Source Selection Among Information Seekers: Ideals and Realities

Abstract

In a study examining the information behavior of 9 individuals over 10 weeks in daily life contexts, participants were asked to identify ideal sources of help for the questions and issues they faced. The data show how people’s expectation of the usefulness of information sources varies by the information seeker’s gender, and source characteristics such as accessibility, trustworthiness, and reliability. Usefulness of sources has both cognitive and affective aspects. Further, discrepancies between participants' stated ideals, and the sources actually used, are analyzed. The study results suggest ways to encourage use of formal information systems and services.