ASK ("Anomalous State of Knowledge")
Concept introduced by N. J. Belkin based on ideas from Paisley & Parker (1965)
and related to, among others, Robert S. Taylor's (1968) conceptions. Belkin
describe ASK as "the recognition of an anomaly by the
recipient in his/her state of knowledge" which can only be solved by
communication, e.g. by contact with an information system.
ASK is based upon an understanding of
information needs as an individual, mental state. It is thus connected with
the cognitive view in Library and
Information Science (LIS). The domain
analytic view, on the other hand, emphasizes that
problems are not normally given a priori. Research problems, for example,
can normally not be formulated before the literature in the domain is known.
Research problems are supposted to fil a gab in the existing knowledge, and that
gab cannot be identified without consulting the literature. This insight remove
the question of identifying anomalies from the study of individuals to the study
of knowledge domains.
Brooks (1993, p. 303-304)
writes: "An example is
Belkin's proposal of ASK, the "Anomalous State of Knowledge". One of the dangers
of building a major model either incorporating or in opposition to a proposal
such as ASK is that there is no guarantee that ASK is a proposal worthy of value.
This appears to be the case since recent opinion (Harter, 1992) considers ASK
naive and unrealistic".
Literature:
Belkin, N. J. (2005). Anomalous State of Knowledge. IN: K. E. Fisher, S. Erdelez, & E. F. McKechnie (Eds.), Theories of information behavior: A researchers’ guide . Medford, NJ: Information Today (Pp. 44-48).
Belkin, N. J.; Oddy, R. & Brooks, H. (1982). ASK for Information Retrieval.
Journal of Documentation, 38, 61-71 (part 1) & 145-164 (part 2).
Brooks, T. A. (1993). Review of "Information Retrieval Interaction" by Peter Ingwersen. Journal of the American Society for Information Science, 42, 303-304.
Cole, C.; Leide, J.; Beheshti, J.; Large, A. & Brooks, M. (2005).
Investigating the anomalous states of knowledge
hypothesis in a real-life problem situation: A study of history and psychology
undergraduates seeking information for a course essay (p NA).
Journal of The American Society for Information Science and Technology,
56(14), 1544-1554.
Harter, S. P. (1992). Psychological Relevance and Information Science.
Journal of
the American Society for Information Science, 43(9), 602-615.
Paisley, W. J. & Parker, E. B. (1965). Information retrieval as a reciever-controlled communication system. IN: Education for Information Science (pp. 23-31). London: McMillan.
For an alternative way to consider this concept see also the entry: Ignorance.
Birger Hjørland.
Last edited: 10-12-2005