The purpose of this bachelor's thesis is to examine the information needs and behavior of Swedish theater students. The aim is to get an increased insight into how theater students search and use information as they create their character roles and also to examine how the information seeking is integrated in the creative process. The findings of this study have been made through qualitative data gathered from five interviews with six theater students who are studying at the Swedish Theater Academy. These students studied between autumn term of 2014 and spring term of 2015. To analyze the result of the interviews four different theories’ have been used, Carol Kuhlthau’s information search process model, Lars Höglund and Olle Perssons model of four domains, Lars Höglund and Olle Perssons information search barriers and Tom Wilson’s model of information behavior. In summary the research shows that the students have to search actively for information helping them to understand the situations and circumstances that happens to their character in the play. Theater students share similarities with other university students in the way they seek information. Both groups use Google, online databases and books to immerse themselves in specific areas of research. The difference is that the theater students are more flexible in the way they use information. The barriers that are usually involved in information search do not concern the theater students in the same way. They can gather information from sources that are not generally suited for their needs and they put in a lot of effort to embody their knowledge collected from the information search. The students can also use a variety of different sources when they seek information. Sources that can’t be found online or in a book can usually be obtained through dialogue.

The main purpose of this thesis is to examine whether the ISP (the Information Search Process) as defined by Carol Kuhlthau is applicable to Swedish University students. Qualitative interviews were carried out with students enrolled in their thesis course at the end of their university education. The selection is based on convenience sample of students visiting the university library. The questions are mainly about how to find out the experiences of the students when they look for documents at the beginning of their thesis work. Other relevant questions are about user-education, information literacy and what the students' opinions are concerning a thesis as a part of their education. The result of the study is presented in two parts. The first in relation to Kuhlthau's ISP and the second part to other relevant questions. The ISP can be identified with small deviations from the way Kuhlthau defines it. The other part of the result tells us that the information literacy among our students is not what we would like it to be. / Uppsatsnivå: D

This study illustrates, describes and explains the complexity that is included in the information situation for parents of children with disabilities. The main issues are: What does the parents information seeking processes look like? How do the parents experience their information situation, related to the child? How can the information behaviour and the different experiences be understood, seen from a psychological perspective? The empirical material consists of qualitative interviews with six different sets of parents of children with disabilities. The results show that the information needs often deal with questions about medicine, rights to different aids from the society and information that gives the parents a sort of context in their situation, i.e. politically and in the society overall. The informal sources are very significant for the parents. Several barriers are noted in the information process. One example of this is that the information needed often is so specific that the parent must search in several different sources. Another example is the aspect of power related to the parents’ contacts with persons in authority and persons in the medical attendance. The variation in conceptions of the parents’ information situation, experienced by themselves, is described in four different categories of descriptions, developed out of a phenomenographic approach: 1) engagement that gives the parent insights; 2) anxiety and powerlessness; 3) with acceptance and without dramatization; 4) a never ending struggle. The four conceptions are presented in a model, which in a third analysis is explained from a psychological perspective. / <p>Inscannad 2008-05-09 pga tekniska problem med ursprungsfilen</p><p>Uppsatsnivå: D</p>

First-time voters is a group that is given a considerable amount of media attention during election years. Even though they are an interesting group, the amount of research related to this group is relatively small. To understand how this group can be reached one can examine their information habits. In this bachelor thesis the first-time voters’ information habits are examined in relation to the upcoming election and how this can be understood by way of an information process. The study was conducted during the period April-May 2018 and builds on five semi-structured interviews with first-time voters that studied at high school level. Each respondents’ information habits were presented and later analyzed and discussed by way of an information process. All respondents expressed that traditional media have been replaced with digital formats. They also consider themselves to be reached best through digital media with information about the election. All respondents felt that social media is a cause of stress that interferes with their daily life, but they also saw many advantages. They talked about a globalized communication technology and an available information flow. They thus want to distance themselves from and at the same time take part of the advantages of social media, which appears as a complex relationship. Young first-time voters view information as an infinite source to knowledge which is in need of critical inspection. The legislative election is not taken lightly and they experience that it is not easy to know which politicians are right or wrong. The election, information and social media are seen as important but also as big and exhausting.

The aim of this master’s thesis is in part to investigate how pupils act and experience their information seeking in connection with a school task, and in part to identify which factors influence the information process. The essay’s theoretical framework is based upon Carol C. Kuhlthau’s model of the process of information seeking where actions, thoughts and feelings are regarded as integrated parts. Over and above these, we add a series of factors which influence pupils’ information seeking to this model. These factors are elucidated on the basis of earlier research, and we emphasize in particular the considerations of Louise Limberg and Mikael Alexandersson since they are contextualised in the school situation. Combined methods have been applied in this investigation. Through observation and interviews we have been able to explore how pupils set about seeking for information, and by interviewing we have reflected upon the pupils’ experiences of information seeking. Through observation and interviews we have even attempted to clarify what affects pupils’ information seeking. Our main result shows that there are variations among pupils’ information seeking and even how they experience this process. The different styles of seeking are mirrored in their actions, thoughts and emotions. One conclusion that can be drawn from our result is that pupils require supervision, support and understanding of the tension that can often occur in relation to seeking information. Another conclusion is that pupils who cooperate with one another experience fewer episodes of tension and that information seeking is perceived to be easier and learning more pleasurable. / Uppsatsnivå: D