Library

Module: Management of Academic Information

Unit 2: Understanding Information Need
 Presentation Overview
Learning Outcomes
Definition of information need
 Articulating an information need
Categories of information needs
Enabling factors for successful meeting of an information need
Obstacles to meeting of information needs
Information needs and information sources
References
 Learning Outcomes
At the end of this unit, students will be able to:
Define the information need to achieve a manageable research focus
Articulate an information need
Know the different categories of information needs
Enabling factors to successful meeting of an information need
Obstacles to meeting information needs
 Definition of an information need
The concept of an information need is concerned with the retrieval of
information relevant to the user’s information need (Borlund & Pharo, 2019).
Information needs represent gaps in the current knowledge of the user.
Information need implies that a person has some problems to solve, and
requires information to make optimum decision about how to solve the
problems (Nwagwu, & Segilola, 2013).
 Definition of information need cont’d
The Online dictionary for library and information science defines an
information need as:
“A gap in a person's knowledge that, when experienced at the conscious level as a
question, gives rise to a search for an answer. If the need is urgent, the search may be
pursued with diligence until the desire is fulfilled.”
Information need can also be defined as:
“An individual or group's desire to locate and obtain information to satisfy a
conscious or unconscious need (Yusuf, 2012” ).
 Definition of information need cont’d
In simple words, information need is the amount of information a user
requires to fulfil the search intent or information gap.
Therefore information needs should be understood and anticipated in order
to provide appropriate and applicable information (Kaniki, 1992).
 Classification of information need
The nature of information needs is dynamic and changing. Various studies
have classified information needs and based the classification on what a user
and an information professional know about such needs.
Shenton’s classification (2007) of information needs cited in Waseem Afzal
(2017) classified information needs as:
1) information needs known to the individual but not known to the
information professional,
2) information needs known to the individual and the information
professional
 Classification of information need cont’d
3) information needs known to the information professional but not known
to the individual,
4) information needs misunderstood by the individual and
5) information needs that are not known to either the individual or the
information professional
Information need under classification 1- 4 are easier to find the sources of
knowledge to fulfil the need. Information need on classification number 5
requires the researcher patience, diligence and persistence.
 Articulating an information need
Defining information need starts from recognizing that one needs
information to accomplish a specific task.
This stems from looking at the information that one needs in order to satisfy
a specific need.
The ability to articulate a question and develop a research focus is an
important skill.
It is a task that requires one to critically examine what they want to know
and further unpack it so as to define and describe what is needed in simple
terms.
 Articulating an information need cont’d
A clear articulation of the information need should be able to provide
answers to the following questions:
What information is needed?
What can be done to satisfy the need?
On what level should information be provided?
How much detail should be given?
 Articulating an information need cont’d
Having a clear understanding of one’s information need will enable one to:
Identify a lack of knowledge in a subject area or current knowledge on a
topic
Identify a search topic/question and define it using simple terminology
Recognize a need for information and data to achieve a specific end and
define limits to the information need
Learn more background information and use it to underpin the research
question.
 Articulating an information need cont’d
Take personal responsibility for an information search and adequately answer
one’s research question
Manage time effectively to complete a search
 Articulating an information need cont’d
The concepts/terms should be clear and unambiguous.
This process of identifying key concepts is done with the understanding that
information retrieval entails matching what is required with what is in the
information sources and a number of factors which are critical to successfully
meeting information needs.
 Categories of Information needs
Information needs are determined by the roles an individual fills in social
life, the environment within which the role is performed, and the level of
knowledge on the matter (Wilson (1981) cited by (Gebka, Crusoe, &Ahlin,
2021)
Information needs can be divided into the following categories:
a. Social or pragmatic information needs: Information required for coping
with day to day life.
b. Recreational information needs: Information satisfying the recreational and
cultural interests of an individual.
Categories of Information needs cont’d
c. Professional information needs: Information required for one to operate
competently within a business or professional environment.
d. Health information needs: Information required for treatment of different
ailments.
e. Educational/scholarly information needs: Information required to
satisfying academic requirements at an institution, (Thammanna, H. N. 2017).
 Enabling factors for successful meeting of an
information need
There are a number of factors playing a role in successfully meeting
information needs. These factors include:
Factors relating to personality:
persistence, willingness to continue and try again if success is not achieved
immediately;
thoroughness, to search deeply and painstakingly;
orderliness, by searching systematically;
 Enabling factors for successful meeting of an
information need cont’d
motivation, leading to commitment, to persist;
receptiveness, which is the willingness to accept information from other
sources (Nicholas, 1996).
 Obstacles to meeting information needs

There are various obstacles getting in the way of successfully using

information.
A person experiencing uncertainty does not recognize their specific need,
especially if it is intangible.
Because they are unable to specify what they really need, they are unable to
find a way to satisfy this need (Nicholas, 1996, Prasad, 1992).
 Obstacles to meeting information needs
cont’d
Factors relating to time:
a lack of sufficient time to obtain and digest information in the time allotted
for the task (Nicholas, 1996).
Factors relating to access:
even if someone knows about the existence of information, it might be
difficult to obtain;
distance from places where information can be obtained;
 Obstacles to meeting information needs
cont’d
format and language in which information is available; and people use what is
easiest to get and closest to hand, and not what is
actually the best or most appropriate (Nicholas, 1996).
Factors relating to the lack of resources and excessive costs:
Internet access and on-line uses of information systems are costly, (Nicholas,
1996).
Factors relating to information overload:
the amount of information can be overpowering. It needs to be evaluated
and only the best selected (Nicholas, 1996:38).
 Obstacles to meeting information needs
cont’d
Factors relating to information overload:
the amount of information can be overpowering. It needs to be evaluated
and only the best selected (Nicholas, 1996:38).
 Information needs and information sources
The ultimate goal of understanding one’s information needs is to effectively
link one to appropriate information sources.
The next unit explores a plethora of information sources that can be used by
individuals/researchers to satiate their information needs.
 Activity

1. a) From your daily routine activities name any 2 information needs

that you regularly encounter.
b) How do you satisfy/meet these information needs?
2. Complete the following by providing at least 2 information
types/sources to help you successfully meet the given information
needs.
Activity cont’d
2. Complete the following by providing at least 2 information types/sources
to help you successfully meet the given information needs.
Information needs Information types/sources
i) Background information on a topic 1………………..
2………………..
3………………..
 Activity cont’d
ii.) Current events 1……………………
2……………………..
3……………………..
iii.) Research 1………………………..
2…………………………
3……………………………
3. Name any 3 obstacles that may distract you from successfully meeting the
given information needs?
References

Borlund, P. &Pharo, N. (2019). A need for information on information needs.

In Proceedings of CoLIS, the Tenth International Conference on Conceptions of Library
and Information Science, Ljubljana, Slovenia, June 16-19, 2019. Information
Research, 24(4), paper colis1908. Retrieved from
http://InformationR.net/ir/24-4/colis/colis1908.html (Archived by the
Internet Archive at
https://web.archive.org/web/20191216154208/http://informationr.net/i
r/24-4/colis/colis1908.html) Accessed 10 May 2022.
Devadason, F. J., & Lingam, P. P. (1997). A methodology for the identification
of information needs of users. IFLA journal, 23(1), 41-51.
References cont’d
Gebka, E., Crusoe, J., &Ahlin, K. (2021). Methods to Capture User
Information Needs: Design Principles for Open Data Intermediaries and Data
Providers: Design Principles for Open Data Intermediaries and Data
Providers. Data Science Journal, 20(37), 1-19.
Nwagwu, W. &Segilola, M. (2013). Information Needs, Information Sources
and Information Seeking Behaviours of Engineers in Breweries in Nigeria.
Libri, 63(2), 159-178. https://doi.org/10.1515/libri-2013-0013
Reitz, J. M. (2017). ODLIS Online dictionary for library and information
science. Available on https://www.library.ucsb.edu/research/db/1182
,Accessed 10 May 2022.
References cont’d
Thammanna, H. N. (2017). Information gathering habits of contemporary
Kannada Writers an analytical study. Retrieved from:
http://hdl.handle.net/10603/206403
Waseem Afzal (2017) Conceptualisation and Measurement of Information
Needs: A Literature Review, Journal of the Australian Library and Information
Association, 66:2, 116-138, DOI: 10.1080/24750158.2017.1306165