Dimensions of information search strategies: a study of blind and visually impaired users in mobile digital library environments
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47989/ir31iConf64177Keywords:
Information search strategies, Dimensions, Blind and visually impaired users, Mobile, Digital librariesAbstract
Introduction. This study intends to characterize blind and visually impaired (BVI) users’ information search strategies through analysing the dimensions of search tactics and strategies in their interactions with digital libraries (DLs) in the mobile environments.
Method. This study recruited 120 BVI participants representing users of four types of mobile devices: iPhone, iPad, Android phone, and Android tablet. Multiple data collection methods were employed to collect data: prequestionnaires, post-system questionnaires, think-aloud protocols, transaction logs, and post-system and post-search interviews.
Analysis. Qualitative and descriptive analysis were applied to identify dimensions of information search strategies: intentions, actions, and entities. NVivo was used for qualitative analysis. Additionally, inter-coder reliability for the dimensions was calculated.
Results. The initial results of the study identified 13 types of intentions, 14 types of actions, and 15 types of entities. While the intentions encompass cognitive and behavioral goals, the actions focus on access-related activities. The entities range from device/screen readers, DL features/structure, and collections/items. The combination of diverse dimensions constitutes various information search strategies in the mobile DL contexts.
Conclusion. The identified intentions, actions, and entities that constitute search strategies can be further mapped to the unique contexts of BVI users, DL systems, and mobile environments.
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