Serendipity and information seeking: an empirical study

by: A Foster, N Ford

Journal of Documentation, Vol. 59, No. 3. (7 May 2003), pp. 321-340.

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Abstract

"Serendipity" has both a classical origin in literature and a more modern manifestation where it is found in the descriptions of the problem solving and knowledge acquisition of humanities and science scholars. Studies of information retrieval and information seeking have also discussed the utility of the notion of serendipity. Some have implied that it may be stimulated, or that certain people may "encounter" serendipitous information more than others. All to some extent accept the classical definition of serendipity as a "fortuitous" accident. The analysis presented here is part of a larger study concerning the information-seeking behaviour of interdisciplinary scholars. This paper considers the nature of serendipity in information-seeking contexts, and reinterprets the notion of serendipity as a phenomenon arising from both conditions and strategies - as both a purposive and a non-purposive component of information seeking and related knowledge acquisition.

@article{citeulike:943, abstract = {\"Serendipity\" has both a classical origin in literature and a more modern manifestation where it is found in the descriptions of the problem solving and knowledge acquisition of humanities and science scholars. Studies of information retrieval and information seeking have also discussed the utility of the notion of serendipity. Some have implied that it may be stimulated, or that certain people may \"encounter\" serendipitous information more than others. All to some extent accept the classical definition of serendipity as a \"fortuitous\" accident. The analysis presented here is part of a larger study concerning the information-seeking behaviour of interdisciplinary scholars. This paper considers the nature of serendipity in information-seeking contexts, and reinterprets the notion of serendipity as a phenomenon arising from both conditions and strategies - as both a purposive and a non-purposive component of information seeking and related knowledge acquisition.}, author = {Foster, A. and Ford, N. }, citeulike-article-id = {943}, doi = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/00220410310472518}, issn = {0022-0418}, journal = {Journal of Documentation}, keywords = {change, information, strategy}, month = {May}, number = {3}, pages = {321--340}, posted-at = {2007-07-03 05:21:12}, priority = {4}, title = {Serendipity and information seeking: an empirical study}, url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/00220410310472518}, volume = {59}, year = {2003} }

RIS record

TY - JOUR ID - citeulike:943 L3 - citeulike-article-id:943 TI - Serendipity and information seeking: an empirical study JF - Journal of Documentation VL - 59 IS - 3 SP - 321 EP - 340 SN - 0022-0418 N2 - "Serendipity" has both a classical origin in literature and a more modern manifestation where it is found in the descriptions of the problem solving and knowledge acquisition of humanities and science scholars. Studies of information retrieval and information seeking have also discussed the utility of the notion of serendipity. Some have implied that it may be stimulated, or that certain people may "encounter" serendipitous information more than others. All to some extent accept the classical definition of serendipity as a "fortuitous" accident. The analysis presented here is part of a larger study concerning the information-seeking behaviour of interdisciplinary scholars. This paper considers the nature of serendipity in information-seeking contexts, and reinterprets the notion of serendipity as a phenomenon arising from both conditions and strategies - as both a purposive and a non-purposive component of information seeking and related knowledge acquisition. KW - change KW - information KW - strategy AU - Foster, A AU - Ford, N PY - 2003/05/07/ UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/00220410310472518 ER -

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