Considering ‘What Might Be’: Reflections on a Qualitative Study of Academic Search

Krueger, Stephanie Considering ‘What Might Be’: Reflections on a Qualitative Study of Academic Search. Young Information Scientist, 2018, vol. 3, pp. 1-13. [Journal article (Paginated)]

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English abstract

Objective — To critically describe and evaluate an exploratory research project conducted by the author from 2012-2016. The project examined the academic search patterns of six scientists in four geographical locations who were observed using several qualitative methods, including visual ethnographic techniques. Methods — This reflexive discussion, in case study form, provides insight into decision making about techniques researchers can use to observe people’s interactions within networked environments. It also provides a glimpse into the real-world service design process at a science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) library. Results — Touching only briefly on theory, the article highlights how visual ethnographic techniques are useful, as an alternative to log or trace data, for observing interactions of individuals within the global networked academic environment (GNAE). Screenshots taken by research participants for this project were rich data sources and provided ‘snapshots’ of how scientists in the study conducted academic search in real-world settings. Conclusions — While findings from the original research project cannot be used to make theoretical generalizations because of the small, non-random study cohort, the study — perhaps paradoxically — enabled the creation of popular services for early career researchers in a real-world setting. This paradox raises provocative questions about goal-setting in library and information science (LIS) research and ties between theory and practice.

German abstract

Zielsetzung — Der Beitrag beschreibt und bewertet ein exploratives Forschungsprojekt, das von 2012 bis 2016 von der Autorin durchgeführt wurde. Dieses Projekt untersuchte die Recherchegewohnheiten von sechs in vier geographischen Regionen tätigen Naturwissenschaftlern mit Hilfe mehrerer qualitativer Methoden, inklusive visueller ethnographischer Techniken. Forschungsmethoden — Die vorliegende reflektierende Diskussion mit Fallstudiencharakter vermittelt Einblicke in Techniken der Entscheidungsfindung, die ein/e Forscher/in anwenden kann, um menschliche Interaktionen in vernetzten Umgebungen zu beobachten. Sie ermöglicht auch einen Blick in den realen Prozess des Dienstleistungsentwurfs in einer Bibliothek mit Ausrichtung auf Naturwissenschaft, Technik, Ingenieurwesen und Mathematik (STEM). Ergebnisse — Während theoretische Aspekte nur gestreift werden, zeigt der Artikel hauptsächlich, wie visuelle ethnographische Techniken als Alternative zu Log- oder Trace-Daten bei der Beobachtung von Interaktionen von Individuen innerhalb des globalen vernetzten akademischen Umfeldes (GNAE) nutzbringend eingesetzt werden können. Von den Teilnehmern der Studie angefertigte Bildschirmkopien erwiesen sich als reichhaltige Datenquellen und lieferten »Schnappschüsse« davon, wie Wissenschaftler in einer realen Umgebung akademische Suchen durchführten. Schlussfolgerungen — Obzwar die Ergebnisse des ursprünglichen Forschungsprojektes aufgrund der kleinen und nicht zufällig ausgewählten Kohorte nicht zur Erstellung theoretischer Verallgemeinerungen genutzt werden können, ermöglichte die Studie – vielleicht paradoxerweise – die Schaffung populärer Dienstleistungen für Nachwuchsforscher/innen in einer realen Umgebung. Dieses Paradoxon wirft herausfordernde Fragen im Zusammenhang mit der Zielgestaltung in der bibliotheks- und informationswissenschaftlichen Forschung auf und verbindet somit auch Theorie und Praxis.

Item type: Journal article (Paginated)
Keywords: global networked academic environment, academic search, screenshots, visual ethnography, trace ethnography
Subjects: B. Information use and sociology of information > BZ. None of these, but in this section.
C. Users, literacy and reading. > CB. User studies.
Depositing user: Otto Oberhauser
Date deposited: 06 Jul 2018 09:11
Last modified: 06 Jul 2018 09:11
URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10760/33188

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