Human Information Interaction

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Background and Aim: Considering the increasing number of users who interact with online social networks, it can be inferred that these networks have become an essential part of users' lives and play different roles in their everyday life. Therefore, the present study aims to explore the role of these networks in users' everyday-life information seeking.

Method: This research is an applied research with qualitative approach and it was conducted using thematic analysis method. This method includes a semi - structured interview with active users of online social networks.

Results: Results indicate that online social networks play different roles in the users' lives, such as entertainment, education, communication and interactions; accompanied by, news, favorite contents, and up-to-date information; but, these networks face some challenges that affect information seeking behavior of users which compels users to utilize active information seeking.

Conclusion: Richer social capital and diversity of users in an individual's social network leads to the access to more qualitative information which in turn increases the probability of finding the required information and achieving the expected results with the least effort.

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Aim: The main purpose was to investigate the students’ information sharing behavior in social network sites with a qualitative approach.
Methodology: An applied research with qualitative approach - A Thematic Analysis method was used.  Population consisted of all the students at the Universities in South Khorasan Province affiliated with the Ministry of Science, Research and Technology who had a  minimum of six months experience in using one of the social network sites such as: Telegram, Instagram or WhatsApp.   A non-probability (non-random), and a snowball sampling procedure was used and 17 persons were interviewed. The semi-structured type of interview was incorporated.
Findings: Results showed that most students’ information sharing was done on Telegram and Instagram, respectively. Eighteen primary codes were provided by  students as motives for information sharing in social network sites. These primary codes were categorized into two main categories (personal and social motives) and seven subcategories. Among all the primary codes of the two main categories, the sub-category of “net-surfing and entertainment” had the highest occurrence. For the types of information shared on social network sites by student, 24 primary codes were obtained. These primary codes were categorized into eight sub-categories and two main categories (knowledge and entertaining information). Among the sub-categories identified, the most recurrently shared types of information were “literary-artistic information” and “scientific-educational information”.
Conclusion: For surfing and entertainments’ own good - information sharing on social network sites could lead to admittance of valuable information. If properly planned, it may function as a suitable platform (available to diverse strata of the society, especially the students, at the lowest possible cost) to attain the best possible practice especially in educational settings.