The aim of this thesis is to contribute to increased knowledge concerning students’ information seeking in an electronic environment. Using a qualitative approach; focus groups interviews, a total of nine nursing students were interviewed in two groups. The interviews were transcribed and analyzed with an analysis tool based upon Lucy Kuntz’s, Gary Marchionini’s and Carol C Kuhlthau’s models of the information seeking process. The analysis tool also takes into consideration the six factors Marchionini believes influence the individual in the process and directly affect it. The results show that the students’ information seeking is characterized by uncertainty and to some extent ignorance. Difficulties may arise throughout the process, beginning with the initial phrasing of the search query, even unto the retrieval of the information. The information seeking is influenced by the fact that the students’ almost exclusively use material they can access in full text directly. Furthermore the students do not readily search numerous databases. The search patterns within the subject itself and the teachers’ attitudes towards information seeking have a major impact on the students’ search behaviour. An important mission for the libraries in this context is to offer students adequate education on how to search for information. In order to achieve this, an extended and improved collaboration between libraries and teachers is necessary.

The purpose of this thesis is to investigate how students writing their master thesis seek information, how they reason about their information seeking behaviour and how their studies in LIS could have affected their information seeking behaviour. The result was analysed with Roger Säljö’s theory about the sociocultural perspective about how individuals learn in relation to their context and the social practice that they act in. The following conclusions were drawn from analysing the result. The students didn’t really reflect over their information seeking behaviour. Most students have an information seeking pattern, developed under an early stage in their studies in LIS, which they then follow for every task they do during their education, even their master thesis. Although the students can tell a difference in their own information seeking behaviour since they first began their LIS-studies. The students’ attitude to information seeking has to do with the social practice that consists of the LIS-subject. Säljö means in his theory that individuals are influenced and learn how to act and reason from the social practices that surrounds them. / Uppsatsnivå: D

The aim of this master’s thesis is to examine how exchange students experience looking for information in their new life situation during a semester in Prague. A further purpose is to investigate what barriers they have faced and how this affected their information behavior. Six qualitative interviews of students constitute the empirical foundation for the study. The interviewees are from six different European countries, were all participating in the Erasmus program, and all had social sciences/humanities/art as their main subject. The empirical findings were analyzed with the use of T.D Wilson’s context oriented model of information behavior from the article “Information behavior: an inter-disciplinary perspective”. This includes for example the theory of stress and coping from the psychology. The result shows that exchange students are dealing with a complex of problems, being both a student and a newcomer. A certain level of stress is experienced when it comes to getting informed, especially in the initial part of the exchange. One main barrier is the Czech language, which also functions as a great activating mechanism. By learning this, the exchange students get more independent in their use of information and they also get closer to the Czech society. Other common barriers are related to the bureaucratic system in international student offices, libraries and other places where information is supposed to be accessible. Even if the impressions are split the library is a quite well used source among the students. Socials contacts, such as other students and local people, are also important sources, especially when it comes to overcoming the barriers. / Uppsatsnivå: D

This thesis deals with the information-seeking behaviour of occupational therapists. Focus was on three different aspects of information-seeking behaviour. The purpose was to investigate how occupational therapists conceive of work-related information needs, their choice and use of formal and informal information sources and their use of the hospital library. Twelve interviews with occupational therapists were conducted at a rehabilitation clinic in a hospital. The theoretical frame consists of a general model of the information-seeking of professionals by Leckie, Pettigrew and Sylvain. To characterize the various information sources and information needs, two other models was used as a complement in relation to the general model. The study shows that occupational therapists experience a range of information needs due to different work roles and associated tasks. The information needs were mainly of two different kinds: information needs due to clinical praxis and information needs of a more general character. These information needs were both on an regularly and a temporary basis. To meet the information needs, occupational therapists use a wide range of internal and external, informal and formal information sources. The study also shows that the interviewed occupational therapists gave the hospital library three different roles or functions. / Uppsatsnivå: D

Bakgrund  I svensk lag stadgas att hälso- och sjukvårdspersonal skall utföra sitt arbete i enlighet med vetenskap och beprövad erfarenhet. Ständig och snabb utveckling inom vårdens och omsorgens områden gör att tidigare kunskap fortlöpande måste omvärderas. Den enskilda sjuksköterskan har därför ett personligt ansvar att hålla sig à jour genom livslångt lärande och kontinuerlig uppdatering av de egna kunskaperna. Detta är viktigt då tillämpning av relevant kunskap ger optimal användning av tillgängliga resurser, och minskar risken att hälso- och sjukvårdens resurser ödslas på ineffektiva vårdåtgärder. Trots att studier visar att en klar majoritet av yrkesutövande sjuksköterskor i Sverige är positivt inställda till forskning, skattar sjuksköterskor själva låg användning av forskningsresultat. Syfte Syftet var att beskriva faktorer som kan underlätta eller försvåra sjuksköterskans möjlighet att ta del av forskningsresultat då evidensbaserad vård och omvårdnad skall bedrivas. Metod Metoden som valdes för examensarbetets genomförande var litteraturöversikt. Sökningar efter vetenskapliga artiklar gjordes under april månad 2016 i databaserna CINAHL och PubMed.  Resultat Det framkom många faktorer som påverkar sjuksköterskans möjlighet att ta del av forskningsresultat. Försvårande faktorer utgjordes exempelvis av tidsbrist, bristande kunskaper inom forskning, bristande sökkunskaper, svårighet att få tillgång till databaser och arbetsplatsens kultur. Underlättande faktorer beskrevs bland annat utgöras av enkel och snabb tillgång till pålitlig information, erhållen utbildning samt fortbildning, och att databasernas terminologi påminde om sjuksköterskornas egna. Slutsats Faktorer såsom den individuella sjuksköterskans befintliga kunskaper, logistik, tid, miljö och organisatoriskt stöd kan påverka möjligheten att ta del av forskningsresultat.

The purpose of this bachelor thesis is to find out how information seeking habits and experiences of people in different generations affects their expectations on information retrieval systems like OPAC. Two OPACs are used, one web-OPAC and one mobile-OPAC. The following questions are asked: how can theories about information seeking behaviors explain why and in which way one seeks information? In which way does information seeking behaviors and habits affect the experience of OPAC? Which differences and/or similarities can be found between the web-OPAC and the mobile-OPAC? How does generational aspects affect experiences and preferences in an information seeking context? The theoretical framework of the thesis is information retrieval with several models about information-seeking/searching needs and behaviors. The empirical data contains interviews with nine people in different generations and protocols about two different OPACs. The results of this bachelor thesis show that generational aspects do not affect information habits and experience in a broader sense and that it depends on the contextual environment. The results also show that earlier experiences of information retrieval systems do affect the users in many ways and brings high expectations when they interact with other systems, like OPAC. One connection that we found is very important for the evolution of the modern OPAC, the users habits of social media and the interactive web environment. / Program: Bibliotekarie

The aim of this study is to examine present forms of interaction between Child Welfare Clinics (Barnavårdscentraler, BVC), and libraries. The study departs from the user’s perspective, i.e. how the parents evaluate the information they are given about the library and its resources to provide information they want in their present and new situation. In two local communities the survey looks into how parents of babies are informed about the library in meetings arranged as part of the information and support program provided by BVC. Methods used in the survey are interviews with librarians participating in information activities, and focus-group interviews with parents participating in BVC-groups meetings. The findings are related to other user studies connected to the ELlS-theory (Everyday Life Information Seeking). Results from the survey indicate that mothers do appreciate the information activities, and that the form of information group meetings often works well, in that more informed and regular library users give hints and advice to those not normally using the library. If information about the library and its information capability could be provided earlier during the pregnancy many mothers-in-waiting would use it to find information on the entirely new situation in life they find themselves in. / Uppsatsnivå: D

This bachelor's thesis examines the information-seeking behavior of Swedish engineering students. In comparison with research conducted on professional engineers there is little known about engineering students. The previous research is limited in providing an in-depth understanding of the information-seeking behavior of engineering students. Therefore, this thesis aims to explore the information-seeking activities and factors influencing the activity of choice. A qualitative research approach was applied, and semi-structured interviews were conducted with five students to capture the students’ thoughts and self-perceived experiences. The empirical data was analysed using ‘a non-linear model on information seeking behavior model’ originally created by Foster (2004) later modified by Foster & Urquhart (2012). The model consists of the five broad concepts of Opening, Orientation, Consolidation, Intrinsic Context, and Extrinsic Context. The findings show a rather homogeneous group of engineering students when it comes to information-seeking activities consisting of keyword searching, networking and selective browsing. The influencing factors, however, differ between the students but are summarized in knowledge, affect, motivation, project, time, physical location, and resource access. The findings are consistent with previous research showing that engineering students access information in a fast and effective way due to time constraints with sources that require the least effort, but not at the expense of credibility of the source and quality of the information. Furthermore, the findings are discussed and linked to user education in university libraries.

The purpose of this bachelor’s thesis is to examine information search behaviour of a group of Library and Information Science students in the cultural heritage digital collection cross search service DigitaltMuseum and an evaluation of the cross-search service search functionalities’ usability for the end-user. The study aims in understanding the user search behaviour to let the designers of cultural heritage digital collections websites improve the search tools so that the design matches the real needs of the users. After doing simulated search tasks the informants answered several questions about the chosen search strategies and preferable search functionalities. Quantitative analysis shows that simple search and free keywords are the most preferable search methods, however it is not clear why. On one hand it is observed that the users prefer google-like searching, on the other, discussion on the DigitaltMuseum search functionalities shows lack of use of Knowledge Organisation System of any kind which makes the advanced search tool insufficient.