Student research behavior

1
Student research behavior prototype application
From research conducted at the University of
Maryland, 2005-2006

• Computers in Libraries, March 2009
• Dan Wendling, MLS, Neal Kaske, PhD
• wendlingd_at_acm.org
• http//ponder-matic.com

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How do students use Google in their last
course-related search for information? (n544
2005-06)
When
Who
How
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How do students use UMDs ResearchPort in their
last course-related search? (n544 2005-06)
(ResearchPort is the University of Maryland
Libraries gateway to licensed content.)
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Comparison of who used Google and ResearchPort in
course-related searching (n544)
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Comparison of when Google and ResearchPort were
accessed in course-related searching (n544)
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This presentation

• How should we describe information-seeking
  behavior? Project research questions /
  methodology
• Demonstration of the application prototype at
  http//www.ponder-matic.com
• Results, conclusions, next steps

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Foudy, Johnson, Kaske 2005 research questions

• What are contemporary university students
  information-seeking behaviors and what role(s),
  if any, do libraries and/or librarians play in
  these behaviors?
• What are contemporary students mental models of
  the tasks performed by librarians?
• Do these behaviors or mental models differ
  according to level of matriculation, from
  freshmen through graduate students?

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Basic Research Design Methodology Mixed Method
Approach, 2005-2006

• Individual interviews with 544 students
• (N544 256 288)
• On campus
• Not in, not near a library
• Sampling convenience
• Critical incident reporting
• Run one week in April 2005 and one week in
  November 2006

• Focus group interviews with 110 students
• (N12 110 participants)
• 3 groups each for
• Freshmen
• Sophomores
• Juniors Seniors
• Graduate students

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Individual Interview Form (page 1 of 2)
(Reproduced in your conference book and on our
web site.)
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Project coding sheet, version 9
(See conference book or web site for version 10.)
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Model How students move through information space
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Anatomy of one session, a ResearchPort search
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Demo of the prototype at http//www.ponder-matic.c
om
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What makes projects like this work

• Selected bullets from the book Competing on
  Analytics, by Davenport and Harris, Signposts of
  effective IT
• Information workers spend their time analyzing
  data and understanding its implications rather
  than collecting and formatting data.
• Managers focus on improving processes and
  business performance, not culling data.
• A hypothesis can be quickly analyzed and tested
  without a lot of manual behind-the-scenes
  preparation beforehand.
• Analysts have direct, nearly instantaneous access
  to data.

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Where to go for more background

• Your conference book
• LOEX Library Instruction Conference Procedings
  2006 Is Google God? How do students look for
  information today? (description)
• Paper for ARLs 2008 Library Assessment
  Conference, Student research behavior
  Quantitative and qualitative research findings
  presented with visualizations.

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Key influences

• Competing on Analytics, a business book by Tom
  Davenport and Jeanne Harris
• A good Google
• Also the podcast Competing on Analytics by
  Jeanne Harris
• A presentation on information visualization by
  Ben Shneiderman
• The ideas about the importance of assessing
  libraries locally
• Our bibliography has more information

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Acknowledgements

• University of Maryland students of the College of
  Information Studies, LBSC 713 Planning
  Evaluating Library Services, two classes
• Spring semester 2005
• Fall semester 2006
• Initial project funding from the University of
  Maryland Libraries

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Contact Information

• Web site http//www.ponder-matic.com
• Dan Wendling, MLS wendlingd_at_acm.org
• Neal K. Kaske, PhD nkaske_at_noaa.gov
• The contents of this presentation reflect the
  views of the authors who are responsible for the
  opinions, facts, and the accuracy of the data
  presented. The contents do not necessarily
  reflect the official views or policies of the
  authors employers or of the University of
  Maryland Libraries.

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Questions?