An Investigation of Barriers to Information Seeking of Faculty Members of Islamic Azad University of Shiraz View Points Based on the Expansion of the Dervin’s Sense Making Theory (Kari’s Theory)

Document Type : Research Article

Authors

• Maliheh Nikkar ¹
• Zouhayr Hayati ²
• Azam Farsi ³

¹ Payame Noor University

² Shiraz University

³ Islamic Azad University

10.22067/riis.v6i2.43771

Abstract

Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the barriers to information seeking behaviors (in the phases of needs identification, information seeking, designing search strategy formula, and using information) of faculty members of Islamic Azad University of Shiraz based on the expansion of Dervin’s sense making theory (Kari’s theory).
Methodology: This is an applied study using the survey method. The subjects of the study were the full-time faculty members of Islamic Azad University of Shiraz being comprised of 288 people. 108 people were selected as the sample of the study by applying random sampling and using Morgan table. The measuring tool is a questionnaire comprised of 32 questions being designed by the researchers. Item analysis and Cronbach’s alpha were used to measure the validity and reliability, respectively. To analyze the data, descriptive and inferential statistics were used.
Findings: The findings revealed that most of the information seeking barriers were found in the search for information resources phase and in the information needs identification phase. Using information resources and the searching strategy were among the other barriers. The results of the hypotheses testing revealed that recognition of information needs had a strong and meaningful relationship with the information seeking. And there was a strong and meaningful relation between the information seeking and the use of information. Information use also had a positive and strong relationship with the information needs. The results revealed that there is a possibility to identify the barriers in all stages based on the expansion of sense making model.

Keywords

• Information seeking barriers
• Sense making
• Brenda Dervin
• Kari's theory
• Faculty members
• Islamic Azad University of Shiraz

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