An Information Processing Model of Undergraduate Electronic Database Information Retrieval

In this paper, it is suggested that a number of theoretical and practical perspectives on information literacy can be obtained through the examination of tenets of cognitive psychology. One aspect of cognitive psychology— information processing theory—is applied to the development of a two-stage model of the information retrieval process. This model of information retrieval has utility along two dimensions: firstly, in the conceptualization of the information retrieval process; and secondly, in the development of teaching strategies informed by such a model. The efficacy of this model was tested in a large two-phase experimental study at the University of Canberra, Australia. Statistically significant results support the effectiveness of the concept-based teaching of information retrieval and the utility of the model as an explanation of the cognitive underpinnings of information retrieval.