Search For Specific Information Research Articles

What do individuals with visual impairment need and want from a dialogue-based digital assistant?

ABSTRACT Clinical Significance Optometrists are well-placed to provide helpful advice and guidance to patients with visual impairment but may not know how best to do this. The availability of a reliable and comprehensive conversational agent to which patients could be directed would be a valuable supplement to clinical intervention. Background The Artificial Intelligence in Visual Impairment (AIVI) Study is a proof-of-concept study to investigate whether ongoing information support for people with visual impairment (VI) can be provided by a dialogue-based digital assistant. The phase of the AIVI Study reported here explored the different dimensions of the information-seeking behaviour of individuals with VI: in particular, their need for information, the methods for obtaining it at present, and their views on the use of a digital assistant. Methods Qualitative data were collected from 120 UK-resident adults who responded to an online survey who were either visually impaired (86.7%), a carer or family member of someone with VI (5.8%), or a professional involved in the support of those with VI (7.5%). In addition, 10 in-depth 1:1 semi-structured interviews explored opinions in more detail. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the findings. Results Analysis of information needs identified 7 major themes: ocular condition; equipment, technology and adaptations; daily activities; registration; finance/employment; emotional support; and support for the carer. Participants used a wide variety of methods to access information from many sources and explained the barriers to access. Participants accepted the merit of a dialogue system aiding in a goal-directed search for specific information, but expressed reservations about its abilities in other areas, such as providing emotional support. Conclusions Participants highlighted potential benefits, limitations, and requirements in using a digital assistant to access information about VI. These findings will inform the design of dialogue systems for populations with VI.

Predictors of online search performance: A uses and gratification perspective

A study of online search, especially search performance, is vital because people heavily rely on the Internet nowadays. The purposes of this study are thus to examine the gratification needs affecting Internet users’ intention to search information online, to explore the antecedents of online search performance, and to investigate online information-seeking behavior according to each search purpose. A survey of Internet users in Thailand is carried out. Data are collected extensively both from students and workers. Four hundred fifty-three questionnaires are collected online. Individuals use the Internet to search for information differently, for academic/ working achievement, problem-solving, and personal information needs. The main gratifications are information seeking and Internet ambiance. Internet search intention is a strong determinant of a user’s online search performance and corresponding behavior. The theoretical implication is that researchers could apply the research framework to other contexts such as the specific information search. Information source providers could use the findings to modify online resources and their presentations for users effectively. Teachers/ managers could guide their students/ workers to search effectively. This study combines the U&G and the TPB theories. The novel aspects of gratifications i.e., anti-traditional media sentiment and Internet ambiance are also explored.

Pemanfaatan Moodle pada Identifikasi Kendala dalam Soal Reading dengan Format Tes TOEIC

Most TOEIC test takers who score low are unfamiliar with the format of the test. This study aims to identify the problems that will likely become obstacles in the Reading Section of the TOEIC test. The data come from the results of the English I online final exam in the second term of 2017/2018 as well as the English II online mid-term and final exam in the first term of 2018/2019, all of which were held in Politeknik Negeri Batam. The exams are part of Moodle-based e-learning courses. The data consist of questions which have a low percentage of correct answers. The analysis was done by classifying the questions based on the five abilities measured in the Reading Section (vocabulary, grammar, specific information, inference, and connection). Based on the analysis, it can be observed that the biggest challenge comes from grammar, while the search for specific information poses little to no problem at all. It means the students still consider Reading Section of TOEIC test requires no special attention.

The Impact of Sociocultural Factors on Students’ ICT Information-Seeking Practices: Postgraduate Students’ Perceptions at a Zimbabwean University

The aim of this study was to examine the impact of cultural differences on students’ information-seeking, management and evaluation practices in an online information and communication technology (ICT) environment. The study was conducted at a Zimbabwean university on postgraduate students (male and female) (N=156), employing the questionnaire technique as data collection instrument. While there is a dearth of empirical studies on the use of ICT in Zimbabwe, the extant literature in this field shows a significant difference between the success and failure in the use of ICT sources for learning purposes among students in developing and developed countries. This study is premised on the proposition that “information seeking” is socioculturally bounded and the successful use of online information sources is significantly linked to the students’ perceptions of particular ICT platforms and how they are configured to facilitate specific information search outcomes. After the data collection process, the computer analysis software programme, Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS), was employed to obtain the cross-tabulations and chi-squared statistical tests. The main findings of the study show a statistically significant difference in students’ information-seeking practices. The study identified the importance of students’ cultural contexts in the successful use of ICT and concludes that cultural differences influence online information-seeking practices among students. The study recommends that the impact of cultural differences be considered when students are introduced to the use of ICT as an information-seeking tool and suggests that future studies, both qualitative and quantitative, be pursued to improve students’ information-seeking practices to enhance their success.

Real-time detection of navigation problems on the World ‘Wild’ Web

Abstract We propose a set of algorithms to detect navigation problems in real-time. To do so, we operationalise some navigation strategies suggested by the literature and investigate the extent to which the exhibition of these strategies is an indicator of navigation problems. Our Firefox extension senses behaviour indicative of a user experiencing interaction problems. Once these problems are detected we can suggest changes to these sites, and eventually adapt the site in real time to better accommodate the user. A remote longitudinal study monitored real website user behaviour, analysing every application event on the client side both individually and in combination. The study was conducted with 34 participants over 400 days totalling 567 h of normal usage and with no task restriction. Our sensing algorithms detected 374 issues with a 85% precision for purposeful Web use, suggesting that, indeed, when users search for specific information the exhibition of these strategies indicates the presence of problems. This contribution is novel in that, as opposed to a post-hoc analysis of user interaction, real-time detection of navigation problems at the user end opens up new research avenues in the realm of adaptive interfaces and usability analysis.

Establishing a Question Answering System for Forensic Texts

In the field of criminal proceedings a large quantity of textual material is frequently confiscated or secured by criminologists for evaluating and conserving of evidential information or fulfilling any judicial investigation mandate. The search for specific information or finding of correlations between virtually countless documents is currently a time-consuming handcrafted work. The difficulties remain in the identification of evidential documents and valid relations between entities on the one hand and the adherence to time limits and data privacy-protection on the other.In this work, an integrated computational solution developed by the authors for supporting the evaluation process of forensic texts using computer linguistic technologies is outlined. The application framework under construction is designed towards a QA- system and especially being able to solve a specific criminal issue, and visualize issue-centred case-relevant relationships. For this purpose, several state-of-the-art techniques in the fields of text categorization and information/event extraction are analysed with respect to their suitability for the peculiarities of the considered domain. Subsequently, several approaches for solving domain- specific problems are introduced. The results of this study will form the basis for constituent parts of the currently developed framework.

Nestor Guideline for Preservation Planning – a Process Model

The nestor guideline for preservation planning is the latest in a series of nestor publications. nestor is the German competence network for digital preservation and it offers all interested parties from the private and public domains the possibility to participate in working groups. The guideline for preservation planning is the result of such a working group, which discussed the conceptual and practical issues of implementing the OAIS Functional Entity “Preservation Planning”.The guideline describes a process model and offers some guidance on potential implementations. It integrates and builds on recognized community concepts like Significant Properties, the OAIS Designated Community, the National Archives of Australia’s Performance Model, the PREMIS concept of Intellectual Entities and Representations, and the PLANET’s approach to preservation planning. Furthermore, it introduces the concepts “intended use” (Nutzungsziele), “information type” (Informationstyp) and “preservation group” (Erhaltungsgruppe). The purpose of these new categories is that information objects shall be grouped by information type (e.g., audio, video, text…) and intended use (e.g., reading for pleasure, search for specific information…) to preservation groups for automatic processing. Significant properties can then be derived for whole preservation groups. The file format alone is considered as not completely sufficient for such categorisation. Some exemplary implementation solutions of the new concepts are presented in an annex.The guideline takes into account that resources for preservation planning and preservation actions are limited and has therefore adopted 4 premises: adequacy, financial viability, automation, and authenticity of archived objects. Its pragmatic approach becomes apparent in the definition and explanation of these dimensions. The guideline is written from the point of view of representatives of memory institutions, i.e., libraries, archives, museums, and is primarily targeted at this context although it may be useful for other information preserving institutions too.This contribution introduces the nestor guideline for preservation planning (for now only available in German; English translation envisaged for 1st half of 2014) to an international audience for the first time. It also matches the process model and the new concepts intended use, information type and preservation group to the collection and preservation reality of the German National Library.

Orienting during gaze guidance in a letter-identification task

The idea of gaze guidance is to lead a viewer’s gaze through a visual display in order to facilitate the viewer’s search for specific information in a least-obtrusive manner. This study investigates saccadic orienting when a viewer is guided in a fast-paced, low-contrast letter identification task. Despite the task’s difficulty and although guiding cues were ad-justed to gaze eccentricity, observers preferred attentional over saccadic shifts to obtain a letter identification judgment; and if a saccade was carried out its saccadic constant error was 50%. From those results we derive a number of design recommendations for the process of gaze guidance.

Locating ICTs in Asia’s Low-Income Communities: Private Sector Initiatives to Address Digital Divide

ICTs are said to play a crucial role in development and poverty reduction and this is especially articulated in national policies. Among developing countries, this perspective incorporates ICTs into the development agenda because of their relevance in transforming human activities and in presenting new opportunities for economic growth. Even if ICTs appear ubiquitous in this day and age, it still exists, the gnawing presence of digital divide and social exclusion. It is also argued that inequalities have increased since the late 1970’s both between countries, within countries and in both developed and developing nations. A considerable number of marginalized groups, such as rural folk, women, and low-income youth remain unreached by the benefits ICTs are supposed to offer. The vision of a so-called “information society for all” as stated in both developed and developing countries’ ICT policy documents today does not apparently include “all”.2 There are reasons to question both the local practices and the visions on ICT futures, and how the industry sector can play a role for ICT inclusion, how and on whose premises. Global visions and myths on possible prosperous ICT futures are continuously repeated, but there are attempts to problematize the mindsets and visions associated with ICTs for “development”.3 Going beyond the mere visions of access to all, the existing digital divides makes it appropriate to investigate how private sector-led ICT initiatives have approached locally marginalized groups in order to bring about ICT access, and what lessons can be learned. As Jayan Jose Thomas and Govindan Parayil (2008) experienced from their study in India, already existing social and economic divides can also be reproduced through incorporation of ICTs and new divisions are also created due to the workings of emerging economic conditions. It is important that the ICT and the telecommunication industry take these arguments into account when initiating digital access to excluded and marginalized groups in the future. Taking as point of departure private sector-led ICT initiatives, the paper seeks to examine the following questions: In what ways does the private sector address the digital divide and exclusion of marginalized groups in Asia’s low-income communities? What private sector-led initiatives by telecommunication operators touch upon the issues of digital divide and social inclusion? What are some issues pertaining to culture and human infrastructure which need to be tackled to ensure inclusion through ICT? Focus is on the experience of Telenor4 in Asia, particularly that of GrameenPhone which is one of its dynamic operating companies. A distinction needs to be made here between Grameen Bank and GrameenPhone especially in relation to the Village Phone Program. While Grameen Bank provides the micro-credit for women to start their phone business in the villages, GrameenPhone focuses on the technical and telecom-related aspects of the business. Both operate on a for-profit model. GrameenPhone caters to a wider customer base, a significant part of it are in low-income communities. The GrameenPhone CICs, in particular, operate on a franchise model whereby financial sustainability and self-liquidating operations by CIC entrepreneurs are critical. Setting up a CIC in a rural or semi-urban area by an entrepreneur involves an initial investment of 50,000 Bangladeshi Takas (approximately USD 732) financed either by Grameen Bank, NGOs providing micro-credit, or other local financing institutions. Revenues for the CICs are generated from Internet browsing or specific information search, e-mail, net telephony, CD burning, fax and scanning, digital photography, flexi load for mobile phones, and other services. The article draws on empirical research using in-depth interviews, focus group discussions, observation and home visits conducted on ICT user and non-user projects in Bangladesh from July 2007 to November 2008. Fieldwork was done in semi-urban and rural areas in Bangladesh, namely, Dhaka district, Chittagong, Cox’s Bazaar, Sylhet, Jessore, Sylhet, and Khulna. These were done in phases with Community Information Centres (CICs) as entry point in understanding lifestyles, perceptions, needs, and behaviour of people in local communities especially as they relate to Internet and mobile phone usage.

Users' motivations and attitude towards the online press

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is explain how the advent of the internet not only affects the way in which newspapers work, but also has an impact on readers' behavior. This research seeks to identify the readers' motivations as the key determinants of the attitude towards digital newspapers, and to analyse their impact on that attitude.Design/methodology/approach – Qualitative studies are necessary to identify the motivations and establish the hypotheses, and a survey is applied to a representative sample of users. The scales are validated and refined, after which the hypotheses are tested by way of a structural equation model.Findings – The results confirm the existence of positive significant relationships between motivations related to the knowledge of current news, search for specific information and search for updated news, with the favourable attitude to digital newspapers. However, entertainment as a motivation for reading impacts negatively on the readers' attitude. Also, habit as a motivati...

ANSWER: APPROXIMATE NAME SEARCH WITH ERRORS IN LARGE DATABASES BY A NOVEL APPROACH BASED ON PREFIX-DICTIONARY

The obvious need for using modern computer networking capabilities to enable the effective sharing of information has resulted in data-sharing systems, which store, and manage large amounts of data. These data need to be effectively searched and analyzed. More specifically, in the presence of dirty data, a search for specific information by a standard query (e.g., search for a name that is misspelled or mistyped) does not return all needed information, as required in homeland security, criminology, and medical applications, amongst others. Different techniques, such as soundex, phonix, n-grams, edit-distance, have been used to improve the matching rate in these name-matching applications. These techniques have demonstrated varying levels of success, but there is a pressing need for name matching approaches that provide high levels of accuracy in matching names, while at the same time maintaining low computational complexity. In this paper, such a technique, called ANSWER, is proposed and its characteristics are discussed. Our results demonstrate that ANSWER possesses high accuracy, as well as high speed and is superior to other techniques of retrieving fuzzy name matches in large databases.

The choice of digital newspapers: influence of reader goals and user experience

PurposeTo analyze press reader behavior in the digital medium: identify the main goals that lead readers to read the press and analyze their influence on the choice of digital newspapers. Moreover, the research analyses the moderator effect of user experience.Design/methodology/approachFirst, qualitative studies were carried out which allow reader objectives to be identified and the hypotheses to be established. Subsequently a survey was applied to a representative sample of users. The scales were validated and refined, after which the hypotheses were tested by way of a structural equation model and a multi‐sample analysis.FindingsThe goals based on the search for specific information and for updated news have a positive effect on reading newspapers on the Internet. In contrast, there is no significant effect when reading is for entertainment. This last relationship has been found to be moderated by the user experience variable.Research limitations/implicationsThe main aspects which justify digital newspaper reading should be considered in order to increase its use. Similarly, attention is drawn to the probable evolution of reader behavior, which could depend on the level of user's experience with the Internet press.Originality/valueThis is one of the first studies that analyses reader behavior on the part of the Internet press readership. In this sense, it provides a significant contribution in that it sets out to identify patterns of behavior on the part of readers of digital newspapers, as well as to study reader goals from a global perspective.

Exploring age-related differences in information acquisition for a gift purchase

This study examines age differences with respect to consumers’ usage of in-store information sources, and the underlying antecedents of in-store information search, in the context of a Christmas clothing gift purchase. The information search literature identifies a number of personality, situational, and demographic variables that are posited to influence the extent of information acquisition. A survey, containing items designed to measure the identified antecedent search variables, as well as usage of various in-store information sources, was administered to actual consumers shortly after the Christmas season. In-store information search appears to be composed of three distinct dimensions: general information search, specific information search, and sales clerk assistance. Distinct patterns of in-store search behavior, in terms of the three identified search dimensions, were apparent for the four age groups (<30, 30–49, 50–59, 60+ years). In addition, the degree to which various personality, situational, and demographic variables influenced in-store search behaviors sharply varied across the four age groups. Other observed age differences, and directions for future research are also discussed.

ESTAP—an automated system for the analysis of EST data

The EST Analysis Pipeline (ESTAP) is a set of analytical procedures that automatically verify, cleanse, store and analyze ESTs generated on high-throughput platforms. It uses a relational database to store sequence data and analysis results, which facilitates both the search for specific information and statistical analysis. ESTAP provides for easy viewing of the original and cleansed data, as well as the analysis results via a Web browser. It also allows the data owner to submit selected sequences to dbEST in a semi-automated fashion.

Finding Geographic Information: Collection-Level Metadata

Certain types of information are associated with specific locations on Earth’s surface, and can be retrieved using location as the primary search key. The combination of a collection of such information and a location-based search mechanism is termed a geolibrary. A search for specific information over multiple collections is more efficient if one knows where to look. Information about the contents of a collection is termed collection-level metadata (CLM). Several conceptual designs for the process of search are reviewed, and the U.S. National Geospatial Data Clearinghouse is discussed. The Alexandria Digital Library provides an example of a large digital collection. Its geographic coverage is analyzed to determine whether its CLM can be modeled effectively. The difficulties of describing CLM are discussed from the perspective of institutional change, as library collections attempt to make themselves more accessible through the Internet.

Using methods of declarative logic programming for intelligent information agents

At present, the search for specific information on the World Wide Web is faced with several problems, which arise on the one hand from the vast number of information sources available, and on the other hand, from their intrinsic heterogeneity, since standards are missing. A promising approach for solving the complex problems emerging in this context is the use of multi-agent systems of information agents, which cooperatively solve advanced information-retrieval problems. This requires advanced capabilities to address complex tasks, such as search and assessment of information sources, query planning, information merging and fusion, dealing with incomplete information, and handling of inconsistency. In this paper, our interest lies in the role which some methods from the field of declarative logic programming can play in the realization of reasoning capabilities for information agents. In particular, we are interested to see how they can be used, extended, and further developed for the specific needs of this application domain. We review some existing systems and current projects, which typically address information-integration problems. We then focus on declarative knowledge-representation methods, and review and evaluate approaches and methods from logic programming and nonmonotonic reasoning for information agents. We discuss advantages and drawbacks, and point out the possible extensions and open issues.

Designing for Website Usability

This paper explores the customer perspective of World Wide Web (WWW) site design in the light of current WWW usability research. A usability study undertaken by Spool et al. (1999) is replicated where testers search for specific information on a WWW site and answer a usability questionnaire. The search was carried out on New Zealand winery WWW sites. The results are compared to the findings of Spool in the areas of navigation, graphics and page layout. All three areas are found to be significant influences on WWW usability. Additional recommendations concerning guidelines for usability are made.

Déterminants of In‐store Information Search Stratégies Pertaining to a Christmas Gift Purchase

AbstractThis study examines consumers' use of in‐store information sources while Christmas shopping. A literature review identifies a number of situational, personal, and démographic variables that may influence search behaviour for a Christmas gift. A survey was conducted soon after the Christmas season to investigate the effects of the identified variables on search behaviour pertaining to a clothing gift. Findings indicate that in‐store search behaviour consists of three dimensions: general information search (e.g., dispays, comparing prices/brands), specific information search (e.g., labels, packaging), and assistance of sales clerks. Each search dimension was regressed on the identified variables, and determinants were obtained. Situational variables consistently outper‐forn all other variables, and personal variables outper‐form demographics for the two nonpersonal search variables. Implications for further research and for practitioners are provided.RésuméLa présente recherche s'intéresse à l'utilisation par les consommateurs des sources d'information à l'intérieur du magasin lors du choix de cadeaux de Noël. Une revue de la littérature identifie plusieurs variables (personnalité, situation et démographie) comme pouvant influencer la recherche d'information lors du choix d'un cadeau de Noël. Une enquěte a été menée juste après les Fětes afin d'identifier les variables qui ont pu influencer le choix d'un větement comme cadeau. Les résultats indiquent que la recherche d'information comporte trois dimensions: la recherche générale (ex.: présentoirs, comparaison des marques et des prix), la recherche spécifique (ex.: étiquettes et emballage) et l'aide d'un vendeur. Une régression de toutes les variables sur chaque dimension permet d'identifier les déterminants de la recherche d'information. Les variables de situation sont les plus importantes sur les trois dimensions, et les variables de personnalité plus importantes que les variables démographiques sur les deux premières dimensions. Enfin, l'article fournit des suggestions pour de futures recherches et indique les retombées pour les gestionnaires.

Gender differences in information search strategies for a Christmas gift

Examines the underlying determinants of in‐store information search for a Christmas clothing gift, specifically focusing on gender differences. Two non‐personal (general and specific) and one personal (sales clerk assistance) in‐store information search domains were obtained from the results of a survey of actual consumers carried out shortly after the Christmas season. Consistent with the predictions of the selectivity model, females appeared to comprehensively acquire in‐store information, whereas males appeared to heuristically limit their search to a smaller subset of in‐store information. More specifically, females scored significantly higher than males on indices of both general and specific information search. Females, compared to males, were also found to start Christmas shopping much earlier, purchase more gifts, and embark on a greater number of shopping trips. Other observed gender differences are discussed.

Virtual seminars

A virtual seminar (SM) is an economic and effective instructional tool for teaching students who are at a distance from their instructor. Like conventional class room teaching, a virtual seminar requires an instructor, a student, and a method of communication. Teleconferencing, video conferencing, intranets and the Internet give learners in a Virtual Seminar the ability to interact immediately with their mentors and receive real and relevant answers. This paper shows how industry and academia can benefit from using methods developed and experience gained in presenting the first virtual seminars to academic and petroleum industry participants in mid-1996. The information explosion in industry means that business or technical information is worthless until it is assimilated into a corporate knowledge management system. A search for specific information often turns into a filtering exercise or an attempt to find patterns and classify retrieved material. In the setting of an interactive corporate information system, virtual seminars meet the need for a productive new relationship between creative people and the flux of corporate knowledge. Experience shows that it is more efficient to circulate timesensitive and confidential information electronically through a virtual seminar. Automating the classification of information and removing that task from the usual work load creates an electronic corporate memory and enhances the value of the knowledge to both users and a corporation. Catalogued benchmarks, best-practice standards, and Knowledge Maps (SM) of experience serve as key aids to communicating knowledge through virtual seminars and converting that knowledge into a profit-making asset.