Information needs and seeking behavior of social science scholars at Sultan Qaboos University in Oman

Abstract

This study investigates information needs and information-seeking behaviors of social science scholars at Sultan Qaboos University in the Sultanate of Oman, as an example of a developing country in the Middle East. Its ultimate objective was to produce a model that is applicable to social science scholars in developing countries in general and Oman in particular. The study addresses the questions o f (a) how social science scholars at this university locate and use relevant information, particularly electronic resources and other emerging technologies, for their specific research and teaching needs; and (b) whether these patterns vary in relation to gender, age, academic rank, academic department or college, or preferred search language. Formal and informal sources of information and electronic resources utilized by social science scholars, as well as barriers to information seeking, are discussed. Additionally, barriers affecting scholars’ information-seeking behavior are identified. The study is conducted within a conceptual framework based on a synthesis of existing models of information-seeking behavior of Wilson (1996), Ellis (1989), and Kuhlthau (1991), along with additional elements representing the information environment, specifically the location and format of information resources. The model describes a pattern o f social scientists’ information-seeking behavior that includes eight generic stages: Initiation, Exploration, Monitoring, Categorization, Sifting, Selecting Resources, Collecting, and Ending. The data collected through mixedmethod approach consisting o f both quantitative and qualitative methods. The quantitative method consisted of a structured survey questionnaire sent to all social science scholars based at the university during the 2006-2007 academic year, and the qualitative approach consisted of 21 e-mail interviews, 16 face-to-face interviews, and four focus groups with social science scholars selected purposively.