Multimethod Research: Deepening Insight Into the Context and Information Behavior of Marginalized Communities

The need to address marginalized communities' needs and to ensure consideration for diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility are key concerns in information science. The presentation will focus on an interdisciplinary information behavior research project conducted in South Africa and Uganda involving an industry partner from the UK. The study explored the information behavior of commuters who depend on informal transportation such as minibus taxis.

Three methods of data collection were used for the research conducted in South Africa: print-based travel diaries, photovoice and information horizon interviews. Selective findings will be weaved into a discussion of how the three methods complimented each other to deepen insight into the information needs and information behavior of socioeconomically marginalized commuters.

Dr. Fourie will elaborate on the need for a deeper understanding of the contexts in which information behavior manifests (i.e., immersion) and the value of embedding reflective practice into multimethod research to foster a more empathetic, ethical and holistic research approach.

Ina Fourie, PhD, is a full professor and experienced information behavior researcher. Her core research interests are health information behavior, cancer, palliative care, grief and bereavement, information literacy and autoethnography. She is the editor/co-author of books such as Autoethnography for Librarians and Information Scientists (Routledge); Third Space, Information Sharing and Participatory Design (Morgan and Claypool); and Navigating Information Literacy in a Digital World, currently in its 6th edition as an e-book only (Pearson/Maskew Miller Learning). Fourie is a former head of the Department of Information Science and chair of the School of Information Technology (iSchool) at the University of Pretoria (South Africa). She is currently the chair-elect of the iSchools organization board. She is a regular speaker at international conferences and serves on the editorial board of publications such as the Annual Review of Information Science and Technology, Online Review, and Information Research.