Models in Information Behaviour Research, Article Review Example

Models in information behaviour research. By Wilson, T. D. in the Journal of Documentation, (1999).

Human behavior in information science has long been of significant interest to researchers, particularly as it relates to information and how people obtain and use information to solve problems. There are various models of information, for research purposes, related to various communication processes. How people seek out information and use it is a focus of this article.

Statement of Purpose

The focus of the research in this article examines various ways that people engage in activities for the purpose of finding information, using the information and communicating the information to others. This is known as information behavior. The author addresses how specific models of information behavior are related and how these relationships integrate to form a model framework.

Review of the Literature

The article touches on the interests of information scientists for initiating efforts to carry out research that hinges upon prior research. This is a way to reach more theoretically-sound findings for spearheading developments in further research. As it relates to human behavior and research, the author points out qualitative methods are more useful than quantitative methods. The quantitative method mainly uses counts. However, merely counting quantities does not procure enough value-added information for significant theory, when analyzing human behavior related to information research. On the other hand, qualitative research methods give a broader view of findings for which to study information behavior models. This gives way to a more managed approach to developing research theories, based on information behavior models, to build on further research initiatives.

The author thoroughly examples models of information behavior in this article, and describes a framework of thoughts that affect problem solving. This framework is a way to integrate theoretical propositions to help describe various information-seeking activities that people use to obtain the information they need for specific purposes. This includes a person’s behavioral tendencies when seeking out information. Most people seek out information from various sources such as from other people, professionals, online, from literature, through environmental interactions, or other sources.

Problem solving is the basis of motivation for people to seek out information, and when they seek out information and find relevant search results, they view the most relevant of those as the most valuable. Additionally, this information-seeking behavior arises out of some sort of need. When people seek out information, they are looking to satisfy a need and begin to make demands on their chosen sources to supply the satisfaction for the need. With this, one of two outcomes remains. Either the person is successful or unsuccessful with finding the information he or she seeks. If the person is successful, he or she uses the information for specific purposes. If the person is unsuccessful, the process of seeking information starts all over again.

Conclusion

The author further explains how information search behavior is a process that involves specific variables related to information-seeking behavior such as the communicator, channels of communication, information processing, and feedback. Additionally, linking information and seeking out communication is also a part of the process.

As stated above, the researcher’s aim focuses on how various information behavior models integrate. In this article, the author points out how research findings are dependent upon each other by nesting. This is the best way to enhance research theories to better understand more detail about human information-seeking and search behavior.

Reference

Wilson, T. D. (1999). Models in information behaviour research. Journal of Documentation, 55(3), 249-270.