10.1 The role of experience in the information search process of an early career information worker

10.1 The role of experience in the information search process of an early career information worker

Kuhlhau, CC

The title of this article seems to be a bit of a give away. The role experience plays in the career of someone with no experience? Strange. Even stranger, that Kuhlthau, the one who produced one of the easiest to understand information theories, would not think to compare her case study of this one person to anyone else. Perhaps anyone who had been in the field longer or had more experience, so that comparison could be made. I really have a problem with the idea that this entire article is based on one person. Because I feel so strongly that everyone works differently, even those in similar careers (if I didn’t believe that, working in a group in graduate school has taught me that) I don’t feel like these findings can be applied to other people, even in a very general sense. While the subjects feelings may be fairly universal at the start of a new job or when embarking on trying to find employment, what was helpful to him will only be helpful to someone who thinks and works the same way that he does. A few extra short interviews with other people in similar job situations would have made a huge difference toward the way I feel about this article. I really don’t have much else to say about it, because I did not find it especially valid.