5) Kuhlthau: Inside the search process: Information seeking from the user's perspective.

Kuhlthau's Inside the search process: Information seeking from the user's perspective combines the theories of Taylor and Belkin along with Kelly (which we haven't read) to create what she calls the ISP, the Information Search Process. Like the models from our other readings, the ISP is user-based and describes the search for information as an on-going process.

According to Kuhlthau, information seeking is a process that moves through particular stages, each of which has feelings that coincide with each phase. In this way Kuhlthau differs from the other researchers we've read so far: while some mention that the search can make people confused, even upset, Kuhlthau was the first to equate specific, changing feelings to her stages. I don't agree with all her emotions; I find her "thought" section (i.e., vague evolving into focused) more realistic and true to my own experiences. Her feelings are far too melodramatic. Kuhlthau also expanded her stage to include a phase of reflection, where the information that a person retrieved is converted into knowledge. Kuhlthau limits her model to the educational/academic world, and while I agree that general searches do not need to have that final step where we construct meaning from the information we found, I believe that Kuhlthau isn't giving enough credit to users doing searches outside of a school setting. For example, I did a lot of research before deciding on a career, and the information I gathered was converted into knowledge as I evaluated all my resources. Even when faced with a less complex information need, like deciding on what to make for dinner or picking out a movie, I need to do some exploration, formulation, comparisons, and then assessments. In this way Kahlthau is too dismissive of people who aren't working in an academic or academic-related field.

Once again, Belkin's ASK model fits in with Kuhlthau's model. In this case, an ASK is like the activity that a person undertakes in order to fulfill a gap in their knowledge or a perceived need. Unlike Belkin, Kuhlthau specifically notes that this need can be imposed by an outside force, such as a teacher assigning homework. Her stages include initiation, selection, exploration, formulation, collection, presentation, and finally evaluation. These stages are much like Taylor's four levels of information need. Initiation, selection, and even exploration are much like the unconscious and conscious needs. Once the person moves into the stage of formulation, collection, and presentation, the search begins to take place, much like in Taylor's formalized and compromised needs.