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Dissertation Information for Shan-Ju Chang

NAME:
- Shan-Ju Chang

DEGREE:
- Ph.D.

DISCIPLINE:
- Library and Information Science

SCHOOL:
- Rutgers University (USA) (1995)

ADVISORS:
- Ronald Rice

COMMITTEE MEMBERS:
- Nicholas Belkin
- Carol Kuhlthau
- Dennis E. Egan

MPACT Status: Fully Complete

Title: Toward a multidimensional framework for understanding browsing

Abstract: The concept of browsing has both scientific and popular meanings, and appears to be a fundamental part of human information behavior. Further, the concept appears in a wide variety of literatures, including library studies, consumer research, mass media studies, organizational communication and information science. However, the concept appears rather infrequently, and is considered differently, in each discipline. Library and Information science in particular tends to emphasize direct information searches while downgrading the importance of browsing or failing to support browsing activities because (1) what constitutes browsing behavior, and (2) what motivates people to browse are not well understood.

This study attempts to answer these two questions by exploring the nature of browsing through literature analyses and empirical case studies. By integrating the diverse literatures on browsing, this research identifies the underlying common dimensions of browsing, leading to a multi-dimensional framework for better understanding the nature of browsing, its influence on and consequences of browsing in a wide variety of human activities, such as library stack searching, window shopping, organizational scanning, TV channel switching, informal organizational communication and online database searching.

Exploratory empirical case studies (using questionnaire, observation logs, interviews and computer search logs) have been conducted to verify and refine the preliminary model from the literature analyses. The results have identified 4 underlying dimensions of browsing, leading to a useful taxonomy to describe various types of browsing activities. Specifically, this study proposes that the level of scanning activity, the specificity of information provided by the resource, the specificity of the user's goal, and the specificity of the object sought can be utilized to describe various browsing behavior. In addition, 5 themes and 9 patterns of browsing have been also identified, in which people's motivation and situations that lead them to engage in various types of browsing are systematically described. The findings suggest that people have different kinds of goals when they browse. Among others, the goal of evaluating is noted. Browsing is not only a search strategy, but also an important information acquisition activity. It is also a viewing pattern, a screening technique and an entertaining activity.

The resultant new model of browsing process and the framework of browsing, which reflect the insight gained from these case studies, provides a better analytical language to describe various browsing behaviors and a deeper understanding of the nature and concept of browsing across resource and situation. Such framework leads to implications for information seeking theory, research, system design, and library practice.

MPACT Scores for Shan-Ju Chang

A = 0
C = 0
A+C = 0
T = 0
G = 0
W = 0
TD = 0
TA = 0
calculated 2008-01-31 06:10:12

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Students under Shan-Ju Chang

ADVISEES:
- None

COMMITTEESHIPS:
- None