Abstracts - Earli

solved an information problem while thinking aloud. In order to gain insight in skills students use,the thinking-aloud protocols are analysed in depth using a coding system based on the literatureand the protocols, which was tested and re-adjusted in a few iterations. Results of the two studies,on which the IPS-I-model is based, reveal that the IPS process consists of five constituent skills:define information problem, search information, scan information, process information, andorganize and present information. Moreover, regulation skills are crucial while solvinginformation problems. The IPS-I-model gives an overview of the constituent and sub skills of thecomplex cognitive skill of information problem solving using Internet as source of information.The model gives the initial impetus to design IPS instruction. Brand-Gruwel, S., Wopereis, I., &Vermetten, Y. (2005). Information problem solving by experts and novices: Analysis of a complexcognitive skill. Computers in Human Behavior, 21, 487-508. Eisenberg, M. B., & Berkowitz, R. E.(1990).Information problem-solving: The big six skills approach to library and information skillsinstruction. Norwood, NJ: Ablex.Dealing with conflicting evidence during Internet search: an investigation of epistemologicalreasoning and reasoning about abilityDorothe Kienhues, University of Münster, GermanyRainer Bromme, University of Münster, GermanyMarc Stadtler, University of Münster, GermanyWhen people search the web for medical information, they commonly come across conflictingevidence. Such controversial topics are for example screening for breast carcinoma or treatment ofhigh cholesterol. Therefore they have to assess which information is more important and valid thanother information, how conflicts between various perspectives of knowledge can be solved andhow conflicting evidence could be integrated into a viable framework of personal understandingand decision making. These assessments can be seen as aspects of epistemological reasoning, as itcan be assumed that personal beliefs about the nature of knowledge and knowing (epistemologicalbeliefs) play an important role to undertake such assessments. On the other hand, being confrontedwith conflicting evidence might cause people to question their personal ability to understand atopic. The study (n = 50) addresses two aims. Firstly, in an exploratory approach, it acquires howpeople get along with conflicting evidence during online search, especially in how far they engagein epistemological reasoning and reasoning about ability spontaneously. Secondly, effects ofproviding users prompts to distinguish between epistemological concerns and ability concerns aswell as to stimulate advanced epistemological reasoning are assessed. Educational implications forfostering essential skills for dealing with information from the web are deduced. Theoreticalimplications of this study tackle the question of separating beliefs about ability andepistemological beliefs.Locating task-relevant information in unstructured data setsMartin Groen, University of Bristol, United KingdomIn educational, but also other institutional, settings, people regularly need to consult externalinformation sources in order to be able to realise task objectives. Examples of these tasks are,pupils who need to write an essay, students writing a term paper or employees working on amonthly sales report. However, humans often find it difficult to locate information in unstructuredinformation sources, such as the Internet (Jenkins, Corritore, & Wiedenbeck, 2003; Schacter,Chung, & Dorr, 1998; Shneiderman, 1997; Smith, Newman, & Parks, 1997), structuredinformation sources, such as academic libraries (Haynes & Wilczynski, 2004; Waldman, 2003)and in synchronous or asynchronous collaboration and coordination systems, such as workflow– 608 –