Models in information behaviour research

This paper presents an outline of models of information seeking and other a spects of information behaviour, showing the relationship between communica tion and information behaviour in general with information seeking and info rmation searching in information retrieval systems. It is suggested that th ese models address issues at various levels of information behaviour and th at they can be related by envisaging a 'nesting' of models. It is also sugg ested that, within both information seeking research and information search ing research, alternative models address similar issues in related ways and that the models are complementary rather than conflicting. Finally, an alt ernative, problem-solving model is presented, which, it is suggested, provi des a basis for relating the models in appropriate research strategies.