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Volume 1, Issue 2 (7-2014)
Background and Aim: People refer to virtual information resources for answering their medical questions. One of these resources includes question and answering (Q&A) sites in medicine. This study aims to analyze health questions posted on the Yahoo Answers to identify health information needs, the motivations for asking questions, evaluation of information user satisfaction resulted from received answer, the reason of using answers, the using aspects of given information and the types of selection criteria people employ when they select best answers in Yahoo! Answers. Method: A survey was conducted using an online questionnaire. Email invitations were sent to 1015 users of Yahoo! Answers and 100 users filled the questionnaire. Moreover, 500 questions, 50 from each health subject category, were subject to content analysis using MAXQDA. Having no cost, having fun and social connection in Yahoo! Answers constitute the most important motivations for using the health group of Yahoo! Answers. The findings show that “concise answers” is considered as users’ satisfaction factor. Results: The findings showed that the concern about themselves, family, people who they care about, the lack of information and the knowledge gap, validating information from other people, the lack of social support, particularly insurance and income are among the main reasons for users to ask questions. Prevention and health promotion, turning the guesses to certainty, consultation before treatment, surgery, or taking certain medications constitute most of the cases users use from the received answers of the questions. The Socio- emotional value was particularly a prominent criteria from User-Perspective in this study for selecting the best answer. Conclusion: According to this research, it was found that natural cure and remedies, orthodontics, losing weight methods, loosing fats, skin diseases and how to treat them, foot pain and the related problems, male genitalia, the use of eye lenses, menstruation and the problems related to the sleeping constitutes the most categories of subjects in the health part of Yahoo! Answers. The results show that most of the questions are related to a particular disorder or disease like general information, the symptoms, causes, diagnoses, treatments, prognoses of the disease.
Volume 1, Issue 4 (3-2015)
Background and Aim: In studies of special groups’ information seeking behavior, there is not a complete understanding of pregnant women's information seeking process. The purpose is to gain a deeper understanding of health information seeking behavior of the pregnant women.
Method: This is an applied qualitative method using Grounded Theory approach. Data were collected through semi- structured interviews with 15 pregnant women who were selected from 5 women's hospitals in Tehran. Data was analyzed using three stages of: Open axial and selective coding- used in Grounded theory approach- and a model of pregnant women’s health information seeking behavior was extracted.
Results: five conceptual categories: information seeking motives, barriers, information seeking, information evaluation, and information sharing were the results of three stages of coding, expanded around the main idea of “pregnant women’s health information seeking behavior” to establish a model for this process. Based on the findings, pregnant women's most essential information needs were psychological needs, nutrition, health of mother and fetus, and the ways of childbirth. The most important information seeking barriers were lack of time for searching information, lack of ability in information evaluation, and the high level of difficulty of the books. Physicians were the first and the most important reference in information acquisition and important criteria for information evaluation.
Conclusion: Findings reveal the importance of information acquisition in pregnant women, effective intervention of information professionals in meeting information needs, removal of information seeking barriers, facilitating information seeking process and more attention to information centers seems necessary. Also, results could be applicable to various organizations for women’s health.
Volume 2, Issue 2 (9-2015)
Background and Aim: This study attempted to investigate the information-seeking process of Shahid Chamran University postgraduate students, and how they use various information sources. The research also investigated he role of demographic characteristics in students' information-seeking process, as well as the problems and barriers they encounter in the process.
Method: The population of the study consisted of 5000 postgraduate students among whom 298 students were randomly selected through classified ratio sampling method. A researcher-made questionnaire was developed and after measuring its validity and reliability, distributed among the sample in person. To analyze the data, descriptive statistics as well as inferential statistics including Friedman Rank Test and MANOVA were applied.
Results: The results show that students were statistically different in some variables. On average, students use the Internet 25.11 hours per week. They also prefer to use electronic, print, and human information sources, respectively, both to meet their information needs and to update their information. Students believe that information and communication technologies have reduced their visits to libraries. Students seek help from librarians primarily to locate books and other documents and to search for information. Students encounter a range of problems and barriers in their information-seeking process; the most important being the scattered information. Females face more problems than males. While students refer to specialists to meet their information needs at the first stage, they refer to their classmates and friends at the first stage to update their information.
Conclusion: Despite the effects of new technologies on students’ presence in academic libraries, all types of information resources are still consulted by them. Various purposes for information-seeking determine the information resource being consulted, and students consider their information needs as well as the context in which they seek information, when decide to choose the information resources
Volume 2, Issue 3 (12-2015)
Background and Aim: paying attention to users information needs will increase usability of information systems. Identifying user’s information needs in various phases of information system development will increase number of its users. One of the important information systems in research landscape is current research information system known as CRIS. CRISs provide integrated access to research information for researchers in organizational or national level. Two main elements of every CRIS are its data model and tools for managing research information. CERIF data model is a standard data model proposed for CRISs. Therefore, this research main goal is customizing this data model based on Iranian researchers information needs.
Method: this research was conducted using systematic review of existing research publications including: papers, thesis and project reports on information needs of researchers. Systematic review in this research includes six steps and 160 research documents, including 110 thesis, 46 journal papers, and 4 research project reports.
Results: related research documents are analyzed in terms of bibliometric and content aspects. Regarding bibliometric analyzing results, the findings confirmed the results of past studies completed on this subject. The results of content analyze includes different tasks and information resources that Iranian researchers are engaged with them. These results finally are presented in the form of entities and metadata elements existed in CERIF structure.
Conclusion: Generally according to results of this paper it can be said that Iranian researchers need mainly current information on formal research results including books, papers, journals etc.
Volume 2, Issue 4 (3-2016)
Background and Aim: The present study was conducted to determine health, educational, religious, economic and cultural information needs of nomadic women in Kohkilouyeh city and identifying the way they use resources, their barriers and problems in accessing information, their information priorities.
Methods: This is applied survey conducted using a researcher-made questionnaire and oral interviews with 235 nomadic women. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics through SPSS v.19.
Results: The findings showed that over %60 of samples had primary school degree. The main information need of nomadic women was health information needs (%36.2), and the main motivation for them for access and seeking information was to create a healthier life (%56.2). Among the resources of information, Radio had been used mostly in over %57.9 compared to other resources. The research findings showed that %53.2 of women nomads had a very low familiarity to public libraries as an information center. Respondents stated the most important obstacles to access to information resources impassable roads for commuting, lack of information and communications infrastructure, lack of familiarity with the sources of information, lack of easy access to health, training, cultural and service centers.
Conclusion: It seems that nomadic women are in serious needs with information resources, and especially hygenic and educational information, thus full attention must be paid to them.
Volume 2, Issue 4 (3-2016)
Background and Aim: Contrary to the fact that information must be accessible to all in every society, it is not obtainable for immigrants and refugees. The aim of this study is to find Information needs and the effective factors on information seeking of foreign immigrants in Iran and finding solution and presenting refining Policies.
Method: Mixed research method was applied. Participants selected from 12 provinces (384 immigrants), were all Afghan and Iraqi legal immigrants. Instrument was a researcher made questionnaire which its reliability and validity was tested and approved. Further, to identify most convenient strategies for immigrants information accessibility ten managers and Policy makers were interviewed to find refining policies.
Result: Findings revealed that most important social, cultural, political and health information needs of immigrants needs extended from: Job (4.02), religion (3071), borders, illegal and legal places (3.81), and diseases (4.05). Afghanistan and Iraq’s TV and radio (3.84) and educational institutions (3.85) had most significant role in securing the information needs of immigrants.
Conclusion: Study shows that the major challenges of Afghans and Iraqi immigrant are accessibility to information to solve Information needs. Substantial portions of these challenges might be resolved by suitable Planning and proper legislation. Also, Information providers could help immigrant by supporting humanitarian outlook and overlooking national origins of people.
Volume 3, Issue 4 (3-2017)
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.
Volume 4, Issue 1 (6-2017)
Background and Aim: The current study aimed to investigate the state of health information supply and demand on prostate cancer among Iranian medical researchers and Iranian web users during 2011 to 2015. The purpose of this study, based on infodemiology indicators, was to investigate the alignment of health information supply and demand on prostate cancer among Iranian medical researchers and Iranian web users.
Methods: A mixed method research was conducted. In qualitative part, a focus group interview was applied to the users to identify their selected keywords searched for prostate cancer in Google. The collected data were analyzed using Open Code software. In quantitative part, data were synthesized using R software in two parts. First, users’ internet information-seeking behavior was analyzed using Google Trends outputs during 2011 to 2015. Second, the scientific publication of Iranian prostate cancer specialists was surveyed using PubMed during the period of the study.
Results: The results showed that the search volume index of preferred keywords on prostate cancer have decreased from 2191 in 2011 to 1798 in 2015. Also, the findings revealed that Iranian scholars had 161 scientific papers on prostate cancer in PubMed during 2011 to 2015. Among these 161 papers, 20 records related to 2011 and 44 records related to 2015. There was no significant relationship between users’ information seeking behavior in Google Trends and the scientific publication behavior of Iranian prostate cancer specialists (p>0.05).
Conclusion: According to the results, when the search volume index of Iranian web users decreased or increased during the period of the study, the number of scientific publications had not been affected by users’ search volume. Thus, it can be mentioned that Iranian scholars had not pay enough attention to the concerns of people toward prostate cancer.
Volume 4, Issue 2 (9-2017)
Background and purpose: Business Information is among the important sources for companies, especially for those located in Science and Technology Park which intend to launch a technological business and enter the market. To this end, different aspects of business information behavior of the companies need to be investigated. The aim of this article is to study business information behavior of companies based in Khuzestan Science & Technology Park.
Methodology: This qualitative study was conducted based on grounded theory. Companies affiliated with Khouzestan Science and Technology Park formed our research population. The data was collected through semi-structured interviews with 14 companies.
Finding: The results show that the aims of business information seeking include: organizational goal completion and task fulfillment, updatedness, efficiency, competitiveness and preparation for difficult situations and problem solving. Furthermore, business information need includes knowledge of market, national and international policies, laws, financial information, information about products, information about management, as well as information management. Sources of business information were mass media, science and technology park, internet, educational courses, informal communication, and library and financial consultants. However, barriers to business information seeking included lack of information seeking and information literacy skills, problems about information, technical infrastructure, personal factors, cultural, political and ethical problems, problems in receiving information from the science & technology park and organizational problems.
Conclusion: Companies based in science and technology parks are well-aware of the importance of business information. Moreover, their business information needs are in line with other researches. By identifying the relevant sources and obstacles, this paper can help to provide appropriate information services to these companies.
Volume 4, Issue 4 (3-2018)
Background and aim: the aim was to study information needs and practices of nomadic people of Babadi clan of Bakhtiari tribe.
Methods: the study uses ethnography as method and uses observation and semi-structured interview as data collection techniques.
Results: life style increasingly influences and directs the way nomadic people look for information. They prefer informal information resources and use formal sources of information as their very low priority. Nomads seek practical information for solving their daily life problems. Most of nomadic people use interaction with others as the way of looking for information and they use friends, family, and elders of their clan for this purpose. Head of the clan and elders play an important role as sources of information and trust criteria for most of nomadic people is the level of knowledge they have about the source of information.
Conclusion: nomads probably due to their limited access to formal information resources (e.g. libraries and information services) still rely on oral culture and interpersonal communications. There is a need to design and develop proper information services to meet their information needs and remove barriers to their information access.
Volume 5, Issue 1 (6-2018)
Background and Aim: considering the significance of cognitive and psychological factors in human-information interaction, this study investigates the role of cognitive biases in academic information behavior of postgraduate students at Kharazmi University.
Methodology: this qualitative research used classic grounded theory as the method. The research population included all postgraduate of Kharazmi University who were at the writing up stage. Twenty-five students were chosen through a purposive convenient sampling process. The data were collected through semi-structured interviews and were analyzed based on the classic grounded theory coding and qualitative content analysis. Eisenberg & Berkowitz information behavior model was used as the framework.
Findings: The results showed that cognitive biases influence people's information behavior and 28 of cognitive biases were identified. Cognitive biases interfere on different six steps of Eisenberg & Berkowitz information behavior model. Biases can play a role in identifying and explaining information needs, selecting information resources, selecting information centers, using information, organizing and sharing information and evaluating the information seeking process.
Conclusions: cognitive biases can affect or be affected by other factors involved in information behavior. Failure in information access and information retrieval, information avoidance and also failure in resolving information needs are some of cognitive biases’ consequences. Cognitive biases should be studied in different contexts so that other aspects can be more thoroughly understood.
Volume 5, Issue 3 (12-2018)
Abstract
Background and Aim: Promotion of the life of people with disabilities depends on the provision of their information needs. Employment plays a key role in the lives of these people and is considered as a way to improve their lives. The present study is aimed at assessing the information needs of people with disabilities who participated in the supportive employment program.
Methods: A qualitative research with the use of Grounded Theory examines the information needs of people with disability. The required data in this research were collected from semi-structured interviews with twenty four jobseekers who were purposefully and theoretically selected, and interviews continued to the saturation of data. Then, in the three stages of Open coding, Axial coding and Selective coding which are used in the Grounded Theory researches, the information needs of those with disabilities participated in the Supportive Employment Pragramme, were extracted.
Results: The results of the study indicated that there was a wide variety of information needs in these four categories: general information and news, (2) empowerment and personal and family problems, (3) research, education, Lifelong Learning and (4) Professional and career information. The most important communication Channels were classified into five categories: cyberspace, mass media, human resources information, training courses, and responsible government bodies
Conclusion: Due to the importance of obtaining information by the people with disability, eliminating their concerns and other needs of these people, attention to their information needs seems to be necessary. These needs were in many respects similar to those of ordinary people. The observed differences are due to the specific physical and mental status of this community, which the responsible institutions are required to provide the necessary facilities for access to the information they need.
Volume 6, Issue 2 (8-2019)
Background and Aim: The purpose of the present research is to implement a part of Wilson's model of information behavior to approach consumer behavior. Therefore effect of personality and demographic characteristics were assessed on the information needs of mobile phone customers.
Methods: This is a descriptive correlational survey research. Instruments applied were Rammstedt & John's Personality questionnaire and a researcher made questionnaire. Population consisted of Tehran's main mobile center customers. Sample selected was 384 Mobile customers. Hypotheses were tested by t- test, Spearman correlation, multivariate regression and Pearson correlation.
Findings: Findings for personality traits reveal that: The effects of four variables including agreeableness, conscientiousness, neuroticism and openness on information needs have been confirmed and concerning the variable of extroversion, the null hypothesis has been confirmed. The demographic data showed that age, income and gender have an influence on information needs. Also, findings related to the variable of education, confirmed the significant relation of this variable with brand conscious.
Conclusion: In addition to highlighting the link between two areas of information behavior and consumer behavior, the research confirmed the relationship and effectiveness of the two intervening variables in Wilson's information behavior model with information needs.
Volume 6, Issue 2 (8-2019)
Background and Aim: A prevalent disese among old people is Alzheimers (AD), which requires special care due to its nature. Taking relegion, culture and economy into account, mojorty of families protect an old family member afflicted with AD. However, major concern is the need for sufficient information regarding treatment of elderly dignosed with AD.
Method: Qualitative research approach was applied and content analysis method utilized to analyze the data. Population included 9 patients with Alzheimers. The instrument used was a semi-structured interviews.
Finding: The results of the content analysis of the obtained categories showed that the four main categories and sixteen sub categories are important in the information needs of adherents of patients with AD. The main categories include information needs related to AD, information needs related to mental health, information needs related to physical and personal health and information needs related to health services.
Conclusion: In general, amateur cares (caregiver) were of limited knowledge of physical and mental care regarding AD. Healthcare providers or institutions providing Alzheimer care are mandatory. In addition to specialized services, these people have been trained to provide patients with better patient care
Volume 8, Issue 3 (11-2021)
Objective: The study aims to explain the role of brand equity in increasing market share, based on information seeking behavior and needs in Kish commercial centers.
Method: This is applied exploratory-explanatory qualitative research. Population included branding and economics experts who were selected as a research sample by targeted snowball method of 14 people. To analyze the information related to the semi-structured interview, the content analysis method based on open coding, axial coding and selective coding based on the data theory of the foundation was used.
Findings: The results showed that marketing strategies through 5 elements of product, price, location, promotion, process management. Management factors through two components of leadership and human resource management have added value to the brand of Kish commercial centers. The added value created creates a competitive advantage. Also, environmental capabilities include: Infrastructure, technology, environmental features, security and recreation as background conditions and external factors including political-economic factors, information seeking behavior and information needs through customer information and market information as an intervener. The competitive advantage of Kish commercial centers is affected and ultimately increases the market share or in other words the development of customers and improves the financial performance of these centers.
Results: The results showed that increasing market share is a complex process and is strongly influenced by brand value added, which is affected by marketing strategies and management factors. In addition, in order for Kish commercial centers to be known as a brand, they must first gather the necessary and sufficient information about customers and then the market.
Volume 9, Issue 2 (9-2022)
Background and aim: Information seeking behaviors are the reflection of users' needs that Identifying and understanding them correctly is imperative in information seeking endeavors. Experts have presented cognitive and Process user-oriented approach models to better understand scholars’ information seeking behaviors. The intent of models are to define and clarify the conditions that predict people's actions to gain information. As a result of different understanding of information behavior, the study was directed with the intention that Bystrom and Jarvelin's model emphasizes on which concept of this behavior and its measure of Criticism.
Method: Library method was used to study and analyze the Bystrom and Jarvelin's Information Seeking Behavior Model
Findings: The findings showed that the task complexity, uncertainty, and ambiguity of concepts were related, so it could establish a strong place in the establishment of models.
With the task complexity, the need for knowledgeable people rises. Thus, the setting of resources is significant. Also, as complexity increases, more resources and more time are required to perform the search.
Conclusion: The task complexity is an important variable in the information seeking process. Consequently, the requirement for the type of information, number, and location of resources arises thus determines the type of information and resources used. Result of which is the increase of collaboration of knowledgeable people as source of information. Thus, information systems are facilitating information counseling of individuals. They are active in this field and could be considered a supplement source of information. Therefore, it is proper to focus more on this aspect of information resources in information systems. Since the task complexity has played a key role in the Bystrom and Jarvelin's model, this notion can be placed next to situational, personal, and organizational factors and may be considered as one of the imperative factors in the information quest, it will thus be a suitable measure for this model.
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