We performed a multi-step survey in order to investigate the searching activity of librarians and that of end users during their search on the Internet by means of search engines, and in bibliographic and full-text databases. Our aim was to throw some light on the process of search for medical information, on the evaluation of hits, and to reveal the factors influencing these processes more deeply.
Both of the examined groups aim at quality information, which is exact, complete, objective, authentic, up to date, and relevant and meet the demands of end user.
Elements of the multi-step investigation:
- Questionnaire survey (filling in a form of locus of control personality test and the attached questionnaire regarding the information seeking and evaluation of hits)
- Solution to a concrete series of tasks, description of the steps of searching and evaluation, analysis of the results
By means of the questionnaire we want to get answers to the following questions:
- Preferred types of electronic sources (Internet vs. databases)
- Selection of the main MEDLINE versions in general and by different groups of users
- Preferred types of queries by librarians and by physicians performing searches in electronic sources of information
- Activity and motivation in procedure of searching mirrored in number and variation of queries
Our presumption was, that the strategy and methodology of search of the two examined groups (librarians and end/users) would definitely be different.
- Librarians show a preference for databases
- Both of the two groups prefer the developed, value-added version of MEDLINE
- The physicians (medical experts) favor the combined queries, perform repeated searches with refined queries, because they know the relevance of their hits.
- Some librarians perform combined searches, they would rather repeat the search with a variety of queries (subject headings). In general, they do not give up searching until they get the supposed quality information.
By evaluating the results of sample queries we collected
the main factors, which impede the users in arrival at quality information, as well as the factors, which increase the effectiveness of search.
In the end, we could state, that the medical-professional background appeared definitely in evaluation of hits.
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