This document summarizes the key findings from an ethnographic study conducted by EBSCO on student research behaviors. There were three major themes: 1. "Presearch & Research" - Students do initial searching on Google and Wikipedia before beginning "serious research" in the library. They experience increased anxiety during the research phase. 2. "The New Black" - Students now use search results pages as a point of triage to evaluate sources rather than just a path to full records. They open multiple tabs and weed through sources. 3. "Efficiency-Seeking" - Students are influenced by experiences on sites like Google, Amazon and Netflix that teach quick scanning. They calculate daily return on investment for their

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Free-Range Finding:
Research for Real People
PSP Seminar Series: Association of American Publishers
Knowing and Understanding the User
September 10, 2015
Kate Lawrence, VP User Research
EBSCO Information Services
@bykatelawrence

2. Studying people
outside the “cage” of a
single interface or
product.
Zoom out.
Then stay there long
enough to learn
people’s stories.

3. 5 O c t o b e r 2 0 1 5 T H E D A I L Y S P E C I A L P R E S E N T A T I O N T E M P L A T E
3
Go outside.
Leave the building.
Go to your users.
See their world.

4. Studying people in their environment means studying
people in their natural, comfortable state. You are also
learning about the setting in which they do whatever it is
you are curious about.
Why ethnography vs. usability testing
Ethnography is most effective for a specific market or a
population: “We want to learn more about how [who]
approaches/thinks about [what big thing].
“But what if I don’t hear about [our
product/company/big thing]?” – the panicked Product
Manager

5. The EBSCO Sample: 22 Students
One question, diverse stories. But clear themes emerged.

6. Three major themes
Presearch &
Research
The New
Black
Efficiency-
Seeking

7. Presearch & Research
Presearch* is the pre-work. It’s the stretch before the run, the warm-
up before the debate, the practice before the game.
The work before “it counts”.
*Identified by Dr. Alison Head & Project Information Literacy Study, 2013
Worry,
anxiety
Presearch:
Google
Presearch:
Wikipedia
Then,
“Serious
Research”

8. “Googlepedia”

9. Presearch & Research
• Research is within the “vault” of the library.
• Research is serious. Now, it counts.
• Increase in anxiety with research phase, more
than for presearch.
• “Renter” not “Buyer” mentality.

10. On Research: It is Library-Ese?
Library-Ese Study, EBSCO 2015, Lead researcher: Khalilah Gambrell
Well-Understood Terms Less-Understood Terms
Interlibrary Loan
Publication Type
Abstract
PDF Full Text
Peer Reviewed
Primary Source
Boolean
Catalog
HTML Full Text
ePub
eBook Full Text
Database
Trade Publications

11. Search Results is the New Basic
• Once a pass-through to the detailed record,
students are now using search results as a point of
triage.
• Opening new browser tabs for possibilities.
• From finding sources, to weeding & narrowing
• Laptop stays open for the duration.
• Disconnect between permalink use and copy &
paste ethnographic observations.

12. TWO COLUMNS OF BULLETS
 Option 1 is quite nice, actually
 Choice number 2 is also quite good,
reliable option
 Opportunity number 3 is even better
than the first two
 And then there’s option number 4
which is, in our opinion, the best
option of all
 Still, there is number 5, which isn’t half
bad if you as anyone
5 O c t o b e r 2 0 1 5 T H E D A I L Y S P E C I A L P R E S E N T A T I O N T E M P L A T E 1 2
 Option 1 is quite nice, actually
 Choice number 2 is also quite good,
reliable option
 Decision number 3 is even better than
the first two
 And then there’s option number 4
which is, in our opinion, the best
option of all
 Still, there is number 5, which isn’t half
bad if you as anyone
Binary decision-making mode: yes/no, stay/go
Emotions play a critical role. Do I see myself here?
Hunters & gatherers – adding worthy items to
their running word document (shopping cart!)
Everything centers around search results. The
challenge? Removing and streamlining, not
adding to it
Once a technical concern, “page load” is now a
concern about cognitive load.

13. Efficiency-Seeking
• Google, Amazon, Netflix – defining experiences.
• “They taught me to scan in my SAT prep class.”
• Timeline: Lots of “day 18 guys” – discrepancy
between in-person sessions and surveys
(reporting your best self?)
• ROI ongoing (daily) calculation because of
significant workload (personal & work).

14. A COMPARISON PAGE
ONE SET OF JUICY DEALS
Here’s a whole mess of text to show you just how this page
can fill up with interesting content that tells a compelling story
with words and a single image.
You can just write to your heart’s content and fill this space
with lots of ideas, thoughts, stories or even random dreams
you have collected over the years. You could even use this
space to talk about the image you have placed just to the
right of this second block of text.
Don’t be shy – people are curious and not nearly as mean
spirited as you could possibly imagine. Just tell it like it is and
all will listen without judgment. Go on… we’re waiting for you
to open up and just tell us!
A SECOND SET OF JUICY DEALS
Don’t be shy – people are curious and not nearly as mean
spirited as you could possibly imagine. Just tell it like it is and
all will listen without judgment. Go on… we’re waiting for you
to open up and just tell us!
Here’s a whole mess of text to show you just how this page
can fill up with interesting content that tells a compelling story
with words and a single image.
You can just write to your heart’s content and fill this space
with lots of ideas, thoughts, stories or even random dreams
you have collected over the years. You could even use this
space to talk about the image you have placed just to the
right of this second block of text.
5 O c t o b e r 2 0 1 5 T H E D A I L Y S P E C I A L P R E S E N T A T I O N T E M P L A T E 1 4

15. The Future: Organic Discovery

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Be in Touch.
klawrence@ebsco.com
@bykatelawrence