Creating Knowledge V, 2008 A search thesaurus for the domain of linguistics Creating a domain specific search tool on the basis of user behaviour study and domain analysis Iben Broendum, Psychiatric Research Library, Aarhus, Denmark Marianne Lykke Nielsen, Royal School of Library and Information Science, Aalborg, Denmark

Agenda 1.Short presentation of entire study 2.Theoretical foundation and implications 3.Employed methods 4.Results and implications for thesaurus design 5.Lessons learnt 6.Conclusions and future research Iben Broendum, Psychiatric Research Library, Aarhus, Denmark Marianne Lykke Nielsen, Royal School of Library and Information Science, Aalborg, Denmark

The study The study investigates how a search thesaurus can assist users in the domain of linguistics in expressing their information needs and information searching The research question is examined through a case study at the Library of Linguistics, Dept. of Scandinavian Studies and Linguistics, University of Copenhagen Two studies were carried out: 1) Investigation of students’ information needs and search behaviour 2) Domain analysis Purpose: To investigate the research question from both the overall perspective of the domain as well as from the users’ perspective with the objective of creating a tool that better facilitates end-user understanding and navigation in the domain Iben Broendum, Psychiatric Research Library, Aarhus, Denmark Marianne Lykke Nielsen, Royal School of Library and Information Science, Aalborg, Denmark

Theoretical foundation and implications As regards methodology the study represents both the cognitive viewpoint as well as the domain analytical approach in LIS Where the domain analytical approach focuses on the domain, the cognitive paradigm concentrates on the individual’s cognition and how this affects information needs and searching The domain analytical perspective in this study is represented by Hjørland and Albrechtsen (1995), Hjørland (2002) and the cognitive viewpoint by Ingwersen & Wormell (1990), Kuhlthau (1991; 2004) and Vakkari (2001) The combination of different LIS-paradigms facilitates thesaurus design that takes both potential users as well as characteristics of the domain into account Iben Broendum, Psychiatric Research Library, Aarhus, Denmark Marianne Lykke Nielsen, Royal School of Library and Information Science, Aalborg, Denmark

Employed methods Iben Broendum, Psychiatric Research Library, Aarhus, Denmark Marianne Lykke Nielsen, Royal School of Library and Information Science, Aalborg, Denmark Desired knowledgeMethod General knowledge about information needs and end-user information behaviour Documentary analysis of information seeking and retrieval models and previous empirical studies - based on the cognitive viewpoint’s framework (Kuhlthau, 2004; Ingwersen, 1996) Specific knowledge of information needs and search behaviour in the Library of Linguistics Qualitative interview with the library’s librarian Knowledge on the domain, its structure and characteristics Domain analysis performed as a documentary analysis of essential encyclopedias and handbooks in the domain where several sub disciplines are selected for analysis - based on the domain analytical approach (Hjørland and Albrechtsen, 1995; Hjørland, 2002)

Results on students’ information needs and search behaviour Documentary analysis 3 different need types: Verificative, conscious topical and muddled topical (Ingwersen & Wormell, 1990) The formulation of information need can be difficult (Kuhlthau, 2004) Conceptual domain knowledge facilitates need formulation (Vakkari, 1999; 2001) Qualitative interview Discrepancies between search terms and index terms in databases Lack of or limited knowledge of linguistic and related non-linguistic terminology Dynamic terminology in domain Limited knowledge of the existence of divergent paradigms Students are directed towards encyclopedias and handbooks which indicates that librarian and teachers find these materials of importance when obtaining knowledge of the domain Iben Broendum, Psychiatric Research Library, Aarhus, Denmark Marianne Lykke Nielsen, Royal School of Library and Information Science, Aalborg, Denmark

Results of domain analysis Linguistics is a complex subject area Divergent set of paradigms within the domain High degree of interdisciplinarity Discrepancies between views on the content of subject areas and boundaries in the same sub discipline Disagreements on naming of theories Indication of the importance of individual scholars Iben Broendum, Psychiatric Research Library, Aarhus, Denmark Marianne Lykke Nielsen, Royal School of Library and Information Science, Aalborg, Denmark

Implications for thesaurus design Expansion and enhancement of traditional thesaurus content Elucidation of the structure of the domain Elaborated information on research areas, paradigms, significant theories and the influence of non-linguistic disciplines Assisting users in the formulation of information needs Longer text entries similar to articles in encyclopedias Graphical illustrations of e.g. the structure and relations between different paradigms and theories in a sub discipline Links to external information Providing information about research areas within sub disciplines Iben Broendum, Psychiatric Research Library, Aarhus, Denmark Marianne Lykke Nielsen, Royal School of Library and Information Science, Aalborg, Denmark

Employed methods: Lessons learnt The qualitative interview Requires experience Interviewee’s perception/interpretation and not reflection of reality Cannot substitute more user- centered methods Domain analysis Theoretical framework Difficult practical method Resource demanding Unsuitable method for compilation of terminological and semantic content for thesaurus Which sources are suitable as well as unbiased and authoritative? Requires extensive knowledge of the analysed subject area Suitable as a pilot study to get an impression of a domain Iben Broendum, Psychiatric Research Library, Aarhus, Denmark Marianne Lykke Nielsen, Royal School of Library and Information Science, Aalborg, Denmark

Conclusions and future research The search thesaurus’ main strengths - contributing to a larger understanding of the domain by providing elaborate information and presenting terms and concepts in a relevant context - larger amounts of domain specific information increase the users’ understanding of a domain and elucidate its characteristics and structure, providing an improved foundation for expressing information needs, search queries, and relevance assessments - the thesaurus as both a search tool and knowledge ressource Future research - our profession’s continuing development of tools in accordance with dynamic information environments and user needs - use of a wiki for compilation of terminological and semantic content for a thesaurus Iben Broendum, Psychiatric Research Library, Aarhus, Denmark Marianne Lykke Nielsen, Royal School of Library and Information Science, Aalborg, Denmark

References Hjørland, B. and Albrechtsen, H. (1995). Toward a new horizon in information science: domain-analysis. Journal of the American Society for Information Science, 46(6), Hjørland, B. (2002). Domain analysis in information science. Eleven approaches – traditional as well as innovative. Journal of documentation, 58(4), Ingwersen, P. (1996). Cognitive perspectives of information retrieval interaction: elements of a cognitive IR theory. Journal of Documentation, 52(1), 3-50 Ingwersen, P. & Wormell, I. (1990). Informationsformidling i teori og praksis. København: Munksgaard Kuhlthau, C. C. (1991). Inside the search process: Information seeking from the user’s perspective. Journal of the American Society for Information Science, 42(5), Kuhlthau, C. C. (2004). Seeking meaning: A process approach to library and information services (2. ed.). Westport, Conn.: Libraries Unlimited Vakkari, P. (1999). Task complexity, problem structure and information retrieval actions. Integrating studies on information seeking and retrieval. Information processing and Management, 35, Vakkari, P. (2001). A theory of the task-based information retrieval process: A summary and generalisation of a longitudinal study. Journal of Documentation, 57(1), Iben Broendum, Psychiatric Research Library, Aarhus, Denmark Marianne Lykke Nielsen, Royal School of Library and Information Science, Aalborg, Denmark