Part 1.
Chapter 10 is interesting in that Case&Given provide the “by roles and contexts”. Reading about the variety of research in the different areas may help you answer the question, How different are scientists, managers,farmers, etc. in their information behaviors. In addition, information behaviors by “other roles” in different contexts, are studied through the research, presenting another interesting view of information behaviors.
- Which “way” of studying information behaviors (“role” or “other roles”) was most interesting to you? In that “way” which research study was most interesting and informative, in your opinion?
- The following questions are taken from Case&Given (2016) Appendix B for chapter 10.
Provide your thoughts for questions #1, #2 and #4 (pg.386-387) about Information Behavior research various roles and contexts.
- A great many investigations have been conducted of a relatively small number of occupations — especially scientists, engineers, medical doctors, and managers. Is this degree of research attention deserved, compared to other possible occupations (e.g., teachers, actors, or baristas)? Why or why not? Which occupation(s) do you believe have not received enough research attention, and why?
- In your view is it still worthwhile to conduct investigations of the information behavior of “metadisciplines” such as the humanities, sciences, or social sciences? Why or why not? If you believe that studies of “scientists” or “humanists” are too broad to be of much use, then how narrow should information behavior investigations be? That is, should they attempt to generalize about entire disciplines (e.g., psychologists) or focus on much smaller occupational groups (e.g., cognitive psychologists studying “the role of mental models in learning” at Cambridge University)?
- Make an argument for studying an occupation that has not yet been studied (or at least not so identified in this book). How common and widespread is the occupation? What kind of training or experience does it require? What makes it different from other jobs, and worthy of study? What would be a good way of sampling that population? How would you go about studying it?
Part 2.
- After reviewing the occupational information behavior research presented by Case&Given, what were the prevalent methods the researchers used to gather data?
- The following questions are taken from Case&Given (2016) Appendix B for chapter 10.
Provide your thoughts for questions #5, #6 and #8 (pg. 387) about the Information Behavior research in various roles and contexts..
- Why do you think it is that few studies have focused on differences between men and women in their information seeking? Is it because there are no systematic differences between them? Or is it that such differences are overshadowed by (i.e., better predicted by) other variables, such as education, age, interests, personal situations, and health issues?
- One common role is not comprehensively reviewed in this chapter: that of “student.” While we review several studies of graduate students (as “scholars” in training) we do not feature many studies of students at lower levels. What more might we be able to learn from investigations of student use of print and electronic materials? In what ways might the role of student differ from the others reviewed in this chapter? For example, can we assume that most students are fairly competent at seeking and using information, given their frequent exposure to instruction and assignments?
- Make an argument for studying social role or type of person that has not yet been studied (or at least not so identified in this book). How common and widespread is the role or group? What special challenges does that type of role, or person, face? What makes it worthy of study? What would be a good way of sampling that population? How would you go about studying it?