LIS 4204 USF MOD 4 The Complex & Foundation Nature of Information Behavior Essay

Part 1.

In chapter 2 Case&Given (2016) provides five hypothetical “information seeking” scenarios depicting information behaviors in the context of the scenario. As Case&Given (2016) state “Common to them all has been the need to deal with great volumes of information, much of it complex” (pg.36).

In Table 2.2, the scenarios are represented by “seeker and context” according to four “variables” that Case&Given defines as “main (primary) motivation” (why did the individual search for the information), “sources of information” (utilized by each individual), “time pressure” (reflecting urgency of information need), and “Degree of thoroughness”, which, according to Case&Given (2026) “summarizes the ratio of data-actually-gathered-and considered to all-data-potentially-relevant in a search” (pg. 38).

1. In your opinion, to what extent do the variables (primary motivation, etc) affect information behavior? Are there other variables that you would add to the table?
2. After considering the three scenarios in the question, was there an information seeking scenario where you have found it difficult to gather the information you needed? If there was, what made the information seeking difficult for you?

Part 2.

For this portion of the discussion the questions are taken from Case&Given (2016) Appendix B for chapter 2.

1. Which of the scenarios described in this chapter seemed most familiar to you? Are they familiar because you have done the kind of seeking depicted, because you are interested in the topic of the search, because you identified with the character, or for another reason?
2. Invent your own scenario and describe it in 100-300 words.