Assessing the Internal Structure of the Ellis Information Retrieval Model in Order to Present the Persian Norm of Web Retrieval Tools

Study evaluated the internal structure of Ellis information seeking model in the student community with the aim of presenting the Persian norm.

This is a descriptive-analytical study conducted by cross-sectional survey method in the second semester of the academic year 1399-1400. Population comprise of 280 graduate students at Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences. Data collection tool is a questionnaire based on Ellis information seeking behavior pattern with 41 questions. Findings were analyzed using SPSS software and Amos.

Results of exploratory factor analysis by principal component method with Varimax cycle led to identify five factors of identification, confirmation and organization; Monitoring, conservation and extraction; Relevance; Availability and up-to-datedness and credit factor. The extracted five-factor pattern explains more than 66% of the changes in information seeking behavior. The results of confirmatory factor analysis indicate the optimal fit of the extracted pattern. All factors had good consistency and Cronbach's total alpha of the instrument was 0.97.

The five-factor pattern of web-based information retrieval behavior is a new self-report tool for assessing the nature of academic user retrieval behavior on the Web. This pattern is based on Ellis's information pattern in terms of content and items used, but it differs from it in terms of subscale.