Relevance and Applicability of Information Seeking Behaviour Model in Electronic Environment: A Critical Approach

 

Sanjay Kumar *

Abstract

Due to advancement of technology, information has become one of the basic resources and its exact nature is not easily described. The clearest definition in the literature is “Information is recorded experience that is used in decision making”. Dependency on information has been increasing day-by-day in every sphere of intellectual activities. The paper presents the relevancy and applicability of information seeking behaviour models of Researchers in electronic environment. This also describes David Ellis’s model of information seeking behaviour thoroughly.

 

Keywords: Information seeking behaviour , Electronic environment , BHU   

                    Students.

 

1. Introduction

Nowadays, information has become part of our life and it is a powerful tool which plays a vital role in the development of the society.The search strategy of users’ has also changed in electronic environment. Rapidly growing information in electronic form does not guarantee that users will access reliable and relevant information.  There is a pressing need to find out such search strategies which would be more effective to search information within electronic environment.

1.2Information Seeking Behaviour Model

 

When we need something, different strategies or models of actions were applied in order to satisfy the needs of the users. When an individual needs information, he knows that in all probability the information will not obtain without searching process, so he has to go about seeking it. What strategies or processes he used while searching

information in order to satisfy his information needs, Information Seeking Behaviour comes into existence. Information seeking refers

 to the process of collecting and receiving information through reading published materials, discussing with colleagues, etc.

 

Behaviour is concerned with the mode of action, process of selection of information resources; process of carrying out of search of information, factors that affect his approach, etc (Krishna Kumar, 1990). Some definitions as given by the different authors on information seeking behavior have been mentioned here.

i) According to Ching-Chih-Chen, “Information seeking patterns are the paths pursued by the individual in the attempt to resolve a need.” (Krishna Kumar, 1990).

ii) According to Giraj Kumar (1990) information seeking behaviour is mainly concerned with who needs what kinds of information for what reasons, how information is found, evaluated and used.

iii) Wilson (1999) considers “Information behaviours are those activities a person may engage in when identifying his or her own needs for information, searching for such information in any way and using or transferring that information.”

1.3 Information Seeking Behaviour in Electronic Environment

                Information Seeking Behaviour begins from the recognition of some need, perceived by user. That behaviour made by the user may make demands upon formal systems, such as libraries, on-line services Information Centers, etc. A paradigm shift in Information Seeking Behaviour of users has been seen in the last few decades. In these days Information Seeking Behaviour is a process of finding information to fill a knowledge gap through electronic-based i.e. internet – search engines, search strategy, etc. Users are found to request the known and unknown items. They search through internet also. Users also use different e-resources through various modes to satisfy their information needs in this digital age. They use the internet in different ways i.e. access to e-journals, downloading articles, chatting.       

2. Past Studies

 

 The conceptual framework for most of the information seeking behaviour reviews was initially developed by Paisley and subsequently refined by Allen and others.

The 1996 model now also identifies’information seeking behaviour’, namely passive attention, passive search, active search and ongoing search. The suggestion is that the impact of the intervening variables may support and prevent information use while information seeking behaviour consists of more types of information seeking behaviour than identified in the 1981 model. If information needs are to be satisfied, ‘information processing and use’ becomes essential part of the feedback loop.

The 1996 model also presents three relevant theoretical ideas as activating mechanisms to explain user behaviour (Wilson 1999). In the second and fourth group of concepts in figure these are mechanisms are represented as and the stress/coping, risk/reward, social learning theory and ‘self-efficay’. The activating mechanisms are psychological factors which are explained by these different theories and which promt the user to proceed with the information seeking process. Thus, wilson identified characteristics of a number of human behaviour models in his model.

 

Ellis (1989); Ellis et al (1993) and Ellis and Hugan (1997) proposed a general model of information seeking after studying the information seeking pattern of different user groups for Social Scientists, researchers, physicists, chemists and engineers. Ellis’s model illustrates six types of information seeking activities: These are starting, chaining, browsing, differentiating, monitoring, and extracting.

Kakai (1978) studied the Information seeking behaviour of undergraduate Students of Makerere University, Uganda using cross- sectional survey with sample of 104 respondents from the Department of Bio-Chemistry and History. The Ellis six generic information seeking activities were also tested in the study.

                 So, on the after reviewing the available literature we can conclude as there is a need to test the relevancy of information seeking behaviour model in electronic environment.

3. Purpose and Objectives of the Study

                    The primarily purpose of this study was to examine the information seeking    behaviour of researchers’ belong to disciplines of Arts, Social Science and Science of BHU, Varanasi in India. Specifically, this study has tested that upto which extent the researchers’ information seeking behaviour matched with existing models of information seeking behaviour.

Objectives:

The Objectives of the study were as follow under:

1. To examine the Information Seeking Behaviour of Researchers’ in electronic environment and;
2. To study the relevance and applicability of information seeking behaviour models in electronic environment.

4. Method of Research

  To answers the above research objectives, Survey method used for data collection, under this simple random sampling technique used as research methodology. Simple random sampling is also known as an unrestricted randomsample. It may be defined as one in which each and every individual of the population has an

 

chance of being included in the sample and also the selection of one individual is in no way dependent upon the selection of another person. Both quantitative and qualitative data gathered from the researchers’ about their advances for getting information from electronic environment. Through survey quantifiable data on information seeking process of researchers were collected. After survey, data were gathered and tabulated in a meaningful ways for getting answers of research objectives. Chi-square test was applied for inference of data. Through this way an attempted has been done to test the relevance and applicability of information seeking behaviour models among researchers in electronic environment.

 

5. Scope of the Study

 

The major participants of the study were researchers belonging to Arts, Social Science, and Science researchers of Banaras Hindu University (BHU) in India. At the time of survey there were a total of 1523 researchers present in the faculties of Arts, Social Science and Sciences. It was impossible to know the views of total population. So the convenient sample size drawn from the total population that was 450 from the disciplines of Arts, Social

Science and Sciences Researchers at Banaras Hindu University in India. Scientific method of sampling technique used to get more reliable and accurate data. In this regard random sampling technique used for data collection.

 

6. David Ellis’s Information Seeking Behaviour Model

  David Ellis’s model of information seeking behaviour was tested on engineers. He first described his model of information seeking behaviour in 1984 and has since the developed the model in information seeking studies of various groups of researchers, including engineers (Ellis 2005). Ellis (in Ellis & Haugan 1997; Ellis 2005; Ingwersen & Jarveline 2005) derived eight generic characteristics of the information seeking patterns of social scientists. Ellis later extended this work to physicists, chemists and engineers.

 

The eight characteristics of Ellis’ model of information seeking behaviour represents types of activities, rather than stages that the users of information systems might want to accomplish through the systems and do not directly provide any design specifications for the system (Ellis 2005; Ingwersen & Jarveline 2005) these are starting or surveying; browsing, chaining, monitoring, differentiating, extracting, verifying and end.

 

 

Starting: The means employed by the user to begin seeking  information. For example asking some knowledgeable colleagues.

Chaining: Following footnotes and citations in known materials or ‘forward’ chaining from known items through citation indexes.

Browsing: Semi-directed or semi-structured searching.

Differentiating: Using known differences in information sources as a way of filtering the amount of information obtained.

Monitoring: Keeping up-to-date or current awareness searching.

Extracting: Selectively identifying relevant materials in an information source.

Verifying: Checking the accuracy of information.

Ending: This may be defined as ‘typing up loose ends’ through a final research.

 

 

 

 

 

 

                 Browsing

 

 

 Starting         Chaining          Differentiating          Extracting           Verifying            

                                                                                                                                     

                                                                                                               Ending               

                    Monitoring

 

           Fig.1: David Ellis’s Information Seeking Behaviour Model

   Source: Ellis, D. (1989). A behavioural model for information retrieval system design. Journal of Information Science, 15(4), 237-247.

 

7. Data Analysis and Findings  

• Target sample population of researchers has taken for this study, reason behind this, they used library resources in large extent and their requirement of information need is divers in nature.
• For examine relevance and applicability of Information seeking behaviour models researchers’ behaviour found suitable during study rather than other users group.
• Percentage of respondents contributed in this study were as follows; Arts 100 (35.48), Social Science 106 (34.19), and Science 104(33.54) out of 310.

 

The model’s stages were tested through survey and data are tabulated as under:

 

 

Table no. 1: Starting

 It was found that 59% of researchers were started their information seeking process from OPAC. After that Internet search engines also an important point of information search that was 58% of total responses

Table no. 2: Chaining

 

It was found that 34% of researchers were followed web links for chaining of information search. It can be said that only 34% of researchers were followed chaining approach.

Table no. 3: Browsing

It was found that 59% of researchers were browsing the documents after evaluating information given in the document.

Table no. 4: Differentiating

 

 

It was found that 48% of researchers were differentiating documents on the basis of ‘Title Approach’ during the information seeking process in electronic environment.

 

Table no. 5: Extracting

          

 

 

 

For extracting of information from various sources of information researchers used.  It was found that researchers were extracting information after identify relevant source of information in electronic environment. Internet search were using by researchers in large for extracting of information that is 179 of 310 (58%).

Table no. 6: Verifying

 

It was found that there were 60 respondents out of 310, who were verifying the retrieved information. Rest 250 respondents who used authentic source of information, so there no need of verification of information.

 

Table no. 7: Monitoring

 

It was found that 66% of researchers were using information sources such as journals and conference proceeding e.t.c. for monitoring of information development in their subject field. So, it can be said that monitoring step is applicable in electronic environment.

Table no. 8: Ending

It was found that 50% of researchers were successfully ending their information seeking behaviour information after adopting given model’s step.

Conclusion

           It can conclude as David Ellis’s Information Seeking Behaviour Model’s information seeking strategy was adopted by large number of researchers. It emerges as an ideal model of information seeking behaviour of electronic environment, researchers have given more preference to this model steps and it is also user friendly by nature as electronic environment demand.

Future Research

         There is a need more focus on Information Seeking Behaviour field. As it can be seen that information seeking behaviour models are evolving concept and it requires modifications and redesign with changes occurred in information seeking behaviour field.  For future, there is lot of scope of researches to be required to gain advancement in field of Information Seeking Behaviour.

References:

1. Chen, ching-chin and Hernon, Peter. (1982). Information seeking: assessing and anticipating user needs. New York: Neal Schuman.
2. Wilson. T.D. (1999). Models in information behaviour research. Journal of Documentation, 55(3), 249-270.
3. Paisley, W. J. (1968). Information needs and users, Annual Review of Information Science and Technology, 3, 1-30.
4. Ellis, D. (1989). A behavioural model for information retrieval system design. Journal of Information Science, 15(4), 237-247.
5. Meho, L. I. & Tibbo, H. R. (2003). Modeling the information seeking behaviour of social scientists: Ellis’s study revised. Journal of American Society for Information Science and Technology, 54(6), 570-587
6. Ellis, D. (1987). The derivation of a behavioralmodel for information retrieval system design. Unpublished Doctoral Dissertation, University of Sheffield, Sheffield.
7. Ellis, D. (1993). Modeling the information seeking pattern of academic researchers: a grounded theory approach. Library Quarterly, 63(4), 469-486.
8. Ellis, D., Cox, D. & Hall, K. (1993). A comparison of the information seeking patterns of researchers in the physical and social sciences. Journal of Documentation, 49(4), 356-369.
9. Ellis, D. & Haugan, M. (1997). Modeling the information seeking patterns of engineers and research scientists in an industrial environment. Journal of Documentation,53(4), 384-403.
10. Ellis, D. (1989). A behavioural model for information retrieval system design. Journal of Information Science, 15(4), 237-247.
11. Kakai, M., Ikoja-Odongo, R. & Kigongo-Bukenya,I.M.N. (2004). A study of the information    seeking behavior of undergraduate students of Makerere University, Uganda.World Libraries, 14(1). Retrieved from https://www.worlib.org/vol14no1/kakai_v14n1.shtml