1. Measuring Readings by Surveys Using Critical Incident Technique Surveys of Scientists and Engineers: Ensuring Reliable Research Evidence for Good Practice (SIGs STI, USE) Carol Tenopir, University of Tennessee Donald King, UNC and Univ of Pittsburgh

2. What you want to answer determines types of questions Demographic Recollection of behaviors (how often something is done) Opinions (reactions to statements on a scale, valuing services on a scale) Critical Incident (specific event and outcomes)

3. Incident of Last Reading Variation on critical incident Two stage random sample: 1) readers 2) readings Last readings are random in time

4. Critical (Last) Incident Is: Specific (last incident of reading) Easier for people to remember Includes all reading--e & print, library & personal Details of readings: source, format, time spent Purpose, motivation, outcomes

5. Our reading surveys: Have used this technique since 1970s Include over 30,000 responses Provide trends since 1977 Include university and non university studies 2 national surveys of scientists (1977, 1984) Astronomers and pediatricians who belong to their main professional societies (2003, 2004) Over 100 organizations 1977-present 10 universities 2001-present

6. These Surveys are Designed to: Provide a complete picture of information seeking and reading patterns (print and electronic) Distinguish: Sources of articles read How articles are identified/found Time spent reading and purpose of reading Age of articles read Format of articles read Outcomes from reading Value of reading from library and elsewhere

7. Demographic (faculty or student) plus critical incident (source of article) Faculty Doctoral Students

8. Pediatricians US Universities Astronomers Critical Incident for Method of Article Discovery UNSW

9. Time Spent Reading Varies by Subject Subject Discipline Average Time Per Article (Min) Medical Faculty22 Chemists43 Life Scientists26 Physicists45 Soc Sci/Psych38 Pediatricians20 Engineers44 Updated June 2004

10. Principal Purpose of Reading by all Univ. Faculty and by Pediatricians PurposesFacPed Primary Research32%5% Current Awareness22%50% Teaching18%5% Background/other18%6% Writing Proposals10%2% Consulting/diagnosis/treatment32%

11. Researchers read old and new articles, but it varies by subject discipline… Pediatricians Univ Scientists Astronomers

12. Print or Electronic Astronomers Pediatricians Univ Scientists

13. Purpose and Ranking of Importance: University Faculty #2Primary Research32% #3Current Awareness22% #4Background18% #5Teaching18% #1Writing10%

14. 1st Year 2-5 Years Over 5 Years Older articles are judged more valuable & are more likely to come from libraries

15. Critical (Last) Incident Method Can Show Usefulness and Value of Library Collections Saves faculty time (15 min/reading) Library reading rated higher in importance (5.5 vs. 4.7 in 1-7 scale) Readers take more time reading library articles (39 vs. 33 minutes) Achievers read more and use library collections more than non-achievers Articles from libraries yield more favorable outcomes Articles from libraries help achieve greater productivity

16. Survey instruments at: http://web.utk.edu/~tenopir/ research/survey_instruments.html