Journal Article

Research on information behavior in communities: a scoping review of community types, featured information behavior and research methods

Du, Jia Tina, Ke, Qing, Partridge, Helen, Ma, Dandan, Chu, Clara M.

2024

Overview

PurposeThis scoping review article examined research on information behavior in communities over the past two decades (2000–2023). The review aims to uncover the characteristics and types of communities studied, the featured information behaviors, and the research methods employed.Design/methodology/approachThe PRISMA-ScR guidelines were followed to conduct this review. Five databases were selected to search for relevant empirical research. A total of 57 studies met the inclusion criteria for review. Thematic synthesis was used to analyze the multidimensional findings of included studies.FindingsA steady increase in the number of articles is evident in the past two decades. The review suggests that information behavior in community studies involved collaboration from other disciplines, such as public health and business management. More than half of the communities studied are virtual communities (56.1%), followed by communities of identity, professional communities and support communities, communities of interest, geographic communities, and academic communities. There are overlaps among these categories. Information sharing (63.2%) and information seeking (57.9%) were the most studied behavior of communities, followed by information use, information needs, and information judgment. Questionnaires (38.6%) and interviews (35.1%) were the most commonly used data collection techniques in studying information behavior in communities. It is noteworthy that eleven (19.3%) mentioned utilizing community-engaged approaches.Originality/valueThis is the first scoping review to explore the intersecting constructs of community research and information behavior studies. We call for further research to understand the contextual factors that shape the community’s information environments and to increase awareness of the partnership between communities and researchers.

• Publisher: Emerald Publishing Limited,Emerald Group Publishing Limited
• Subject: Adult Learning / Aging (Individuals) / Behavior / Business administration / Collaboration / Community / Community research / Data collection / Database Management Systems / Educational Technology / Evidence Based Practice / Flow Charts / Information dissemination / Information management / Information needs / Information Policy / Information retrieval / Information Science / Information Seeking / Information seeking behavior / Information sharing / Library and information science / Meta Analysis / Multidimensional methods / Participatory Research / Professional identity / Public health / Reference Materials / Research design / Research methodology / Researchers / Search strategies / Software / Virtual communities / Visual Impairments