The shapes of information practice: using radial mapping qualitatively

Research output: Contribution to conferencePaperResearchpeer-review

Information practices comprise both seeking and avoidance. Although information practices scholars use qualitative and visual methods to understand seeking practices, they rarely do so to understand avoidance. This paper proposes a new visual method that supports revealing and explaining the complex interplay of seeking and avoidance in rich qualitative data. We introduce seven dimensions of information seeking and avoidance practice (intensity, granularity, engagement, control, relevance, quality, and timeliness). We conceptualize these visually as axes radiating outward from a central origin. We use Excel radar charts to depict these dimensions, allowing us to identify and characterize the shapes of information seeking and avoidance in everyday information practices. We apply our approach to two cases from published literature to show how mapping reveals the interplay between seeking and avoidance at one point in time and over time. We propose potential data collection and analysis applications of this method for information practices research
Original languageEnglish
Publication date2024
Number of pages5
Publication statusAccepted/In press - 2024
Event87th Annual Meeting of the Association for Information Science & Technology - Calgary, AB, Canada
Duration: 25 Oct 202429 Oct 2024
Conference number: 87

Conference

Conference87th Annual Meeting of the Association for Information Science & Technology
Number87
CountryCanada
CityCalgary, AB
Period25/10/202429/10/2024

ID: 393053921