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Dissertation Information for Leena Siitonen

NAME:
- Leena Siitonen

DEGREE:
- Ph.D.

DISCIPLINE:
- Library and Information Science

SCHOOL:
- University of Pittsburgh (USA) (1985)

ADVISORS:
- Allen Kent

COMMITTEE MEMBERS:
- E. Blanche Woolls
- Thomas J. Galvin
- Libby Duncan
- Donald Shirey
- Sara Fine

MPACT Status: Fully Complete

Title: ONLINE SEARCHING: RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN ONLINE END USERS' SEARCH BEHAVIOR, THEIR SEARCH RESULTS AND THEIR SATISFACTION WITH SEARCH RESULTS

Abstract: This exploratory study investigated end users' search behavior in the industrial environment. End users are professionals who, without being information specialists, conduct online searches on bibliographic data bases for their own work. The survey method was used to identify end users through their employers. End users were found in seven companies. One large industrial corporation allowed participation of the staff in this study. Data were collected on environmental variables, end user variables, and search process and search outcome variables. Background data were obtained from the corporate information services. The questionnaire and two queries to be searched on predetermined topics on the INSPEC data base using the BRS system were sent to 92 end users. The response rate was only 21 percent. Fifteen respondents returned the interview schedule. The case study method, adapted by Fidel for mediated online searching, was employed including detailed descriptions of individual end users and their searching behavior.

The results indicated that end user searching in an industrial corporation is a new phenomenon: on average, two years. Self-instruction was used in the process of learning both to work with computer online and to search online. Some correspondence was found between the amount of computer experience and the number of searches conducted. No correspondence was found between computer experience and search results. The searching activity was irregular. There was a great variety in individual performance. The end users were more satisfied with the overall results than with individual characteristics of results.

The developed model of end user bibliographic information retrieval was used for isolating factors specific to end user online searching from factors affecting mediated online searching. An implication for further research was that the characteristics of query formulation have a fundamental effect on almost every aspect of search performance. Therefore, the methodology and instruments originally designed for studying mediated searching should be tested and revised for studying nonmediated searching. In order to test the model of end user online searching the case study method should be applied to those searches end users conduct on their own queries based on their initial information needs.

MPACT Scores for Leena Siitonen

A = 0
C = 0
A+C = 0
T = 0
G = 0
W = 0
TD = 0
TA = 0
calculated 2008-01-31 06:22:52

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Students under Leena Siitonen

ADVISEES:
- None

COMMITTEESHIPS:
- None