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Dissertation Information for Eileen F. Kopp

NAME:
- Eileen F. Kopp

DEGREE:
- Ph.D.

DISCIPLINE:
- Library and Information Science

SCHOOL:
- Texas Woman's University (USA) (1987)

ADVISORS:
- Keith Swigger

COMMITTEE MEMBERS:
- None

MPACT Status: Incomplete - Not_Inspected

Title: Users' mental models of a statistical package

Abstract: The effects of the presentation of a conceptual model to subjects using the statistical package SPSSx are investigated. The purpose of the study was to determine whether subjects who were presented conceptual model of a statistical package were able to perform tasks more quickly, with fewer errors and would have a more positive attitude about the ease of the tasks than those who were given only a procedural manual. A secondary purpose was to discover if subjects who were given the conceptual model of the system would describe the system in terms of that model. The subjects in Group I were given a procedural manual and the subjects in Group II were given a conceptual model of the system as well as the procedural manual. Both groups completed three tasks using SPSSx. On the third task they explained the system to a Constructive Interaction participant in order to elicit the subjects' mental models of SPSSx. Analysis of the time, error, and attitude data reveals no significant difference between the two groups. An analysis of the model elicitation data reveals that the model concept articulated by the most subjects in Group II concerned the Data List command. Less than half of the subjects were able to articulate each of the other concepts. These findings, when compared to the inconclusive findings of previous studies of conceptual models in instructions for use of systems, suggest either the mental models hypotheses are inaccurate or that much more development of conceptual model design is required.

MPACT Scores for Eileen F. Kopp

A = 0
C = 0
A+C = 0
T = 0
G = 0
W = 0
TD = 0
TA = 0
calculated 2008-12-04 14:28:44

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