Survey of Information Habits and Perferences of Milennia

Survey of Information Habits and Preferences of Millennial Scientists

1. Demographic Information
1. We would like you to provide your name and email address so we can contact
you for clarifying your answers. Do not provide your name and email address if
doing so makes you uncomfortable.
First name
Last name
NIST email address

2. What is your gender?
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Male

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Female

3. What field(s) are you currently involved in? You may select one or more.
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Biology

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Chemistry

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Computer Science

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Engineering, Chemical

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Engineering, Civil

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Engineering, Electronic or Electrical

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Engineering, Manufacturing

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Engineering, Other

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Geology

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Material Science

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Physical Science

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Physics

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Social Science

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Statistics

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Other (please specify)

4. Please specify your classman rank in college
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Freshman

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Sophomore

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Junior

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Senior

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Graduate student

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Survey of Information Habits and Preferences of Millennial Scientists

2. Information Gathering
5. Let's talk about gathering, receiving, and processing information. First, let's
define what these actions mean:
Gathering: Identifying information that you want.
Receiving: Getting a copy of identified information into your possession.
Processing: Turning possessed information into something useful.
For this question, please assume you are gathering information for academic,
employment, or research purposes.
Note for this option: To 'take [sources] with you off-site' holds for all kinds of
sources: hardcopy, electronic, and human. You could check out a library book,
download a copy of information to your computer, or do lunch with an expert in
a particular field. All of these can be considered 'taking the source off-site with
you'.
Now, please rank the importance of the following aspects of gathering
information.
Least
important

Less
important

Medium

More
important

Most
important

Don't know

Gathering cutting-edge sources

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n

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Gathering easy-to-process sources

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Gathering free sources

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Gathering recommended sources

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Gathering sources quickly

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Gathering sources which are readily available for
on-site receipt

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Gathering trustworthy sources

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Gathering sources which you can take with you
off-site after receipt note

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Survey of Information Habits and Preferences of Millennial Scientists

3. Information Devices
6. A new handheld digital device is being sold in stores. You are considering
buying it. Please rank how the following attributes affect your decision to buy
the device.
Least
important

Less
important

Medium

More
important

Most
important

Don't know

The device is recommended by your peers

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The device is thoroughly tested/reviewed with
positive results

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The device is sold in a store (physical or online)
that is convenient to visit

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The device can do the job of several devices

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The device is inexpensive

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The device does one job well

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7. Please enumerate how many hours in a typical 7-day week you use the
following devices in general.
Media player (iPod, Zen)
Cell phone
PDA (BlackBerry, Palm
Pilot)
Telephone
Laptop computer
Desktop computer

8. Please specify in what context(s) you use the following devices. You may
select one or more contexts for each of the devices.
Social

Personal

Academic

Employment

I don't use this

I don't own
one

PDA (BlackBerry, Palm Pilot)

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Desktop computer

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Laptop computer

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Cell phone

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Telephone

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Media player (iPod, Zen)

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Survey of Information Habits and Preferences of Millennial Scientists

4. Information Locations
9. Please specify how you use the following locations for academic, employment,
or research purposes. You may select one or more options for each location.
Never tried
using

Don't use,
but tried
using

Avoid
using

Enjoy
using

Use
because
required to

Use by
myself

Use for
socializing

Use for
work

Use for
academics

Computer lab

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Home

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Study lounge

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Internet cafe

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Bookstore

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Coffee shop

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Scientific lab

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Office

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Library

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5. Source Preferences
10. Please indicate your usage preferences for the following information
sources when doing work for academics, employment, or research.
I consider this source's value to
be...

Compared to other sources, I
generally use this source...

Searchable online database/archive
Social bookmarking (del.icio.us, CiteULike)
Online book, textbook, or manual
Printed periodical (journal, magazine, news)
Human with professional relationship to you (expert,
librarian, coworker)
Printed book, textbook, or manual
Airwave-broadcast radio or TV
Online encyclopedia, dictionary, or thesaurus
Human with personal relationship to you (friend, family,
possibly coworker)
Internet-broadcast radio or TV
Online periodical (journal, magazine, news)
Printed encyclopedia, dictionary, or thesaurus
Blog or Podcast
Social networking site (Facebook, MySpace)
Internet search engine

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Survey of Information Habits and Preferences of Millennial Scientists

6. Library Services
11. Please rank the following means of communication based on how you prefer
using each method to reach a librarian.
Least
preferred

Less
preferred

Medium

More
preferred

Most
preferred

Don't know

Email

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Online forum or bulletin board

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In person

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Phone

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Pager or text message

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IM (instant messaging)

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Chatroom

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12. Check all options that apply for the following question. I have consulted a
librarian when I had trouble...
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Brainstorming ideas

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g

Starting a search to identify possible resources

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g

Finding resources I've identified in my search

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Using resources I've found

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g

Other (please specify)

13. Please select the most representative choice for the following question.
In general, I consult a librarian...
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Daily

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Weekly

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Monthly

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Yearly

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Never,
but did try

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Never,
and not tried

14. Please select the most representative choice for the following question.
In general, I use a physical library...
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Daily

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Weekly

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Monthly

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n

Yearly

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n

Never,
but did try

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n

Never,
and not tried

15. Please select the most representative choice for the following question.
In general, I use services that the library provides (e.g. licenses to private
databases, access to journals, searching the library catalog)...
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Survey of Information Habits and Preferences of Millennial Scientists
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Daily

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Weekly

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Monthly

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n

Yearly

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Never,
but did try

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Never,
and not tried

7. The Library
16. To help ISD plan for the library of the future, please indicate how valuable
you think the following library services would be to you.
Notes:
●

●

●

"Library information sources see this, this " are audio (tapes, CD), video
(VHS, DVD), software (simulation, organization, publishing), electronic
(online journal, e-book), human (professor, expert, professional), and
hardcopy (textbook, newspaper, microfiche) sources.
"Other databases see this " may exist in other libraries (Library of Congress,
National Library of Australia) or on the Web (Nature, PubMed).
"Reading lists see this " involve giving every library user the opportunity to
start a public blog-style website that also has a list of everything that the
user is currently reading (see LibraryThing). Reviews may also be included.
Books could be rated by average review score.
Value

Electronic newsletter about the library, providing publicity
for new publications and indicating new library information sources.
Hardcopy information sources (e.g. textbooks, journals, newspapers,
microfiche) available.
Improved online library catalog with reader reviews posted beside
traditional title, author, and subject information (see PennTags).
Audio (e.g. music, hear and learn foreign langauge) available.
Capability to search across other databases.
Software (e.g. simulation, organization, publishing) available.
Public-use office appliances (e.g. photocopier, scanner, printer).
Video (e.g. plays, movies) available.
Shops (e.g. bookstore, music store, office supply store).
Group collaboration areas with table, computers, chairs, blackboard, and
projector.
Improved user interface for search, such as Grokker's "Map View".
Blog-style suggested reading lists.
Social or fun areas (e.g. lounge, fireplace, stage, patio, exercise
facility).
The majority of library information sources available online.
Electronic information sources (e.g. e-books, scans of hardcopy
information, online journals) available.

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Survey of Information Habits and Preferences of Millennial Scientists
Librarian accessible within 1 minute.
Individual work or study areas with computer, desk, and chair.
Eateries with tables, chairs, food, and drink (e.g. coffee shop,
restaurant, bar, cafe, fast food).
Human information sources (e.g. professors, experts, professionals).
Internet access.

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