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Contextualized access to knowledge: theoretical perspectives and a process‐tracing study
Author(s) -
Mao JiYe,
Benbasat Izak
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
information systems journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.635
H-Index - 89
eISSN - 1365-2575
pISSN - 1350-1917
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-2575.1998.00034.x
Subject(s) - think aloud protocol , computer science , comprehension , knowledge management , hypertext , domain knowledge , process (computing) , empirical evidence , domain (mathematical analysis) , protocol analysis , tracing , empirical research , human–computer interaction , data science , cognitive science , psychology , usability , epistemology , world wide web , mathematical analysis , philosophy , mathematics , programming language , operating system
This paper investigates the theoretical foundations and empirical evidence concerning contextualized access to task domain knowledge enabled by hypertext‐style links. It examines several relevant theoretical perspectives, including theories of discourse comprehension, contextualized learning and the production paradox, and reports on an exploratory study in the knowledge‐based systems (KBS) domain. Process‐tracing data was collected using a ‘thinking‐aloud’ procedure, and data analysis focused on some highly illustrative verbal protocols. Results indicate that contextualized access to domain knowledge can be critical for understanding KBS output, and that lack of it can cause comprehension difficulties. Contextualized access is highly effective for resolving comprehension difficulties arising from the users' lack of task domain knowledge and for reducing the motivational ‘cost’ of learning. We conclude that it has the potential for substantially increasing the effectiveness of information systems.