Information Seeking in
Electronic Environments
Marchionini, G. (1995). Information Seeking in Electronic Environments.
Cambridge Press.
Kathleen Padova February 2015
Gary Marchionini

Dean, School of Information and Library Science, University of North
Carolina at Chapel Hill

Taught courses in human-information interaction, interface design
and testing, and digital libraries

Published over 200 articles, book chapter, technical reports

Served on many conference committees and as chairs

Served as editor/editor-in-chief on multiple journals/publications

interfaces that support information seeking and information retrieval

usability of personal health records

multimedia browsing strategies

digital libraries

information architecture

personal identity in cyberspace

evaluation of interactive media, especially for learning and teaching
Information
Organization
System
Reference
System
Information Seeking
Information Retrieval
Relevance
Algorithms
Recall
Indices
Precision
Databases
Problem
Identification/
Clarification
Learning
Information Seeking
Information
Retrieval
Analytical
Strategy (formal)
Browsing
Strategy
(informal)
Information Seekers & Seeking Behavior

Problem identification/definition

Goals, tasks

Mental models

Domain expertise


Known sources
Search expertise

Known search techniques

Expectations

Situational context
Information Seeking Strategies
Analytic

Formal, planned
Browsing

Informal, casual

Opportunistic

Clarification

Goal driven

Indexes, organizational systems

Terminology

Discrete

Interactive

Complex queries

Related items
Discovery

“Building blocks”, faceted
searching


Scanning, observing, navigating,
monitoring

“Pearl growing”

Less cognitive load

Directed/Undirected
20 years later...
What has changed

HCI Research

Interfaces, interactivity

Still valid

Information Seeking Behavior
Models
Volume of information

Information Seeking Strategies

Connectedness of information


Online search savviness
Problem Identification/Query
Development


Expectations
Tactics

Tactics