The average age is increasing due to which the number of persons with Alzheimer's disease is likely to increase in the next few decades. Information Technology can be used as cognitive prosthetic for those who are suffering from Alzheimer's disease. This paper discusses Alzheimer's disease and how Information Technology can be used to improve the quality of care for persons with Alzheimer's disease. / A Thesis Submitted to the College of Information in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Science. / Fall Semester, 2005. / July 29, 2005. / Dementia Quality of Care Information Technology Caregivers Alzheimers Disease / Includes bibliographical references. / Darrell Burke, Professor Directing Thesis; Ken Brummel-Smith, Committee Member; John N. Gathegi, Committee Member; Nir Menachemi, Committee Member.

The Health Internetwork Access to Research Initiative (HINARI) and the Access to Global Online Resources in Agriculture (AGORA) programs provide free access to academic journals through the internet to researchers in the developing world. The objective of the programs is to engage researchers in the scholarly communication process through the scholarly use of these journals. A measure of scholarly use of a journal by a researcher is the number of times the journal is cited by that researcher. A citation study was conducted to explore the patterns of use of these journals by researchers in eligible countries. Bibliographic data for citations made by researchers from 108 eligible countries for each year from 2000-2007 were downloaded from the Science Citation Index and the Social Science Citation Index. The citation data were matched against HINARI and AGORA title lists in a database developed for this purpose. The frequency of citations made to journals in the AGORA and HINARI collections and the annual percent change in the frequency of these citations were analyzed for suggestions that the programs positively impacted the scholarly use of the journals by these researchers. The data treatment for each country, sub-region and region was guided by twelve research questions. Results were summarized and interpreted at the regional level. The data suggests that for some geographic groups, life science and agricultural researchers have become more engaged in formal scholarly communication since the initiation of the HINARI and AGORA programs and at a greater average percent change than other researchers. However, data for other geographic groups suggest that their researchers have not become more engaged in the scholarly communication process. Further research that couples these findings with other data will lend explanatory power to the results and inform future program planning for HINARI and AGORA. / A Dissertation Submitted to the College of Information in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Fall Semester, 2008. / August 4, 2008. / AGORA, HINARI, Bibliometrics, Cultures of Scholarship, Scholarly Communication / Includes bibliographical references. / Kathleen Burnett, Professor Directing Dissertation; Lance DeHaven-Smith, Outside Committee Member; John Bertot, Committee Member; Besiki Stvilia, Committee Member.

The purpose of the study was to determine the effect of digitally shortening and lengthening pauses on listening comprehension. Using digital audio software, pauses within the Brown, Carlsen, Carstens (BCC) Listening omprehension Test were modified to create a control group version (unaltered) and three experimental versions: pauses lengthened by 300 msec; pauses shortened by 150 msec; and, pauses shortened by 300 msec. Effects of these pause length treatments on listening comprehension were measured for each of the five individual BCC sections and for composite scores. Subjects were 144 college students enrolled in undergraduate psychology classes. Means of numbers of incorrect responses were used in analysis of variance and Kruskal-Wallis calculations. Results demonstrated statistical significance for two BCC test sections, Section C (Recognizing Transitions) and Section D (Recognizing Word Meanings). For Section C, lengthening pauses by 300 msec yielded a significant difference between mean numbers of incorrect responses at the .05 level. For Section D, the control group condition (with unaltered original pause lengths) yielded a significant difference between mean numbers of incorrect responses at the .10 level. For certain sections of the test, it was concluded that that presentation rate could be increased (via pause length shortening) without loss of comprehension—in other words, that listening efficiency could be increased. Designated as primary beneficiaries of the research were clients of the National Library Service (the producers of "Talking Books") and distance learners using audio-enhanced web-based materials. Recommended were further studies involving different pause lengths, subjects and stimulus materials, as well as the development of software that allows users to select from a variety of offered pause lengths. / A Dissertation Submitted to the School of Information Studies in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Spring Semester, 2003. / March 3, 2003. / Listening Comprehension, Pause Length / Includes bibliographical references. / Marcella D. Genz, Professor Directing Dissertation; Michelle S. Bourgeois, Outside Committee Member; Benjamin Keith Belton, Committee Member; Charles Wm. Conaway, Committee Member.

Research into the library as place investigates the role of public library buildings as destinations, physical places where people go for various reasons ranging from making use of the library's resources and services or seeking to fulfill an information or reading need to less easily identified reasons that may include using the library's building as a place to make social or business contacts, to build or reinforce community or political ties, or to create or reinforce a personal identity. This study asks: How are one rural U.S. county's public library buildings functioning as places? The answer is derived from answers to sub-questions about adult library users, user and staff perceptions of library use, and observed use of library facilities. The findings are contextualized using a framework built of theories from human geography, philosophy, sociology, and information studies. This case study replicates a mixed-methods case study conducted at the main public libraries in Toronto and Vancouver in the late1990s and first reproduced in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 2006. It tests methods used in large urban settings in a rural, small-town environment. This study also expands on its antecedents by using thematic analysis to determine which conceptualizations of the role of the public library as place are most relevant to understanding this community's use of its public library buildings as places. The study relies on quantitative and qualitative data collected via surveys and interviews of adult library users, interviews of library public service staff members, structured observations – seating sweeps – of people using the libraries, and analysis of selected documents. The five sets of data are triangulated to answer the research sub-questions. Thematic analysis derived from the conceptual framework finds that public realm theory informs the relationships that develop between library staff members and adult library users over time. The study finds that the libraries serve their communities as informational places and as familiarized locales rather than as third places, and that the libraries support the generation of social capital for their users / A Dissertation Submitted to the School of Library & Information Studies in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Fall Semester, 2009. / September 29, 2009. / Library as Place, Mixed Methods, Gadsden County, Library Users, Public Libraries / Includes bibliographical references. / Wayne A. Wiegand, Professor Directing Dissertation; Kathleen B.Yancey, University Representative; Gary Burnett, Committee Member; Lorri Mon, Committee Member.

This research sought to examine whether information literacy skills – being able to find and use information to resolve daily issues – are being blended into conventional literacy education; and whether low-literate adults use community information access centers, such as public libraries, to find information for conducting their everyday lives. Three adult literacy programs around the State of Florida participated in a series of case studies that explored the relationships between conventional literacy skills and information literacy skills. Multiple methods of data collection were used: 1) a program questionnaire completed by literacy program coordinators; 2) two in-depth interviews with each program coordinator; 3) document analysis of instructional materials, assessment materials, and student writings; 4) a group interview with four literacy tutors; and 5) two site observations at each of the three program sites. Results of this research suggest that adult literacy programs focus primarily on the foundations of reading, particularly those that follow the national models of literacy education, including Literacy Volunteers of America or Laubach Literacy International. The intent is to improve the reading levels of low-literate adults in order to provide them with tools to function in a text-based society. There is very little introduction to information resources or information technology. However, the participating sites recognize a need for adult learners to use the range of resources available for finding information and using it effectively to resolve everyday issues. The consensus among the three literacy programs is that most information resources are designed and written at an advanced reading level, and that the adults at the lowest reading levels are unable to use them. The findings also suggest that low-literate adults may be less likely to use community information access centers, such as public libraries, because they either do not have ready access to the information centers or do not know how to use the resources that are available. The lowliterate adults in this study were more likely to use personal networks or mass media, excluding newspapers, to find information for conducting everyday life. / A Dissertation submitted to the School of Information Studies in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Spring Semester, 2003. / December 3, 2002. / Adult Learner Resources, Literacy Program Support / Includes bibliographical references. / Jane B. Robbins, Professor Directing Dissertation; Penny Ralston, Outside Committee Member; Gary Burnett, Committee Member; F. William Summers, Committee Member.

Researchers have explored the potential of using various approaches in order to reduce the number of security breaches caused by system users. The approaches can be categorized into technology and non-technology approaches. Technology approaches advocate the use of technological tools or integrating a variety of technologies during system design in order to address security issues. Non-technology approaches advocate the use of other means such as good user interface design and user education in order to reduce security breaches. The research described in this thesis considers non-technical approaches. It specifically evaluates system administrator and user perceptions of information security practices and user awareness at Florida State University. The study involves system administrators and end users. Data for this research was collected by surveying and interviewing system administrators; in addition, documents such as such security policies, training materials and email alerts were reviewed. End user data was collected by using a questionnaire. The aim of the system administrators' survey was to collect preliminary information about user awareness. Then follow up interviews were used to determine the perceptions of system administrators regarding non-technical approaches to security and their views about the user's role in security. Although interview results showed that system administrators placed more emphasis on external and technical threats than on internal and non-technical threats due to different factors including availability of resources, attitude toward users, and satisfaction with technological tools, in general results from system administrators showed that system administrators are more likely to engage effectively in user awareness if such barriers to user awareness are addressed. The second part of the study surveyed end users. The aim of the survey was to collect information about end users' general information vulnerability, awareness and practices. Findings from user surveys showed that users need user awareness education for them to be able to protect themselves against security attacks. The results of this study have increased understanding of the problems that hinder non-technical approaches to security. The fact that user practices have been shown to correlate with security awareness suggests that it is time to consider human factors. / A Dissertation submitted to the School of Library and Information Studies in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Summer Semester, 2010. / April 1, 2010. / Information Security, Non-Technical Approaches, Protection Motivation Theory, User Awareness, User Behaviors / Includes bibliographical references. / Ian Douglas, Professor Directing Dissertation; David Paradice, University Representative; Lawrence Dennis, Committee Member; Ebrahim Randeree, Committee Member.

This study proposed four information behavior models or frames of mind, one for each of the four information interaction styles developed by Brooks (2001). The frames of mind explain how individuals classified within each style seek, explore, construct, and interact with information in a web-based learning environment. The models were developed based on data collected from a homogenous population of graduate distance education students enrolled in web-based courses at Florida State University College of Information during the Spring 2005 semester. The study analyzed 164 graduate students' responses to two instruments in order to answer the following research questions: what channels of information do graduate students chose to resolve their information needs; what source of information do graduate students chose to resolve their information needs; how are graduate students impacted by the selection of a specific channel or source of information to resolve their information needs; what emotions do graduate students experience when they resolve their information needs; and do relationships exist between action, emotions, and information interactions styles? A quantitative descriptive survey questionnaire research method was used to obtain the data about information behavior, including actions and emotions of graduate distance education students enrolled in web-based courses. The data collection occurred in two phases: (1) the information interaction styles (IIS) inventory and (2) the information behavior questionnaire (IB). In the first phase the sample was drawn from a population of 360 graduate students enrolled in web-based courses at FSU College of Information. The response rate was 40%. IIS inventory was used to classify the sample into four categories: aware, hesitant, engaged, and preempted. The second phase explored the academic information behavior of the students. The questionnaire was administrated to the same sample of students who responded in the first phase. The response rate was 60%. The sample was homogeneous with respect to their information interaction styles, but is none the less likely to have been representative of population from which it was drawn. One-hundred twenty-six were categorized as aware, twenty-four engaged, ten hesitant, and four preempted. The findings indicate that graduate students enrolled in distance education programs preferred online channels and sources of information over more traditional channels and sources. During the research process, these students changed actions and experienced emotions in accordance with the level of exploration and construction characteristic of their information interaction style. / A Dissertation submitted to the College of Information in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Fall Semester, 2005. / October 7, 2005. / Web-based Education, In formation Behavior / Includes bibliographical references. / Kathleen Burnett, Professor Directing Dissertation; Peter P. Garretson, Outside Committee Member; Michelle. Kazmer, Committee Member; Darrell Burke, Committee Member.

The goal of this study was to examine the relationships between usability and the searching experience, and to uncover where an integrated cataloging and metadata system lay the usability problems of its primary users, catalogers. This study showed that the most important aspect of usability in Connexion lay in the experience of information retrieval system. Also, it showed there are seventeen usability problems to be improved in Connexion. Needless to say, it is most important to note that usability is not an exclusive goal of such an integrated cataloging and metadata system. Other goals such as quality of catalogs, and the reliability of its cataloging and metadata system are equally its concern. This study also suggested more testing on diverse cataloging systems and specific user groups, especially catalogers. Much work remains to fully understand the application of these results within integrated cataloging and metadata systems and usability testing. / A Dissertation submitted to the School of Information Studies in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Fall Semester, 2004. / November 5, 2004. / Metadata, Usability, System Evaluation, Cataloging / Includes bibliographical references. / Kathleen Burnett, Professor Directing Dissertation; Akihito Kamata, Outside Committee Member; Misook Heo, Committee Member; Wonsik Shim, Committee Member.

The purpose of this study is to provide a preliminary theoretical foundation of academic library service consumer motivation. To achieve this purpose, the study attempts to develop and test an academic library service consumer motivation model based on expectancy theory which was introduced by Victor H. Vroom (1964) and modified by Porter & Lawler (1968) and Campbell, Dunnette, Lawler, & Weick (1970). The proposed model was verfied using chat reference service as an example. This study has the following four research questions: 1) What factors influence an academic library service consumer's motivational process to use library services?, 2) Are there relationships among the factors which influence an academic library service consumer's motivational process to use library services?, 3) What relationships exist among the factors which influence an academic library service consumer's motivational process to use library services?, and 4) Based on these relationships, can the academic library service consumer's motivational process be explained? To answer the research questions, correlational research method and confirmatory interview method were employed. The selected participants of this study were Information Studies graduate students at Florida State Unviersity who are registered in three master level online classess and General Informaiton Studies graduate students. They were asked to use the chat reference service at FSU libraries and answer to the questionnaire which was distributed through email. The collected data were analysed using correlation analysis (Kendall's tau-b) and multiple regression analysis. To support the results of statistical analysis, the collected interview data were also analysed. The findings are that academic library service consumer's motivational process can be influenced by three important factors such as 1) consumers themselves, 2) service providers, and 3) situational (environmental) factors. How well the service consumers perform the service depends on their past experience with the service. When they have much experience in using the service, consumers can perform the service very well. Service providers' role is also very critical in service delivery process. In addition to human factors (service consumers and service providers), surrounding environmental conditions are also important in service delivery process. / A Dissertation submitted to the College of Information in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Fall Semester, 2007. / October 30, 2007. / Academic Library Service Consumer, Library Services Marketing, Expectancy Theory, Motivation, Chat Reference Service / Includes bibliographical references. / John C. Bertot, Professor Directing Dissertation; Leisa R. Flynn, Outside Committee Member; Michelle Kazmer, Committee Member; Christie M. Koontz, Committee Member.

The purpose of this study is to examine the effect of providing note-taking functionality to online chat logs on students enrolled in graduate online learning courses. This study provided participants in online learning courses with a new tool called Effective Note-taking in Chat in Online Learning (ENCO) that enables the participants to select any message lines in chat logs individually, save the lines, and retrieve the lines. This study examined users' test scores and time taken to complete the tests provided in order to explore user learning performance and effectiveness. The experiment was conducted across two consecutive semesters using volunteers enrolled in six online courses of master's program in library and information science. After a pilot test with a focus group interview, a main experiment was conducted successfully in the following semester. The results of the main experiments were analyzed to examine whether ENCO improved learners' performance, effectiveness, and satisfaction using chat logs in online classes. Data from a total of forty-seven online graduate students were analyzed in the main study. The data included test scores and time spent to complete the tests. The results from this study indicate that ENCO use in one course was found to have significantly improved the test scores, and to have decreased test completion time in the other course. The results from focus group interviews showed that majority of the participants in the focus group evaluated ENCO as a helpful tool. Also, four categories of the test questions were analyzed by Bloom's Taxonomy. The results of the questions analysis imply that ENCO use in the categorized question analysis could be viewed from different perspective. Overall, ENCO was found to have potential for improving students learning performance, effectiveness, and satisfaction in online learning. The results of performance testing suggest that adapting a new tool or software to online learning systems may improve online learners' performance. More in-depth research about synchronous communication tools that include textual chat and audio/video enabled chat is recommended. / A Dissertation submitted to the College of Communication and Information in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Spring Semester, 2010. / December 9, 2009. / Synchronous Chat, Interaction / Includes bibliographical references. / Kathleen Burnett, Professor Directing Dissertation; David Paradice, University Representative; Michelle Kazmer, Committee Member; Lorraine Mon, Committee Member.