The Information Behavior of Researchers on the Culture of the Greater Mekong Subregion
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Abstract
The purpose of this paper was to present the results of an empirical investigation into the information behavior of researchers focusing on cultural issues in the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS). The ultimate goal is to establish a solid foundation for the development of a semantic search system. To accomplish this objective, Wilson’s information behavior theory, which comprises three elements: defining information needs, seeking information, and the utilization of knowledge, was employed. A qualitative research method was adopted for data collection, which involved conducting interviews with 23 key informants. The results showed that researchers’ purpose of using information was divided into three categories: education, work, and personal interests. In regards to browsing behavior and accessing information, it was found that most of the informants used web search engines to access general information, followed by databases of academic and research institutes to obtain information for research or reference. When personal information resources were necessary, archives or specific locations were employed. The information used most frequently by key informants and considered valuable for searching was categorized into tradition name, location, content classification, abstract, and ethnic group. This study’ outcomes provide insights into the behavior of information needs and cultural accessibility of the Mekong countries among researchers as well as the browsing behavior issues and obstacles encountered by the users. The findings and recommendations can be used as a basis for developing a semantic search system that meets the needs of researchers.
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