Information Work and Discovery Potentials in Neuroscience Research

University Of Illinois At Urbana-Champaign, Urbana IL

Investigators

Abstract

It is becoming increasingly difficult for scientists to identify, manage, and process all the information needed to conduct their research. Information work is especially complex in fields like neuroscience where new discoveries may require understanding of an extensive body of accumulated knowledge and the research is often carried out by multidisciplinary teams. This project investigates the information activities and resources associated with advances and roadblocks in neuroscience research. A typology of information work will be developed based on data recorded by participating neuroscientists on their day-to-day information needs and practices and on their specific experiences testing a new data mining system. Case studies of incidents that represent different types of information work will be built through field studies at three laboratory sites. Case files will be analyzed to develop profiles of high impact information, critical information problems, and effective combinations of information activities, resources, and tools. Constraints on the transfer and exchange of information within research teams and between specializations and disciplines will be documented and compared across the sites. The analysis will specify information technology needed to improve neuroscientists' ability to synthesize existing research results and share information and to support different modes of discovery and collaboration.