Information Horizons: A Framework for Understanding and Exploring Information Behavior

Information Horizons is the updated, definitive resource for the Information Horizon Theory and the Information Horizon Interview method. Embracing behavioral, cognitive, and social aspects of information, the theory and method have been applied globally in information behavior research and education. The theory posits that information behavior is social, material, temporal, dynamic, situational, and contextual, and that information behavior can be conceptualized as Information Horizons, which include affordances and constraints on information behavior. It provides the foundation for the Information Horizon Interview method that combines semi-structured interview questions with a graphical elicitation technique in which the participant draws a visualization, or map, of their Information Horizon, which illustrates their information seeking behavior in specific situations and contexts. This volume incorporates recent developments in scholarship, technology, and methodology, updating the theory and method and providing new insights and guidance for their use in research and teaching. An expert in context citation analysis shows how the theory and method have been incorporated in research since its inception. Case studies authored by renowned scholars present personal reflections on their experiences conducting Information Horizon Interviews with different populations, with a level of detail not possible within a standard research report. Extensive teaching and learning examples, with a focus on hands-on exercises, demonstrate how the theory and method are used to teach information behavior concepts. Essays by students recount their experiences learning about the Information Horizon Theory and conducting Information Horizon Interviews. The book concludes with two detailed Information Horizon Interview guides for different study populations. Information Horizons will be of interest to researchers, educators, students, and practitioners worldwide interested in researching and teaching information behavior.