Chris Armstrong, Roger Fenton, Ray Lonsdale, David Stoker, Rhian Thomas and Christine Urquhart
This paper reports findings from the first annual cycle of a three‐year research project on the provision and use of electronic information systems (EIS) within higher education…
Abstract
This paper reports findings from the first annual cycle of a three‐year research project on the provision and use of electronic information systems (EIS) within higher education in the UK. The project, JISC User Surveys: Trends in Electronic Information Services (JUSTEIS), was funded by the Joint Information Systems Committee (JISC) and undertaken at the University of Wales, Aberystwyth (UWA). Students, academics and library staff in 25 universities were surveyed using critical incident and critical success factors methodologies to ascertain the range and nature of EIS use. Provision of these systems by higher education institutions was also investigated via an analysis of their library websites. The findings reported in this paper focus on student use and the purposes for which EIS are employed, and reveal the limited array of EIS used and the ad hoc nature of search strategies adopted across undergraduate and postgraduate bodies within a range of disciplines. There appears to be little or no variation in the pattern of EIS use by the various student groups studied – the effect of the Internet on information seeking by students is hugely significant and the more formal resources, such as JISC‐negotiated resources are little used. There is little evidence of coherent search strategies used by students. Recommendations for both the JISC and higher education are offered.
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Christine J. Urquhart, Andrew M. Cox and Siân Spink
Collaboration on procurement of e‐content between health libraries in the National Health Service (NHS) and in higher education (HE) should have advantages in increasing their…
Abstract
Purpose
Collaboration on procurement of e‐content between health libraries in the National Health Service (NHS) and in higher education (HE) should have advantages in increasing their negotiating power to improve licence terms and avoiding unnecessary duplication of content. The aim of the paper is to examine some of the strategies for ensuring that collaboration across the two sectors works effectively. The paper is based on a report to the Joint Information Systems Committee of the Funding Councils (for higher and further education) in the UK, and the NHS Library and Knowledge Development Network, on research conducted in 2006.
Design/methodology/approach
The methods included interviews (n=39) with representatives from NHS and higher education bodies, representatives of independent health libraries, the National Library for Health, collective agencies, publishers and aggregators.
Findings
There were common interests in functionality/interfaces, open access, and better metrics for estimating usage that might contribute to discussions with publishers over the licence terms. There are differences in the type of resource each sector might deem to be core. The extent of existing collaboration on purchasing and related collection management activities varied considerably across the UK. Three possible paths for cooperative activity were identified: sharing information and joint advocacy; building the technical infrastructure; and joint procurement. Mapping of the stages, roles, actors and stakeholders in some processes was done with “use cases” (Unified Modeling Language) to help identify some of the risks involved.
Research limitations/implications
Poor response from online surveys limited the validity of the forecasting of user needs. Usage statistics were difficult to obtain and compare.
Practical implications
The paper concludes that collaborative procurement of e‐content activities should focus on health services research requirements, and open access needs across the sectors. More innovative analysis of usage statistics is required to profile usage and inform cost analyses of both the impact of new roles for health librarians, and cost analyses of e‐resources on a life cycle basis.
Originality/value
The paper develops new ways of examining the business processes required for collaborative procurement.
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The progress of initiatives concerned with implementing evaluated clinical research (such as evidence based medicine and clinical effectiveness) is dependent on the way individual…
Abstract
The progress of initiatives concerned with implementing evaluated clinical research (such as evidence based medicine and clinical effectiveness) is dependent on the way individual health professionals actually acquire, use and value clinical knowledge in routine practice. The findings of two research projects, the Value and EVINCE projects, are compared with studies of the consolidation and application of clinical knowledge in clinical decision making. The Value project was concerned with the ways in which information from NHS libraries might be used in present and future clinical decision making. EVINCE was a similar impact study for nursing professionals. Both studies confirmed the importance of personal clinical knowledge. Health information services need to use a variety of strategies and knowledge management skills to ensure that the evaluated research evidence is assimilated and implemented into practice.
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Peter Stokes, Robert Priharjo and Christine Urquhart
The study aims were: (1) to replicate a previous study by the first author to confirm previous findings (internal validity) and to check construct validity of previously proposed…
Abstract
Purpose
The study aims were: (1) to replicate a previous study by the first author to confirm previous findings (internal validity) and to check construct validity of previously proposed information-behaviour profiles, (2) to compare the information processes used by students in parallel with requirements of early professional practice.
Design/methodology/approach
A replication study used the same questionnaire, delivered online to all 175 students across three years of a BSc adult nursing degree programme on one UK university campus. The survey included questions on information seeking processes, personality, approaches to learning and self-efficacy with information literacy. The literature review examined evidence around the transition from nursing student to practitioner and the Association for College and Research Libraries (ACRL) standards for nursing information literacy.
Findings
The response rate was 86/175 (49%). The result verified findings on the most frequent information processes and association between approach to learning and information literacy self-efficacy. The personality findings differed. Combining results for both studies helped confirm most of the information-behaviour profiles. Mapping the frequent information processes against requirements of practice indicated gaps, particularly around professional networking.
Research limitations/implications
As both studies were carried out at one higher education campus, further research to assess external validity is required.
Practical implications
Information-behaviour profiles, plus the mapping, help librarians and tutors develop tailored information literacy support that is clinically relevant and support transition to practice.
Originality/value
Validated a set of information behaviour profiles for nursing students and linked these to the requirements of professional practice.
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This paper aims to examine the principles that underpin library assessment, methods used for impact and performance evaluation and how academic libraries should use the findings…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to examine the principles that underpin library assessment, methods used for impact and performance evaluation and how academic libraries should use the findings, and it discusses how value frameworks help.
Design/methodology/approach
This is a literature review covering aspects of value (value propositions, value co-creation), value frameworks (including the 2015 ACRL framework, Holbrook typology with worked example), data analytics and collaborative projects including LibQUAL+ initiatives and the use of balanced scorecard principles (including a values scorecard).
Findings
The use of data analytics in library assessment requires collaboration among library services to develop reliable data sets. Scorecards help ongoing impact and performance evaluation. Queries that arise may require a framework, or logic model, to formulate suitable questions and assemble evidence (qualitative and quantitative) to answer new questions about the value of library services. The perceived value framework of Holbrook’s typology, the values scorecard and the ACRL framework all support the deeper level of inquiry required.
Research limitations/implications
Includes examples of possible application of frameworks.
Practical implications
A value framework might help data analytic approaches in combining qualitative and quantitative data.
Social implications
Impact assessment may require assessing how value is co-created with library users in use of e-resources and open data.
Originality/value
The study contrasts the varying approaches to impact evaluation and library assessment in academic libraries, and it examines more in-depth value frameworks.
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Meta-synthesis of the research evidence adds value to the process of literature reviewing, providing useful knowledge for researchers, practitioners and policymakers. The aim of…
Abstract
Meta-synthesis of the research evidence adds value to the process of literature reviewing, providing useful knowledge for researchers, practitioners and policymakers. The aim of the chapter is to explain what meta-synthesis involves and how it illuminates our understanding of concepts. Previous papers on meta-synthesis (by the author) have reviewed research strategies in information behaviour research and methods for meta-synthesis, discussed application of meta-synthesis to research on information behaviour of women, and proposed methods suitable for integrating information literacy research. Meta-synthesis methods have been applied to many areas of social science research. The literature review examines how to reduce the risks involved in suitable for integrating qualitative research or qualitative and quantitative research; outlines the main approaches used in meta-synthesis before explaining the processes used in a meta-synthesis of research on information behaviour of women, reflects on the meta-synthesis methods used, and which might have been used, and shows what meta-synthesis achieves. Meta-synthesis should be used more in information behaviour research, but it is a rigorous process, requiring time and effort to get useful results. On the other hand, meta-synthesis provides more new knowledge, and a deeper understanding of our ideas, than a conventional literature review.
Andrew Pearson and Christine Urquhart
Examines requirements of information professionals in the health sector, and ways career development can be enhanced. Includes analysis of job descriptions, categorising skills…
Abstract
Examines requirements of information professionals in the health sector, and ways career development can be enhanced. Includes analysis of job descriptions, categorising skills and roles, mapping profiles to other criteria, including health sector, and two statements for standards in higher education. Interviews with nine professionals confirmed findings of the job description analysis. There is a spectrum of skills, with clumps of traditional library skills, information analysis skills and a growing need for specialist skills. The statement provides a good basis for skills required. Providers need to encourage students towards “lifelong learning” to meet changing requirements.
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Peter Stokes and Christine Urquhart
– The purpose of this paper is to develop information behaviour profiles for nursing students, to help inform information literacy programmes.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to develop information behaviour profiles for nursing students, to help inform information literacy programmes.
Design/methodology/approach
The methods include further analysis of quantitative findings (previously reported in part 1), together with qualitative research data collection and analysis. Critical incident type interviews with 11 students were transcribed and analysed using an interpretative categorisation method that used dendrograms for data display and analysis. From the regression analysis of the quantitative data, the micro-processes for information seeking were linked to learning styles, and then to personality traits to generate information seeking profiles. Integration of the qualitative findings led to development of a task-based information search model.
Findings
The start list of seven categories for qualitative analysis (derived from a literature review) was refined (one category added, one removed, with some relabelling). The quantitative data analysis revealed seven profiles (deep adventurer, deep identifier, deep investigator, strategic all-rounder, strategic collector, surface co-ordinator, surface skimmer, each linked to a particular learning style, personality trait, and preferred information seeking micro-processes).
Research limitations/implications
The data were collected at only one university and the profiles and the model need to be validated with data from other groups of nursing students. The findings on micro-processes consolidate and extend previous research.
Practical implications
The profiles should inform information literacy programmes as they show that information search profiles may be more varied than assumed. The information search model extends previous task-based information search models.
Originality/value
The information search profiles have not been identified previously.
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Christine Urquhart and Jenny Turner
– The purpose of this paper is to critically review methods of impact assessment and economic analyses.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to critically review methods of impact assessment and economic analyses.
Design/methodology/approach
Reviews the literature on impact assessment, and examines some case studies of impact assessment in health libraries. Relates satisfaction and dissatisfaction assessment to impact assessment. Identifies recent impact assessment approaches in public and academic libraries, and explores different uses of terminology for impact and outcome. Reviews literature on economic analysis of value, including cost analyses, cost-effectiveness analysis and return on investment (ROI) studies.
Findings
Terms for library assessment (outcome, output, impact, value and benefit) vary among different sectors. Impact evaluation should examine initial assumptions of value carefully, and examine possible gaps in the line of argument linking inputs of library services to presumed impacts (positive and negative). More attention to sampling and response rates is required, to avoid problems such as the “warm glow” effect. Qualitative and quantitative evidence should be carefully integrated to tell the impact story. Economic impact can be estimated, but methodology depends on the service aims and sector.
Originality/value
Demonstrates that some of the requirements for traditional impact assessment also affect economic analyses and ROI studies.
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Christine Urquhart and Alexander H. Urquhart
The purpose of this paper is to criticise the paper by Jennie A. Abrahamson and Victoria L. Rubin (2012) “Discourse structure differences in lay and professional health…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to criticise the paper by Jennie A. Abrahamson and Victoria L. Rubin (2012) “Discourse structure differences in lay and professional health communication”, Journal of Documentation, Vol. 68 No. 6, pp. 826-851.
Design/methodology/approach
The author reviewed the antecedents of Rhetorical Structure Theory (RST) in discourse analysis, and paid close attention to the differences between the original formulation of RST, later formulations of the RST model and the application of RST in this paper. The author also reviewed the literature on physician-patient communication, and patient-patient support to contextualise the findings of Abrahamson and Rubin.
Findings
The paper shows evidence of over-simplification of RST since its initial formulation. Next, the Motivation relationship in the original Mann/Thompson formulation of RST appears problematic. This makes the authors’ RST findings that patient-patient (or consumer-consumer) information sharing appear to be more effective than physician-consumer information sharing rather tenuous. An important additional flaw is that there was only one physician participant in this study. A practical limitation to the study is that physicians mostly interact face-to-face with patients and use of consumer advice web sites may not fit well with the current practice of medicine.
Research limitations/implications
The author had limited examples in the paper to examine how the authors had categorised the binary unit relationships.
Originality/value
RST is promising for discourse analysis of information advice web sites but simplifications in its application can lead to unwarranted claims.