I.                   Developer

A.    Carol Culler Kuhlthau Professor Emerita of Library and Information Science at Rutgers University.

II.                Definition

A.    The Information Search Process (ISP) is a six stage model of the usrs’ holistic experience in the process of information seeking.

B.     The model of the ISP describes users’ experience n the process of information seeking as a series of thoughts, feelings, and actions.

III.             Components

A.    Initiation is when a person becomes aware of a lack of knowledge and understanding and feelings of uncertainty

B.     Selection is when a general area, topic, or problem is identified

C.     Explanation is when inconsistent, incompatible information is encountered and there is uncertainty, confusion and doubt.

D.    Formulation is when a focused perspective is formed and uncertainty diminishes

E.     Collection is when information pertinent to the focused perspective is gathered an uncertainty subsides.

F.      Presentation is when the search is completed with a new understanding enabling the person to explain his or her learning to others or in someway put learning to use.

IV.             Advantages and Disadvantages

A.    Advantages

a.       Students are focused

b.      Information quality

c.       Boosts students’ confidence, relief, and satisfaction increased

B.     Disadvantage

a.       Students found difficulty finding precise information.

V.                Implications for the LMC

A.    The qualitative and quantitative methods can be productively applied to study the aspects of a problem over an extended period of time.

B.     It provides an example of the application of relevant theory from other related topics to offer a new way of looking at the problem.

VI.             Weblinks

A.    http://www.scils.rutgers.edu/kuhltheu/informatio_search_process.html

B.     www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/aasl

C.     http://www.school.utexas.edu

D.    http://virtualinquiry.com

E.     http://information.net