Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Foreword
- Editors and contributors
- Part 1 The context for evidence-based information practice
- Part 2 Skills and resources for evidence-based information practice
- Part 3 Using the evidence base in practice
- 13 Six domains of evidence-based information practice
- 14 Examining the evidence base for reference services and enquiry work
- Special Topic (A) Provision of a current awareness service for research staff (Guideline)
- 15 The contribution of evidence-based practice to educational activities
- Special Topic (B) How can I train my users? (Evidence Digest)
- 16 An evidence-based approach to collection management
- Special Topic (C) Electronic or paper: how do I manage my journals collection? (Evidence Digest)
- 17 Towards evidence-based management
- Special Topic (D) How do I measure the impact of my service? (Guideline)
- Special Topic (E) Should I charge and, if so, what should I charge for? (Evidence Briefing)
- 18 Evidence-based perspectives on information access and retrieval
- Special Topic (F) What are the characteristics of a good searcher? (Critically Appraised Topic)
- Special Topic (G) Which database, which interface? (Guideline) 251
- 19 Introducing an evidence-based approach to marketing and promotional activities
- Special Topic (H) Determining the information needs of practising nurses postregistration in the UK from 1990 to 2003 (Evidence Digest)
- 20 A future for evidence-based information practice?
- Index
Special Topic (F) What are the characteristics of a good searcher? (Critically Appraised Topic)
from Part 3 - Using the evidence base in practice
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 08 June 2018
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Foreword
- Editors and contributors
- Part 1 The context for evidence-based information practice
- Part 2 Skills and resources for evidence-based information practice
- Part 3 Using the evidence base in practice
- 13 Six domains of evidence-based information practice
- 14 Examining the evidence base for reference services and enquiry work
- Special Topic (A) Provision of a current awareness service for research staff (Guideline)
- 15 The contribution of evidence-based practice to educational activities
- Special Topic (B) How can I train my users? (Evidence Digest)
- 16 An evidence-based approach to collection management
- Special Topic (C) Electronic or paper: how do I manage my journals collection? (Evidence Digest)
- 17 Towards evidence-based management
- Special Topic (D) How do I measure the impact of my service? (Guideline)
- Special Topic (E) Should I charge and, if so, what should I charge for? (Evidence Briefing)
- 18 Evidence-based perspectives on information access and retrieval
- Special Topic (F) What are the characteristics of a good searcher? (Critically Appraised Topic)
- Special Topic (G) Which database, which interface? (Guideline) 251
- 19 Introducing an evidence-based approach to marketing and promotional activities
- Special Topic (H) Determining the information needs of practising nurses postregistration in the UK from 1990 to 2003 (Evidence Digest)
- 20 A future for evidence-based information practice?
- Index
Summary
Indicative Title
Men may be more effective internet searchers than women.
Abstract
Abstracted from: Ford, N., Miller, D. and Moss, N. (2001) The Role of Individual Differences in Internet Searching: an empirical study, Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology, 52 (12), 1049–66.
Objective
This exploratory study aimed to investigate the role of ‘individual differences’ in internet searching. In particular, the authors wanted to determine whether there was any statistically based evidence that retrieval effectiveness is affected by:
(a) psychological differences between individuals, consisting of:
(i) cognitive (cognitive styles and levels of experience)
(ii) affective (internet and study attitudes and perceptions)
(b) demographic differences (age and gender).
Setting
Department of Information Studies, University of Sheffield, England.
Participants
Volunteers drawn from two cohorts (1999 and 2000 entry) of three taught Masters programmes (MA Librarianship, MSc Information Management and MSc Information Systems). The two cohorts consisted of 250 students.
Method
Students were asked to search for information on a prescribed topic using the AltaVista search engine via the Netscape Navigator browser. The following scenario was used:
A technician cuts his finger badly in the Information Studies departmental office. What are the legal implications of this for the university? Find relevant information on the web.
Searchers were free to choose the simple search option, which provides best match (or keyword) searching, and/or the advanced search option. A JavaScript front-end recorded all search data submitted to the search engine, and this was automatically sent to the researchers. There was no time limit or restriction on the number of queries students could submit.
Outcome measures
A 63-item self-completed ‘individual differences’ questionnaire, based on several different scales (e.g. Tait and Entwistle, 1995; Ford and Miller, 1996). Riding's (1991) psychometric measure, Cognitive Styles Analysis.
Details of age and gender were obtained via a form on the opening screen of the web-based search interface.
Data analysis
The first two screens of retrieved items resulting from each successive query were categorized using a dichotomous ‘relevant/not relevant’ classification. A single relevance estimate was calculated in relation to each participant's search across all queries. Multiple regression and factor analysis were applied to the data.
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- Evidence-based Practice for Information ProfessionalsA Handbook, pp. 247 - 250Publisher: FacetPrint publication year: 2004