Research Can Be Fun Selected Projects from a 25Year Career

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Research Can Be Fun! Selected Projects from a
25-Year Career

• Presentation at State Library of Western
  Australia
• by
• Dr Kirsty Williamson
• Director, Information and Telecommunications
  Needs Research
• Caulfield School of IT, Monash University
• School of Information Studies, Charles Sturt
  University
• 12 April, 2007

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The Information Needs and Behaviours of Older
People

• Kirsty Williamsons PhD thesis
• Older Adults Information, Communication and
  Telecommunications
• Two publications Williamson, 1995 and
  Williamson, 1998

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The Information Needs and Behaviours of Older
People

• Imperatives for study
• Proportion of older people is becoming quite
  significant.
• People aged 65 10.5-13 of population
  1986-2006.
• Projected increase to 26-28 of population in
  2051.
• Baby boomers (born 1946 - 1965) made up more than
  one-quarter of Australian population in 2005.
• Oldest old (85) group doubled in size 1986-2006
  0.8-1.6 of population.
• Projected growth 2-3 of population by 2021
  6-8 by 2051.

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Older Peoples Study (PhD)Aim and Theory

• Aim To investigate information and communication
  needs and behaviours, in general, and in relation
  to telecommunic- ations use.
• Ecological theory focus on the individual in a
  particular physical and social environment.
• - Individuals seen as self-creating, but
  within contexts that involve various kinds of
  biological and social circumstances.

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Older Peoples Study (PhD) Sample and Data
Collection

• Sample consisted of 202 people aged 60 and over.
• 146 aged 60-74 (the young-aged)
• 44 aged 75-84 (the old-old)
• 12 aged 85 and older (the very old/oldest old)
• Three interviews with each participant between
  1992 and 1994 in Victoria - city and rural areas

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Older Peoples Study (PhD)Findings Information
Needs

• 1. Health confirmed by other studies
• 2. Income and finance
• 3. Recreation
• Chatmans (1991, 1992) provides confirmation.
• Other topics government, consumer, housing and
  accommodation, retirement benefits, crime and
  safety, environment, pharmaceuticals, holidays,
  legal, transportation, family and personal,
  education, employment, services (e.g., meals on
  wheels), and volunteer opportunities.

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Older Peoples Study (PhD)Findings Information
Needs (Cont.)

• The very old/oldest old needed significantly
  fewer information topics than the old-old who
  needed significantly fewer topics than the young
  aged.
• Participants aged 85 plus had significantly
  diminished needs except for the topics health,
  income, recreation and pharmaceuticals.

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Older Peoples Study (PhD)Findings Sources of
Information

• Frequently used sources (used by more than 50
  for most topics - incidentally acquired, as well
  as purposefully sought)
• 1. Family members
• 2. Newspapers
• 3. Friends
• 4. Television
• 5. Printed information
• 6. Radio.
• Again confirmed by Chatman (1991, 1992).

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Older Peoples Study (PhD)Findings Sources of
Information (Cont.)

• Very old/oldest old used significantly fewer
  sources than the old-old who used significantly
  fewer sources than the young aged.
• The young aged used sources most, particularly
  media sources.
• Oldest two groups
• set particular store by professionals.
• were more reliant on family members and, to a
  lesser extent, on friends.

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Older Peoples Study (PhD)Findings Sources of
Information (Cont.)

• And what of libraries?
• 50 had used a library in the past five years.
• Libraries and information centres equal as least
  used sources of information.
• Libraries fourth most important source for
  recreation used by 50 of respondents.
• Other topics above 10 use holidays (20),
  family and personal (14), education (14),
  health (13) and environment (11).

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Older Peoples Study (PhD)Findings Sources of
Information (Cont.)

• Libraries as an information source had valuers
  and detractors
• 'I would always go to the public library for
  health information - often to pass on to a
  friend'.
• 'Libraries often don't have up-to-date
  information'.
• But as source of leisure reading, unequivocal
  praise
• 'I'm the library's best customer'.
• 'The library is a wonderful source of both
  recreational and informational reading'.

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The Fourth Age Information, Communication, and
Successful Aging

• PhD study being undertaken in Kansas, USA
  (through Charles Sturt University).
• Fourth age defined by levels of disability and
  dependence - mostly oldest old (85) but also
  some old-old (75-84).
• Field work undertaken in two retirement
  communities with different socio-economic
  profiles.
• Two publications from this project so far
• Asla, Williamson and Mills 2006, and Williamson
  and Asla, in press.

13
Baby Boomers and Public Libraries

• The Impact of the Retirement of the Baby Boomers
  on the Public Library a Pilot Study (2005)
• Researchers Kirsty Williamson, Marion Bannister,
  Lynne Makin, Don Schauder, Graeme Johanson, Jen
  Sullivan
• Two publications
• Williamson, Bannister, Makin, Johanson,
  Schauder, and Sullivan, 2006a and
• Williamson, Bannister, Makin, Johanson,
  Schauder, and Sullivan, 2006b

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Baby Boomers and Public Libraries

• Imperatives for study
• Baby boomers are a large cohort 5.4m
  (one-quarter of Australian population in 2005).
• Have already had a major impact on Australian
  society.
• Libraries have good reason to plan and develop
  policy.
• Paucity of research on the impact on public
  libraries of the retirement of baby boomers
  except for the work of Kahlert/ Lockyer-Benzie.

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Baby Boomers and Public Libraries

• Characteristics of baby boomers
• voracious users of information
• most highly educated generation
• more affluent than previous generations
• will have time to explore personal interests
• will lose access to workplace resources
• lifelong learning will interest them
• health and lifestyle important

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Baby Boomers and Public LibrariesPilot Study
Aims and Theory

• Aims
• To investigate the likely impact of the
  retirement of the baby boomers on the public
  library.
• To undertake the investigation in exploratory
  mode, encouraging participants to think
  creatively about the library of the future,
  unfettered by present realities or even
  possibilities.
• Theory
• Interpretivist/constructivist philosophy
• To understand how the various participants in a
  particular age cohort construct their world.
• To explore the multiple realities or
  perspectives of a range of stake holders.

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Baby Boomers and Public LibrariesPilot Study
Sample and Data Collection

• Two focus groups, 8 baby boomers (born 1946 and
  1965) in each.
• Nearly all leading edge boomers.
• Recruited through 2 library services Newcastle
  and St Kilda.
• Four gatekeepers - visionary leaders
  interviewed individually.

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Baby Boomers and Public LibrariesPilot Study
Findings

• Characteristics, Preferences and Needs
• Well educated, IT savvy, many comfortable
  financially, many have worked full-time.
• Enjoy quality products, convenience, require
  value for money and want it now!
• Have high expectations of life.
• Hobbies and interests (eg, travel) are important.
  
• Strong interest in continuing education.
• This generation is different to the one that is
  out there now. (GK)

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Baby Boomers and Public LibrariesPilot Study
Findings (Cont.)

• Characteristics, Preferences and Needs (Cont.)
• Proficiency with technology, but many prefer the
  book for information and recreation.
• Many are good information seekers accustomed to
  finding information using all available
  resources.
• Perceived financial disparities in the future,
  especially between leading and trailing edge
  boomers.
• Many will need/want to continue to work and
  desrie flexible options.
• Will want to maintain their place in the wired
  world.

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Baby Boomers and Public LibrariesPilot Study
Findings (Cont.)

• Characteristics, Preferences and Needs (Cont.)
• See the library as a future social hub
  particularly with coffee!
• Clubs and organised events will be of interest -
  book clubs, travel, news clubs, discussion
  groups.
• A welcoming place, and a social place. (GK)

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Baby Boomers and Public Libraries Major Study

• The Impact of the Retirement of the Baby Boomers
  on the Public Library Major Study
• Partners
• Information and Telecommunications Needs Research
  
• Upper Murray Regional Library
• State Library of NSW
• Public Libraries Australia Lt
• Research team
• Dr Kirsty Williamson, Charles Sturt and Monash
  Universities, Mrs Marion Bannister, Independent
  researcher, Ms Jen Sullivan, Monash University,
  Mrs Lynnette Makin, Upper Murray Regional Library
  and Public Libraries Australia Ltd, Ms Kerrie
  Burgess, State Library of NSW, Ms Jennifer
  Berryman, State Library of NSW

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Baby Boomers and Public LibrariesPilot Study
Aim and Objectives

• Aim
• To investigate the needs of baby boomers that
  could be met by public libraries, together with
  possible responses that public libraries can
  make.
• Objectives
• To extend the findings of the pilot project re
  characteristics, preferences, needs and possible
  library responses.
• To explore whether there are differences between
• - boomers in rural and remote communities and
  those in city and regional communities
• - boomers who are library users and those who
  are non-users
• - leading edge and trailing edge boomers.
• To include the perceptions of future library
  leaders from generations X and Y

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Baby Boomers and Public LibrariesPilot Study
Sample and Data Collection

• Focus groups of 8-10 baby boomers to be conducted
  in Mildura, Sydney, Brisbane and Darwin.
• Trailing edge boomers to predominate 6/73/4.
• Twelve new gate keeper interviewees
• Seven leading library managers, one from every
  Australian state (the seventh from the ACT).
• About half to be younger part of generations X
  or Y the rest in the baby boomer age group.
• The other five to be high-profile non-
  librarians, who are baby boomers themselves or
  experts in the area.

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Generating Knowledge and Avoiding Plagiarism
Smart Information Use by Secondary Students

• Australian Research Council Linkage Project,
  2006-2007. Funding 136,872, including 26,500
  from collaborating organisations (partners)
• Chief Investigators Dr Kirsty Williamson, Dr Joy
  McGregor, Professor John Weckert, Dr Yeslam
  Al-Saggaf (All CSU)
• Collaborating organisations Scotch College
  (Melbourne), Wesley College (Melbourne), Mater
  Christi College (Belgrave, Vic.), Kooringal High
  School (Wagga Wagga, NSW)
• Two publications McGregor and Williamson, 2005
  and Williamson and McGregor, 2006

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One Day Well All Invest This Way!
Regulating Online Investment

• Australian Research Council Discovery Project,
  2005-2007. Funding 285,000
• Chief Investigators
• Professor Dimity Kingsford Smith, University of
  NSW
• Dr Kirsty Williamson, Monash University and
  Charles Sturt University
• Professor Stephen Bottomley, Australian National
  University

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Information-Related Aims of Project

• To determine whether there is a need for legal
  regulation of online investment by
• studying the needs, experiences, knowledge and
• understandings of online investors.
• investigating how online investors seek and use
• information and advice (in relation to the task
  of
• online investment).

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Method

• Mixed methods approach quantitative and
  qualitative
• Quantitative Survey to collect broad data in
  three areas
• Types and level of online investing activity
  (domestic shares, international shares, margin
  loans, and other, e.g., options, CFDs)
• Types and level of information source use
• Demographic information

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Qualitative Approach

• Individual interviews for in-depth perspectives
• 30 participants, selected purposefully from the
  survey respondents (balance of age, income,
  gender)
• Key topics
• Reasons for investing online
• Key sources of information
• Reasons for source choice
• Perceptions of level of systematic analysis and
  risk taking

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The Survey

• Publicised thorough key organisations, e.g., ASA,
  ASX
• Placed on key web sites, e.g., COMMSEC, Sandford
• 520 responses received, only on-quarter women
• About 200 respondents volunteered to be
  interviewed

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Online Trading in Domestic Shares
Online Trading in Domestic Shares
Online Trading in Domestic Shares
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Sites of Online Brokers
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Company Investor Relations Web Sites
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Emails from Brokers or Analysts
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Electronic Media
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Traditional Newspapers and Journals
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Formal Investor Organisations
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Information or Advice from Family and Friends
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Total Household Income
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Preliminary Findings

• Limited results to date.
• Participants used a range of information sources
  overall.
• Some had difficulty in analysing the task into
  components and identifying the associated key
  information sources others did this well.
• Some had one key source, regardless of task
  component, e.g., information web site of CommSec
  (the most popular Australian online broker).

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Preliminary Findings (Cont.)

• Reasons for investing online
• Cost
• Convenience
• Time efficiency
• Sense of control sometimes extreme scepticism
  about traditional share brokers.

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Attitudes to Traditional Brokers

• Example
• What does an advisory broker bring you? And the
  answer is not very much. In fact, what they
  generally bring you is what is called ramping.
  There are effectively two types of advisory
  brokers. Those who take long-term views, theres
  very few of them. Most of them are transaction
  driven. You bought NAB. NAB has run up 30 you
  should sell it and get Westpac. Well theres a
  piece of theory that says that when banks are
  running theyll all run. So why did I do that
  transaction? Probably because of an expensive
  BMW downstairs Ive got to pay the lease on, so
  let me ring around my client base and get my
  bonus.

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Preliminary Findings (Cont.)

• Participants appear to be aware of risks and to
  structure their strategies to guard against large
  losses
• use of stop losses
• portfolios of safe shares and speculative
  shares using small bucket of money.
• (Contrast with some participants in pilot study)

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Key Issues

• Effect of the present bull market.
• Are we missing out the less efficient and well
  informed online investors?
• The problems with survey methodology.

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References

• Asla, T, Williamson, K Mills, J 2006, The role
  of information in successful aging The case for
  a research focus on the oldest old, Library and
  Information Science Research, vol. 28, no.1, pp.
  49-63.
• Chatman, E 1991, Channels to a larger social
  world Older women staying in touch with the
  great society, Library and Information Science
  Research, vol. 42, no. 6, pp. 438-449.
• Chatman, E 1992, The information world of retired
  women, Greenwood Press, Westport, CT.
• McGregor, J and Williamson, K 2005, Appropriate
  use of information at the secondary school level
  Understanding and avoiding plagiarism, Library
  and Information Science Research, Vol. 27, No. 4,
  pp. 496-512.
• Williamson, K 1995, Older adults Information,
  communication and telecommunications,
  unpublished doctoral dissertation, RMIT,
  Melbourne.

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References (Cont.)

• Williamson, K 1998, Discovered by chance The
  role of incidental learning acquisition in an
  ecological model of information use, Library and
  Information Science Research, vol. 20, no. 1, pp.
  23-40.
• Williamson, K, Asla, T 2007, Information
  literacy of people in the Fourth Age. In
  McGregor, J. Ed., Information literacy and
  learning in context Commonalities and
  challenges, Centre for Information Studies,
  Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga, NSW, in
  press.
• Williamson, K, Bannister, M, Makin, L, Johanson,
  G, Schauder, D, Sullivan, J 2006a, Wanting it
  now Baby boomers and the public library of the
  future, The Australian Library Journal, vol.
  55, no.1, Feb, pp. 54-72.

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References (Cont.)

• Williamson, K, Bannister, M, Makin, L, Johanson,
  G, Schauder, D, Sullivan, J 2006b, When Im
  64 The public library after the retirement of
  the baby boomers. In Proceedings of Research
  Applications in Information and Library Studies
  Conference, held at the National Library of
  Australia, 17-18 September 2005, Centre for
  Information Studies, Charles Sturt University,
  Wagga Wagga, NSW, pp. 53-66.
• Williamson, K and McGregor, J 2006, Information
  use and secondary school students a model for
  understanding plagiarism, Information Research,
  An International Electronic Journal, Vol. 12,
  No.1.
• http//informationr.net/ir/12-1/paper288.html