i nformation v isualization, k eyword s earching &l ibrary i nstruction loex conference may 7 th...
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INFO
RMATI
ON
VISUALI
ZATION,
KEYW
ORD
SEARCHIN
G
&LIB
RARY
INSTRU
CTION
LOEX ConferenceMay 7th 2011Matt Conner & Melissa
Browne University of California,
Davis
VISUAL LITERACY?
Parallels with information literacy (ACRL/IRIG Visual Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Ed)
Able to produce and consume images
Primarily useful for Cultural Studies and Art History
INFORMATION VISUALIZATION
Synthesis of computer science, psychology of learning, statistics, quantitative analysis
Based on assumption that vision and cognition are fundamentally (anatomically) connected
Represents data with visual designs that assist comprehension and insight
DeFanti, T.A., and M.D. Brown. “Visualization in Scientific Computing.” Computer Graphics 21 6 (1987).
DEFINITION“…visual artifacts aid thought; in fact, they
are completely entwined with cognitive action.
The progress of civilization can be read in the
invention of visual artifacts, from writing to
mathematics, to maps, to printing, to diagrams, to visual
computing ...Information visualization is about just that
—exploiting the dynamic, interactive,
inexpensive medium of graphical computers to devise
new external aids enhancing cognitive abilities.”
Card, S. K., MacKinlay, J. D., & Shneiderman, B. (1999).
Readings in Information Visualization: Using Vision to Think.
San Francisco: Morgan Kaufmann Publishers.
Music (Orbifold) Head-Up Display
EXAMPLES
EXAMPLES: Minority Report
Politics GIS
EXAMPLES
“Information visualization can help make us
smart. Of course, leverage works both ways.
It can also make us stupid by misadvised mappings and unworkable user
interfaces just as ‘chart junk’ graphics makesinformation harder to comprehend.”
(Card, et al. 1999, p. 7)
EXAMPLES: Strategy for Afghanistan
UNDERGRADUATE SEARCH BEHAVIOR
Search strategies: single words/long strings
Reading habits: tendency to skim
Cues: prefer graphic/visual representations
Conclusion: It’s more difficult than ever for students to translate subject knowledge into appropriate search strategies for scholarly research!
Head, A.J. & Eisenberg, M.B. (2009). Lessons learned: How college students seek information in the digital age. (Project
Information Literacy Progress Report). Retrieved from http://projectinfolit.org/pdfs/PIL_Fall2009_finalv_YR1_12_2009v2.pdf
Oblinger, D. & Oblinger, J. (Eds.). (2005). Educating the Net generation. Educause. Retrieved from http://www.educause.edu/educatingthenetgen
Williams, P. & Rowlands, I. (2007). The literature on young people and their information behaviour. (British Library/JISC
Study Information Behaviour of the Researcher of the Future) . Retrieved from http://www.jisc.ac.uk/media/documents/programmes/reppres/ggworkpackageii.pdf
LIBRARY INSTRUCTION One-shot sessions for undergraduates
Professor/Librarian InteractionsProfessors provide general ideasLibrarians demonstrate search toolsLittle guidance on turning topics into search statements
50% of catalog searches fail!
Antell, K., & Jie, H. (2008). Subject Searching SuccessTransaction Logs, Patron Perceptions, and Implications
forLibrary Instruction. Reference & User Services
Quarterly48(1), 68-76.
OUR HYPOTHESIS
Information visualization techniques improve
students’ abilities to conceptualize topics
and generate terms for academic online
research.
PEDAGOGIES: Keyword Matrix
General:
Ethics
Scientific research
Human-animal relationships
Topic: Animal Rights
Specific:
Lab animals Animal experiments
PETA Cosmetic testing
PEDAGOGIES: Wonder Wheel (Google)
PEDAGOGIES: Visual Search (EBSCO)
STUDY LOGISTICS
IRB Application
Research Funds
Recruiting Participants
What to do when your statistician goes AWOL
STUDY DESIGN Subjects: 60 undergraduates from a variety of
majors
Conditions Experimental: Keyword Matrix; Wonder Wheel;
Visual Search Control
Search Protocol Subjects encouraged to verbalize their thoughts Pretest search in Academic Search Complete Instruction on information visualization technique Two post-test searches in Academic Search
Complete
DATA COLLECTION & ANALYSIS Data Collection
Adobe Captivate (audio & screen captures)
Investigator notes Written student summaries
Data Analysis Excel Saturate (http://www.saturateapp.com/ )
PRELIMINARY RESULTS
5%
32%
63%
Subjects (n = 19)
Sophomore
Junior
Senior
Subjects have completed 123 research papers (average =
6). Only 2 subjects reported writing no papers. 47% have attended a library instruction session.
42%
32%
26%
Student Majors
Social Sciences
Sciences
Humanities
PRELIMINARY RESULTS
Question: What are current strategies you use to generate search terms?
Google/Google Scholar
Topic Itself Assmnt/Course Matls
Library Databases
Search Results Wikipedia0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Search Term Strategies
Strategies
# R
esponses
PRELIMINARY RESULTS
Question: What is the most challenging aspect of searching for information online?
Credibility Narrowing Relevance Too Many0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Online Search Challenges
Issues
# R
esponses
SPECIFIC AIMS
1. Determine if information visualization techniques help students formulate more systematic searches
2. Determine if the use of information visualization techniques results in more efficient search behavior
3. Determine if information visualization techniques increase student satisfaction with their online search strategy
PRELIMINARY RESULTS
Number of Search Attempts (systematic searching)
No significant differences found
Time Spent Searching (efficient searching) No significant differences found
Student Satisfaction Expressed great enthusiasm for principle of visual searching (prefer term-generating tools)
OBSERVATIONS
Students did not rely on keywords
Responded (reacted) to information links vs keywords
Adapted results to fit preconceived pattern for paper
Wide variation in search strategies
Student’s assessment of search success did not always match investigator’s assessment
AN EMERGING MODEL?
Surfing
MeaningComposing
DISCUSSION Implications for instructors: terminology
use in research/writing assignments Implications for library instruction:
information visualization techniques appear to help students with conceptualizing topics but don’t really impact keyword search strategies
Implications for students: proactive vs reactive searching (distinguishes experts from novices)
