Researchers' use and perceptions of discovery services

Authors: Jubb, Michael; Look, Hugh; Sparks, Sue

Source: Learned Publishing, Volume 20, Number 2, April 2007 , pp. 147-153(7)

Publisher: Association of Learned and Professional Society Publishers

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Abstract:

This article describes a study investigating how academic researchers in the UK use discovery services to find different kinds of information resources relevant to their research. The study shows that they use a very wide range of services, from Google to highly specialized databases, to find information relevant to different stages in their research. Researchers treat searching an integral part of the research process; their central concern is that they might miss something, and they tend to refine down from a large set of search results. Most are confident in their skills, though librarians see them as conservative in the tools they use and unsophisticated in their methods. Finally, we point to some gaps in provision as reported by researchers.

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Document Type: Research article

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1087/174148507X185126

Publication date: 2007-04-01

More about this publication?

Editor in Chief: Alan Singleton
North American Editor: Diane Scott-Lichter
Reviews Editor: Pippa Smart

Learned Publishing is the journal of the Association of Learned and Professional Society Publishers, published in collaboration with the Society for Scholarly Publishing. The journal is published quarterly in January/April/July/October.

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