also consider as most useful, for such information. Besides perceiving themselves as capable of performing information seeking and using safety information, more than 84% of the miners would actually invest in seeking for safety information. Miners who are married, and work full-time and have tertiary education reported seeking information the most; the information behaviour of those miners who have tertiary education is influenced largely by their positive attitudes towards what others feel about their actions (

scholarly journals Digital deception in cybersecurity: an information behaviour lens

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Moses Dlamini ◽  
◽  
Hein Venter ◽  
Jan Eloff ◽  
Mariki Eloff ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Critical Review ◽  
Information Seeking ◽  
Research Method ◽  
Status Quo ◽  
Multidisciplinary Research ◽  
Design Models ◽  
Information Behaviour ◽  
Detection Systems ◽  
Research Fields ◽  
Information Seeking Behaviour

Introduction. Digital deception is a double-edged sword used by both blackhats and whitehats in cybersecurity. A status quo review of the reintroduction of digital deception can reveal challenges and initiatives and show how information behaviour expertise might inform cybersecurity research and vice versa. Aim. To use a status quo review of digital deception to reveal links between cybersecurity and information behaviour and to stimulate further research. Method. Critical review of digital deception in cybersecurity regarding whitehats and blackhats using an information behaviour lens. Findings. There is a need for research that tackles digital deception from both information behaviour and cybersecurity. There is also a need to bridge the gap between the two research fields and link cybersecurity concepts with information behaviour theories. Conclusions. The reintroduction of digital deception in cybersecurity highlights the challenges for the unreliability of defence-based detection systems. Although many solutions are available from cybersecurity, information behaviour might contribute to multidisciplinary research on digital deception and the future of defence technologies. Understanding the interplay between whitehats and blackhats in cybersecurity can help information behaviour practitioners to design models or frameworks for predicting changes in information-seeking behaviour.

Information seeking behaviour of beggars in Accra

2019 ◽  
Vol 69 (4/5) ◽  
pp. 205-220
Author(s):  
Charlotte Owusu ◽  
Philip Kwaku Kankam
Keyword(s):  
Information Seeking ◽  
Information Needs ◽  
Structured Interview ◽  
Literacy Skills ◽  
Main Question ◽  
Single Individual ◽  
Snowball Sampling ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Information Behaviour ◽  
Information Seeking Behaviour

Purpose It is evident that human existence is highly dependent on information. Information is considered to be an essential right of every single individual to sustain life and enjoy it as well. The benefits of looking into the information behaviour of people can, therefore, not be overemphasised. However, there is a yawning gap in research conducted into the information behaviour of marginalised groups such as beggars. This study aims to investigate the information seeking behaviour of beggars in Ghana. Design/methodology/approach Through a case study design, the study used a qualitative approach and interpretivist paradigm to look into this phenomenon. In total, ten beggars were sampled from the beggar population in Accra through the use of convenient and snowball sampling techniques. A semi-structured interview schedule was used as data collection tool to solicit responses from the participants. Findings The study revealed that beggars in Accra lacked understanding of their information needs, although they were heavily dependent on information for their tasks and survival. Again, the findings of the study showed that beggars were faced with information seeking barriers such as illiteracy, lack of information literacy skills and financial resources. The study recommends the need for stakeholders to look into the social welfare and literacy needs of beggars. Originality/value The authors consider the study original both in conceptualisation and design. The main question being interrogated stems from identified gaps in the literature and the study intends to fill these knowledge gaps. The study’s originality also stems from the fact that there is a paucity of information on the subject of study in the context of Ghana.

scholarly journals A Context Model For Focused Web Search

2012 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 155-162 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sushil Kumar ◽  
Naresh Chauhan
Keyword(s):  
Information Retrieval ◽  
Web Search ◽  
Web Pages ◽  
Context Model ◽  
Search System ◽  
Search Results ◽  
Context Features ◽  
Search Systems ◽  
Entity Centric

In the existing web search systems, the information retrieval isperformed using a single query and mapping it to a set ofdocuments. From a single query, however, the search systemscan only have very limited clue about the user‟s informationneed. The user‟s context and his environment are ignored whilesearching the information resulting in irrelevant search results.These irrelevant search results increase the cognitive overheadof the user in filtering them out and finding useful information.Therefore, the search systems must incorporate contextinformation regarding user and his environment search thehighly relevant web pages. This paper prepares an Entity-Centric model for the context and proposes a framework forcontext-aware focused web search system that considers thevarious context features and returns highly relevant searchresults to the user.

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.

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