Page 107 - DLIS402_INFORMATION_ANALYSIS_AND_REPACKAGING

Information Analysis and Repackaging

Notes by using different search techniques, it is possible to make information retrieval faster and easier and
ensure that the search results are of good quality. Because of the information overload problem that is
facing every information-seeker, it is important to be able to limit the search in order to find information
that is relevant and make sure that relevant information sources are not missed.
The importance of planning the search cannot be stressed enough because it can improve the quality
search results. If the search string does not contain all of the core concepts of the subject, the search
results may be irrelevant, not specific enough or approached from the wrong perspective.
The core concepts constitute the basis for search terms. If the structure of the search string is based
on the conceptual structure of the topic, it is possible to retrieve relevant information. In addition,
regardless of topic, information should be sought from various sources by using several different
search strategies.

5.1 The Information Need

The information retrieval process begins when a potential information seeker realizes that she/he
needs information on a certain topic. At this point, the information seeker does not necessarily know
anything about the subject at all, or she/he may feel that his/her previous knowledge is not enough
in order to accomplish a task, for example. In the latter case, the person is usually familiar with some
basic information about the topic, which enables him/her to recognize the information need and
decide what sort of information she/he exactly needs. When defining the information need, the first
step is to ponder the following questions:
• What do I already know about the topic?
• Why do I need more information about the topic?
• What kind of information is needed? Do I need general information or does the information
have to be academic?
• What is my point of view on the topic?
• How old (or new) does the information have to be? From what period of time?
• What are the methods I should use when searching for information; what are the most essen-
tial and relevant concepts of the topic?
Analyzing the information need in this way before conducting the search is a good way of reducing
the time and effort spent in actually seeking the information. After this preliminary stage, the
information seeker can start planning the search in more detail.

Defining the Topic

When defining the topic of the search, the best way is to start by breaking the topic into component
concepts that will form the basis for the actual keywords used in the search string. Mind-mapping,
for example, is an effective way to analyze the conceptual structure of the topic. The different concepts
can then be taken into account when inventing search terms. The information seeker can, for example,
consider which words and phrases could be used in describing the different concepts of the topic.
Search terms can be natural language words, but they can also be terms found in thesauri and other
controlled vocabularies. In addition to thesauri and other lists of subject terms, search terms can be
discovered by looking up different alternatives in dictionaries. After this, the chosen search terms
have to be linked together to compose a search string. This can be done by using Boolean operators
that indicate the relationships between the search terms or different concepts.

102 LOVELY PROFESSIONAL UNIVERSITY