The information handling techniques of research (laboratory and clinical) scientists: preliminary indications of current practice.

This paper arises from a longitudinal study concerning the impact of information technology developments on the information handling techniques of research (laboratory and clinical) scientists from the perspective of perceived value or benefit based on subjective evaluation by users. The project's main method of data collection is the semi-structured interview utilizing samples from various categories of Imperial Cancer Research Fund (ICRF) staff plus a composite external comparison group. This method is complemented by analyses of Library and Information Services Department's (LIS's) records (particularly statistics of database usage and requests relating to document supply) and, where possible, indications of other software usage (to provide further background to the degree of electronic activity of users). This paper focuses on the ICRF staff sample only and reports selected results obtained from interviews during the first phase of the project, October 1992-September 1993, which give preliminary indications of the information handling techniques of research scientists at that time.