Search

The information needs of social science researchers are manifold and almost studied in every decade since the 1950s. With this paper, we contribute to this series and present the results of three studies. We asked 367 social science researchers in Germany for their information needs and identified needs in different categories: literature, research data, measurement instruments, support for data analysis, support for data collection, variables in research data, software support, networking/cooperation, and illustrative material. Thereby, the search for literature and research data is still the main information need with more than three‐quarter of our participants expressing needs in these categories. With comprehensive lists of altogether 154 concrete information needs, even those that are only expressed by one participant, we contribute to the holistic understanding of the information needs of social science researchers of today. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT The poster will present a summary of the arguments and topics raised in protest and support letters against the forthcoming closure of the Department for Information Science at the University of Duesseldorf, Germany. Case study-like this will shed light on how peers and stakeholders perceive the role and relevance of information science in general as well as the contribution of the Duesseldorf Department in particular. The poster aims, however, at providing a historical description on the actions taken and the arguments made. It will rather present indicators than significant evidence about perceptions of information science. The results of the small-scale topical analyses of the support letters, tweets, and comments to an online petition reveal that typical fields like information retrieval and knowledge management as well as skills like research or assessment of information are seen as assets of information scientists. However, popularizing the benefits of and - along with it - establishing information science as main subject within the (information) society is still due. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]