Human Information Interaction

Background and Aim: Gaining appropriate information service primarily depends on the information needs and users' information seeking conducts. Students' mental health requires gratification in their information needs. Present study makes an attempt to investigate the information conduct of student clienteles at counseling center.

Method: Current study employs a quantitative descriptive method.  The population of the current study is composed of  all student clienteles at Kharazmi University counseling center. Available sampling method was used. Researcher's made questionnaire was applied for collecting the data and questionnaires were distributed amongst 145 student clienteles.

Results: Findings identified students: information needs, motivation for searching information, required information sources for searching students mental health, first source of reference to counseling centers, and  assessment and viewpoints on the quality of services at counseling centers.

Conclusion: the findings of this study confirms the vital role of investigating the information seeking behavior of students coming to counseling centers as a suitable source for identifying  students mental health which could lead to better planning and services in counseling centers.

Background and Aim: The aim search was to investigate the relationship between media literacy and information literacy of students of communication and information sciences and knowledge studies, and its impact on their entrepreneurial ability.

Methods: This is a survey correlational method. Population consists of postgraduate students in information science and knowledge and communication sciences at Tehran and Allameh Tabatabai University. Data was collected from two sources: library documents and questionnaires. First, library method was used to examine the theoretical foundations of media literacy, information literacy and entrepreneurship. Then, by careful examination of literature - based on the research model - a questionnaire created and distributed. Data was analyzed by  Independent One-Sample t-Test  and Spearman Rank Correlation Coefficient.

Results: Findings showed that the level of media literacy and information literacy of students is desirable and the level of characteristics of entrepreneurship is relatively desirable.

Conclusion: The Pearson Correlation test showed a significant relationship between the variables of media literacy and information literacy. The impact of information literacy on entrepreneurial ability was confirmed and the impact of media literacy on entrepreneurial ability was rejected. 

Background and Aim: The aim of this research was to determine the quantity and quality of qualitative studies accomplished by Knowledge and Information Science (KIS) Researchers.

Methods: For this purpose, methodology section of articles published in 13 main Persian Journals in the field of KIS during 2004-2015 had been systematically scrutinized.

Results: Findings showed that:  total of 143 articles had been completed by qualitative methods, indicating unfavorable status of qualitative researches among KIS researchers.   Further, findings showed that mix and Content analysis methods were prevalent methods investigators had used, among the issues examined two publications informing research and academic libraries and library and information science had the highest share in qualitative research publications in KIS. While check list and document analysis were common way of data gathering.

Conclusion: Although the convention of qualitative research in recent years has been of interest to researchers of KIS,  it is still far from preferred objective of focusing on quantitative approaches.  Most focus is on quantitative approach, consequently not incorporating qualitative approaches in KIS studies

Abstract

Background and Aim: Research was carried out as a survey utilizing a researcher made questionnaire. 1149 postgraduate students were selected to fill in the research questionnaire, and 837 questionnaires were sent back. Along with descriptive statistics, independent samples t test was used to examine the difference between groups and Pearson co-efficient  to measure correlations of variables.

Findings: More than 60 percent of students evaluated electronic information resources as most valuable and responsiveness to their information needs. More than half of students were only after free search engines, databases and  simple searches.  Sixtey   percent   did not formulate their search languages and relied  on trial and error to obtain pertinent information.  Less than 40 percent of students prefer the databases subscribed by their university.  Among different types of electronic documents, electronic papers were most popular amongst students. Most of retrieved documents   were used for writing research papers. Seventy percent of students believed that in the case of cessation  of  electronic resources, their research activities will be hampered. Only 18 percent of students were intended to pay per access to electronic resources and most of them indicated that in the case of disconnection, they will try to find an alternative way of access.

Conclusion: Vis-à-vis the favored situation in science production of the country, in order to fulfill national scientific development strategies, secure access to electronic resources should be guaranteed.

Objective: This study aimed to identify the sources of knowledge, the effect of integrated life cycle model of Dalkr organizational knowledge on Knowledge documentation and a model of practical knowledge documentation in state Universities in Iran's central library

Methodology: research method is Survey and it is practical. Sample of the study covering  directors, assistants and administrators in various parts of the central libraries of state universities.community members were 172. Which 113 members was selected  based on the size of the population and Morgan and Krejcie sample through stratified random sampling. Of that number, 100 people responded to a questionnaire and return the questionnaires was 88%. E-researcher-made questionnaire with 100 questions. Its validity was confirmed through 8 out of seminary professors and reliability, according to the average Cronbach's alpha coefficient was calculated 87.45

Results: Multiple regression results show integrated life cycle of Dalkr organizational knowledge was effective on Knowledge documentation and recorded variables, share and evaluate the beta 51/0, 37/0 and -0/28 highest impact on knowledge documentation. The final model consisted of three variables extracted, refine and share the path with the direct effect and 39/0, 34/0 and 27/0 and two variable evaluation / selection and indirect effects and total access path 22 / 0 and 25/0 respectively. The results of exploratory factor analysis resulted in three factors extracted implied knowledge of managers, extraction new knowledge from sources of objective knowledge and resources of  objective knowledge to web mining  and Data minig and the total was 35/63% of the total variance explanation

Originality/ value: This is the first study in the field of Knowledge documentation in  public universities in Iran's central libraries to model of practical knowledge documentation

Background and Aim: Easing the probability of violation of intellectual property rights and unauthorized access of digital resources is one of the most important consequences of  information and communication technologies like Internet. The purpose of this research is to identify the state of Using Digital Right Management technology in IRANDOC ETD system.

Method: This research is an applied research and has done by case study research method. Data collection tool that is used in this research is a checklist that primarily prepared by NSA INFOSEC IAM.

Results: Findings of the research represented in three sections. Section one is related to needed information for security assessment of electronic theses and dissertation (ETD) system in IRANDOC. Data was collected by structured interview and observation. Section two covered data that collected by OICM matrix. In fact information categories in organization flowchart and value of each one in organization goals were identified. Section three is related to identify the threats and their effects that organization encountered with.

Conclusion: Results of the research demonstrate that, as a matter of security infrastructures, IRANDOC is located in an unfavorable condition. Consequently factors such as unauthorized access, forms of management, lack of prosecution and so on threaten their services. Therefore they eagerly need using techniques such as DRM for collecting, managing, maintenance and dissemination

Background and Aim: Social media because of its interactive nature and the fact that it is   being free of charge is widely used in libraries. Web 2.0 is a tool that offers permanent connection every time and offers educational programs without limitations of place and time. But what is included in social media application in public libraries and what obstacles and problems are there in the way of using these tools in libraries. So, the main objective was to survey librarians’ viewpoints in Kermanshah on social media and obstacles that exists in its use. 

Method: This is a qualitative research using insightful interviews. 27 librarians in Kermanshah public libraries took part in the study. Sampling was done in a systematic method and continued until the saturation of information. Data analysis was done with information gathering in a subject analysis approach.

Results: Data analysis leading to extraction of 47 sub-subjects, 9 main subjects and two general categories including: Applications, obstacles and problems. 7 main subjects identified in category of applications: Publication, scientific connection and promotion, position promotion, utilization of services and use of library, improvement of processes, recognition and gaining of support. Also, in the category of personal problems, obstacles and non-personal problems two main subjects were identified.

Conclusion: Due to the immensity and diversity of public libraries  services for divergent users, social media have an additional and diverse applications.  Also, because of socio-  economic, cultural and social conditions in public libraries, there are numerous obstacles in use of these tools. However,  with the exclusion of obstacles - in reaching the objectives of public libraries -  promotion of citizens' per study could optimize applications of social media as a influential tool

Background and Aim: Nowadays, Internet is known as an attractive source of health information to manage individual's health.  Given the importance of it, this study examined the role of Internet in health information seeking behavior among young people in Shiraz.
     Method: This research was a survey which target population were youth Internet users in the city of Shiraz.  A sample of 400 were randomly selected using, multi-stage cluster sampling. Data were collected by a questionnaire.
     Results: Most of respondents used the Internet to search health information. Young women were more likely to seek online health information than young men. As well as level of education, the experience and self-efficacy to search the Internet, showed a significant correlation with searching OHI, too. The main goal of respondents to search OHI was to understand their health condition or disease, better understanding of health information provided by physicians and self-medication. The results also showed that respondents have positive attitude towards health information retrieved via the Internet.

     Conclusion: There is a high demand of OHI among young people to manage personal health. Undoubtedly, foresight and planning to improve the quality of OHI, efforts to create a reliable health information database and public education to care about assessing the quality of OHI can herald the development of individual health and consequently the health of our community.

Background and Aim: The main objective of the research is to determine the understanding level of the students of Ferdowsi University of Mashhad in the terms used in user interface of SIMAD library software.

Methods: The study is an applied research with survey descriptive method. Research population was Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, including 24346 students of whom 164 were selected as sample. Data was collected through questionnaire and SPSS software was used as an instrument for the analysis of the data obtained.

Results: The results indicated that the user's level of understanding of terms used in the user interface is not desirable in objective method (23 words investigated). However, regarding subjective method (the items of the Likert scale) the level of understanding is acceptable. Furthermore, the grammar and the length of the phrases used in the user interface do not result in better understanding of the Terms. Finally, there is not a significant difference between students' understanding level of Terms and students' educational level and field of study in both objective and subjective methods.

Conclusion: To design an appropriate user interface for information retrieval systems, the needs and level of comprehension related to the users must be taken into consideration. However, in other to increase the users’ ability in making use of library software, educating the users appears to be of cardinal importance.

Background and Aim: The utilization of technology acceptance model is one of the ways for perceiving the users' attitudes, and this research utilizes it to investigate the factors affecting the students' encouragement to use the social network sites in order to determine which factors encourage the students to use the social network sites as a virtual learning network.

Methods: This research is applied in terms of objective and is among the structural equation modeling-partial least square studies. A questionnaire is designed based on conceptual model after investigating the relevant articles and extracting the possible components, and it is then distributed among students, and finally the analysis is done on collected questionnaires.

Results: The data analysis results indicate the indirect impact of perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, and perceived complementarity, and the direct impact of attitude towards using the online social network sites and perceived enjoyment on the students' intention to use the social network sites.

Conclusion: The results of this research provide the useful insight for university authorities in local education industry to utilize the social network sites in order to enhance the students' learning effectiveness by perceiving these factors. This study identifies the variables which can affect the development of educational space and investigates the conducted studies on determinates of students' encouragement to use of social networks as e-learning networks, and finally provides an applied comprehensive model by combination of these collected factors. Furthermore, a new research can be conducted on factors affecting the users' encouragement to use social networks for education.

Purpose: Digital library user interfaces has a determining role in desirable performance of this kind of libraries. Digital Library service providers to the blind and deaf users will have their best performance when the users (deaf and blind users) could have a proper interaction with them. This study aims to evaluate and analyze the criteria related to user interface in digital libraries service provider to the blind and deaf users in the world.

 Methodology: This is an applied and evaluative study. This study has been used library research method for extracting criteria and descriptive survey method for everything from evaluating library. A checklist consist of 13 criteria (Screen capabilities, Ability of organizing the screen, Search facilities, Links, Visual symbols and images, Options for customizing the texts, Help services and Tips, Error message alert, Interaction and feedback facilities, user interface Language, User controls, Library resources in various format, Study facilities of retrieved resources from the library) and 109 component is prepared. Then have been finalized by using the Delphi method and completed for each Library. 12 digital library service providers to blind and deaf user in the world perform the population.

Finding: Results of the study showed that the criteria of '' user interface language '' (with 97.92 %) and the criteria of '' user control'' (with 9.67 %) reached the highest and lowest scores respectively. Among the 12 digital libraries investigated worldwide, "Digital library for the blind" with respect 63.53 reached the maximum and "U.S. National Library Service for Blind" with respect 37.62 grasped the minimum levels.

Abstract

Background and Aim: The socio-cognitive theory introduced in information science by Horland and Alberchtsen. The socio-cognitive view turns the traditional cognitive program upside down. The socio-cognitive theory emphasizes on different cultural and social structures of users. Hence, the aim of the article is to explain the role of socio - cognitive theory in information retrieval (IR).

Method: The role of the socio - cognitive theory in information retrieval was determined by reviewing of relevant literature and identifying its concepts. The current research methodology is descriptive, analytical and theoretical. The research paradigm is qualitative.

Results: The results revealed that the socio - cognitive theory can affect the information retrieval (IR), information behavior and relevancy. The socio - cognitive helps classification of a particular topic in information retrieval. It can change a thesaurus to ontology. Also, it can contribute to non-linguistic factors in understanding the meaning in ontologies and it can take account into the mediating factors in information-seeking behavior.

Conclusion. The result of this study showed that we can not only examine issues related to information retrieval, relevancy and information behavior through the traditional cognitive views. We have to sure that all the cultures and social factors are examined in our studies about IR.

Background and Aim: In effect, every scientific endeavor consisted of scientific communication and scientists’ involvement in particular field of study; and scientific board members as the most outstanding elements play a key role in scientific productions. Therefore, a constructive scientific communication requires obtaining credible and valid information. In so doing, this study tries to investigate the valid indicies in scientific communication (reading and citing) from Kharazmi University faculty members’ points of view.

Methods: The study is a descriptive survery. The population included faculty members of Kharazmi University. Self-selected sampling was used. In other words, the questionnaires were given to all faculty members, some participated and some did not. Totally 130 questionnaires were collected. The research instrument was a researcher-made questionnaire with a confirmed relibility and validity. Data were analyzed using SPSS v.20.

Results: According to the results, the main credibility criteria used by researchers for reading an item were: topical relevance and validity of content and soundness of author's logic and arguments in paper. The main credibility criteria for citing an item include validity of content, topical relevance, and validity of data used in the paper. The main credibility criteria for using open access sources were peer reviewed quality of the content, and the reputation of authors. Quality of content is an important criterion both for reading and citing an item.

Conclusion: With respect to findings, it can be said that faculty memebers evaluate the credibility of information in both study and in citing mostly on the basis of meaning of information. For open access materials, peer-reviewing and content were important. Thus, it is recommended that the all stakeholders and the persons involved in the scientific comunication system, set the quality control in proiority.

Background and Aim: The objective of this study is to find how the properties of process of developing the critical thinking are in the male students, ages 6-12, in Awareness of Violence and Social- Gender Stereotypes by Using P4C.

Method: the framework that emerged from these findings is defined by two thinking styles and six views of epistemology. The participants were 48 male pupils aged 6 to 12 years, from different preschools and schools in Dezfoul, who were randomly selected using random clustering sampling, out of From north and south and east and west of Dezfoul. Gaining the goals, we used the qualitative methodology of Grounded Theory. Observations, interviews, and providing a checklist are the tools for collecting data in this research. Two groups discussed on two aspects (awareness of violence and gender, social stereotypes) during 20-week sessions, each for 1 hour.

Results: In the model, critical thinking is defined as multimodal (logical, creative, responsible and metacognitive thinking)and The model the authors propose is developmental in that it illustrates a “progression in reflection” that is, an increasing sophistication in the manner in which the pupils’ representations and meanings are coconstructed during exchanges within a community of in quiry and In the model, the development of Critical Thinking is a “recursive” process in that it is not linear; it is revisited, revised, re-utilized during all grades of elementary school.

Conclusion: According to the analyses of the results, it may be said that developments the children’s critical thinking in Awareness of Violence and Social- Gender Stereotypes media  occur through processes including elimination, attributing, transferring or transiting in different ages in a special form.

Background and Aim: this research was performed to investigate factors affecting the commercialization of research results in knowledge-based companies using a descriptive survey.

Method: this was a descriptive survey and since it defines the relations between variables, it is correlational. To collect the required research data, a researcher-made questionnaire was used. This questionnaire includes 39 questions in 8 dimensions (individual, organizational, environmental-organizational, cultural-social, legal, economic, political and industrial factors) and 5 questions related to commercialization. The statistical population of this research includes 970 of the CEOs of knowledge-based companies based in the Science and Technology parks of six major cities of Iran and the sample size was determined to be 275 based on Cochran's formula. Data analysis was performed using the SPSS-20 and Amos-20 software.

Results: the results from this research showed that all the 8 factors significantly predict success in the commercialization of research results; but the results from the simultaneous investigation of the role of predictive variables in the commercialization of research results showed that the following items have the most significant roles in the commercialization of research results: legal (β=056, p<0.05), industrial (β=0.28, p<0.05), organizational (β=0.23, p<0.05), individual (β=0.13, p<0.05), and economic (β=0.12, p<0.05). 

Conclusion: based on the results, in order to invest in the development of the infrastructures of the commercialization of research results, the greatest amount of focus must be placed on legal, industrial, organizational and ultimately economic factors respectively because the development and revision of these factors will indirectly affect the other factors.

Background and Aim: Due to the importance of scientific relations between university and industry, it is so important to identify the factors that affect these relations. So,the aim of this study is to investigate the effect of spatial proximity on university- industry collaboration. The collaboration indicator which is used here is University- Industry Co-publications.

Methods: The research is done by spatial scientometrics aproach and the university- industry co-publications of Iran in the period 2010-2014 from Science Citation Index Expanded of Web of Science were analyzed. In order to to investigate the effect of spatial proximity the Gravity Model was employed. This model for collaboration implays that co-publication between university and industry depens on their total scientific output  and the geographical distance between them.

Results: the research findings showed the significant effect of spatial proximity on co-publication.

Conclusion. The findings of this research can be used in research policy making in the way that on the one hand, both university and industry benefit from the co-publication advantages by domestic knowledge flow and on the other hand the rsearchers be able to find propr reseach partner who are not co-located with them

Background and Aim: The aim of this study was validation of questionnaire of psycho - social aspects (PSA) of phone-based social networks' (MSN) use.

Methods: This descriptive survey used a researcher-made questionnaire on a sample of post graduate students of University of Birjand and Persian Gulf University (348 participants).

Results: For questionnaire’s validity, the experts’ opinions and factor analysis were used, and Cronbach's alpha was used for questionnaire’s reliability (0.87). Finally, According to the results of the initial test, compensation and socialization, and self-presentation and virtual self were combined to form 4 factors of "information behavior", "addiction", "socialization and compensation" and "self- presentation and virtual self" as final questionnaire’s factors. After removing items that had no suitable loading on any factors and also with no theoretical and logical justifications, out of 47 items 35 remained.

Background and Aim: The current research aims to develop a literature-dependent and expert-modified model related to credibility evaluation of web information.

Methods: Regarding the approach, mixed method would be utilized. The research method then is mixed-heuristic using both qualitative and quantitative methodologies. In the first stage of the research, meta- synthesis was used as a qualitative research method. Secondly, exploring experts’ points of view was conducted by a Delphi method to develop the conceptual model identified in the first stage.

Results: Using the seven stage mode of meta-synthesis, a model was designed in four layers including concepts, categories, codes and indicators. A set of 68 indicators were incorporated into the different layers of the model. For reliability testing of the conceptual mopdel, a Delphi study was conducted in two rounds after which the comments of the experst were included into the model. Regarding the high degree of Kendall’s coeficinet of concordance about %.65 and the agreement perecentage of the most dimensions of the model higher than %90 the conceptual model was confirmed by the sample experts.

Conclusion: The conceptual model derived from the meta-synthesis and Delphi studies is a model accepted by experts and a base for future research to design some tools for related studies. The findings showed that the credibility evaluation is a concept whith different and multiple dimensions and components suitable for users, designers and policymakers to take them into consideration in design and evaluation of web resources.

Background and Aim: Due to the extensive use of knowledge intelligence, the future of countries depend on the application of specialized knowledge-based social networks. Thus, it is noteworthy to highlight the important role of the professionals. The key indicators of a model for knowledge sharing of Iranian experts, in experts’ social networks has been identified.

Methods: For this purpose, experts were interviewed in depth using a semi-structured framework in the field of research (n = 15) as well as the Delphi method (n = 9) were used to collect data in research.

Results: Findings indicate that the main variable of knowledge sharing behaviors are divided into individual, group, and environmental indexes respectively. Components of the individual dimension of knowledge sharing includes motivation, ethicality, personality, ability, attitude towards knowledge sharing and psychological security. Group dimension of knowledge sharing include shared benefits, group structure and social capital; and finally environmental factors, including technological (beautiful graphics, user-friendly network, server security, the communication infrastructure), political-legal (Funding for R & D for cyberspace area, allocation of financial resources to develop the infrastructure, filtrating, laws relating to intellectual property, bandwidth regulations and laws of cyberspace), economic (The cost of Internet and diversity of online packages) socio-cultural (experts lifestyle and Iranian national character).

Conclusion. We can only come to a comprehensive and theoretical model in the field of knowledge sharing behavior of Iranian users when identify the definitions, concepts, dimensions and components of virtual space based on the conditions prevailing in the country.

Background and Aim: This study aims to investigate and clustering the information needs and information seeking behavior of seminary and university students using neural network analysis in Khorasan-e- Razavi.
Methods: The quantitative study is an applied and descriptive survey conducted with neural networks analysis. Data were collected by a questionnaire based on the information needs and information seeking behavior of seminary and university students of Khorasan-e- Razavi province. It was distributed between the samples (447 samples) included of Mashhad, Sabzevar and Gonabad University of Medical Sciences faculty members, and four grade seminary students of Nawab, Ayatollah Khoui and Narjes religious schools. After collecting data, the two variables of university and religious schools students were apart for data clustering using Matlab 14 software once in general based on the main components of the study such as (the purpose and the motivation of seeking information, information sources, information barriers, information seeking skills, seeking methods and information services. Then, after deleting each sub-component of the main components of the research, the most effective and the least effective item on information needs and information seeking behavior of seminary and university students were determined.
Results: the most effective component in motivating and aim of the students for information seeking in seminary students was to help them conduct research on cultural and religious activities and in university students was to improve the quality of their teaching. The least effective component in both seminary and university students were determined as academic reputation and compete with peers.
The most effective component of the resources required by both seminary and university students were Persian full-text electronic journals. The least effective needed resources in seminary students were determined Latin books and in university students were determined theses. The most effective way to access information in the seminary schools was print resources and in university students was electronic resources and the least effective way was determined as buying needed resources. Both seminary and university students in the most and least effective component in information services in meeting their required information needs were common and the same. The most services in meeting their information needs were familiarity with a variety of resources in their special field and least effective component was determined as familiarity with RSS and podcasts.
Conclusion. According to the aim and findings of this study, by determining information seeking behavior that descends from information needs, preparing required sources for seminary and university student is one of the most important needs that must be done to solve their informations needs and provide information deciding for libraries administrators.