This dissertation looks at the information-seeking practices of doctoral students in the context of their search for a doctoral program and considers the implications for design of the graduate school Web space. Of particular interest is the description of patterns of Web use and the practices related to students' preparation for interactions with technology, the nature of the interactions, and the thinking that occurs. An exploratory study that brings together hypertext theory, contextual, holistic approaches, and information behavior, this research includes a focus group of current undergraduate and graduate students to gather fresh details about information-seeking for a graduate program as a preliminary investigation in this area, eight interviews with current doctoral students admitted in Fall 2007 to capture the specific details of students' information-seeking experiences for a doctoral program by mapping the journeys, and an online survey of current doctoral students admitted in Fall 2007 as further investigation of information-seeking for a doctoral program. Doctoral students who participated in this study rely on the Web as the primary source of prior knowledge of graduate education and graduate school, as well as the source most used to build that knowledge during the information-seeking journey for a graduate program and to prepare them for the start of their graduate study. The eight maps of students' information-seeking journeys for a graduate program show how complex and wide-ranging these journeys are. Based on bits collected through their many Web encounters over six months to two years, students develop a 'feeling' for the people who make up the graduate program, social interactions within this group and research subgroups, and what it would be like to be a student in the program, all contributing to students' decision making. Academic Web sites play a key role as support structures for students and have to do more than make the information available and findable; they must design in order to encourage and sustain engagement, or deep involvement. This study proposes several suggestions for academic Web design.

When it comes to hospice care, patients and their families residing in rural counties need competent rural community-based hospice social workers on their team. The study of information seeking behaviors of rural community-based hospice social workers during the global COVID-19 pandemic is significant as there is a need to fill gaps regarding how this specific medical discipline performs their job responsibilities when duties become more complicated due to evolving infection control protocols, decreased direct access to patients, and poor internet services. Community-based rural hospice social workers rely on up-to-date information and resources when providing support services to patients and their families. This has become particularly important during the global pandemic COVID-19. Utilizing Chatman's small world theory, this research lends itself to community-based hospice social workers identifying solutions to the challenges of finding timely and accurate COVID-19 information and resources for hospice patients and their families. Purposive sampling, semi-structured interviews, and qualitative social network analysis (SNA) with ATLAS.ti comprise the methodology for this research. The purpose of this study is to investigate the information seeking behaviors of community-based hospice rural social workers in order to understand how they select their COVID-19 information resources.

This study identified the information seeking behavior and networking practices used by members of a specific marginalized population, that of adult female probationers (AFPs) in a rural county in Texas. The study focused on how they seek out information when faced with a self-identified need in their lives. Beyond the basic "food, shelter and clothing" that comes to mind, the respondents find themselves faced with questions not only about the judicial system but also ones involving health care, employment, transportation, child-care, and other. The study utilized a qualitative research approach to gather data about the AFPs' information behavior and networking activities. The AFPs were asked about their information behavior during their time in the judicial system and after that involvement ended, and about their use of three points of information access: personal social network, physical resources, and electronic resources. Data was also gathered from community members (CMs) who have a role either within the judicial system or external to the judicial system. In its findings, the study determined there is no single point of access to a comprehensive listing of resources for the AFPs to utilize, and that AFPs reported seeking information via two ways as based on the type of question being raised. The study found that a hierarchy of needs should include access to the internet, if not an electronic device itself. The study also found there is a strong relationship between an AFP's personal social network and their support system, and that, beyond access to information, there is an element of information receptivity involved with their success. Based upon the insights provided by the AFPs and CMs, the study provides recommendations to improve information dissemination, especially about available resources, and to facilitate AFPs' access to same. With the study's conclusion, a report will be submitted to members of the rural county's judicial system who have stated a strong interest in the study's recommendations for potential implementation.

Finding health information online continues to help patients understand new symptoms. However, incomplete information or advice that errs on the site of caution can cause distress or anxiety and prompt visits to a doctor. Cyberchondria, a new phenomenon, is defined as excessive compulsive searching for health information online that leads to distress and increase utilization of healthcare services. Grounded theory guided the conception of a mixed method study to investigate cyberchondria and symptom appraisal within Emergency Departments. A questionnaire and interviews were used to collect data from patients visiting a local Emergency Room. Results showed 63.3% of respondents looked up their symptoms online before their visit, and exhibited higher levels of cyberchondria and health anxiety than those who did not (p .001, p .004), and that health information consulted online can impact the decision to seek out immediate care. Strategies are needed to improve and promote quality online sources to benefit both seekers and services.

This paper investigates the patterns of informal scholarly communication on social media as they manifest themselves among scholars at Umeå University. A survey was sent out to the university’s scholars, from PhD students all the way through to professors, and received 747answers from a total of 2646 requests. The survey gathered background data, data on how scholars build and maintain their academic networks via social media, and data on scholars’ use of social media for seeking information. The data thus gathered was interpreted through a comparative analysis. The main hypothesis was that, following the work of Tony Becher and Paul R. Trowler, the various faculties of the university would constitute distinguishable ”tribes” with their own customs regarding using social media for academic purposes. The data was furthermore analysed looking for patterns of use by gender, by academic position, and by the firmness of that position – or, putting it more plainly, job security. The analysis revealed that in terms of networking, the relevant variables were those of gender and academic position, with women being more avid social media networkers than men, and more junior scholars more avid than their seniors. However, in terms of the actual social networks used, there was a distinct tendency for humanist scholars to use Facebook which set them apart from the other three faculties. In terms of information seeking, there was again a finding of the more junior scholars leading the way, but also a clear indication of differences rooted in faculties. The humanist scholars were found to be by some distance more inclined to both seek information on social media, and to help others seeking it on social media, compared to the other faculties. The medical scholars, by contrast, were also by some distance the least inclined to both seeking and helping. As above, the humanists had a marked preference for using Facebook when seeking information through social media.

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