Presentations

I have been part of the following talks and panels:

Panels and talks (refereed)

• Greyson, D., Quan-Haase, A., Cooke, N. L., & Worrall, A. (2016). Digital sociology and information science research. In A. Grove (Ed.), Proceedings of the 79th ASIS&T Annual Meeting: Creating knowledge, enhancing lives through information and technology, Copenhagen, Denmark, October 14 – 18, 2016. Silver Spring, MD: Association for Information Science and Technology. https://doi.org/10.1002/pra2.2016.14505301002 (Organized by Greyson, moderated by Quan-Hasse, with others contributing equally.)

  Invited information researchers to consider the emergence of digital sociology and to explore what it means for information science research. Panelists, drawing on a variety of disciplinary roots, introduced and contextualized the idea of digital sociology, explored issues related to the existing and potential intersection between digital sociology and information science, and examined tensions and criticisms related to sociological digital information research. My slides from the event are available.

• Worrall, A. (2015). Not just for marshmallows: Implications of the theory of information worlds for cross-stream information sharing practices. Lightning talk presentation given at the 15th Annual ASIS&T SIG USE Research Symposium: Making Research Matter: Connecting Theory and Practice, 78th ASIS&T Annual Meeting, St. Louis, MO, November 7, 2015.

  Briefly discussed two examples, from the domains of online communities and scientific collaboration, of the implications of Burnett and Jaeger's theory of information worlds for facilitating the crossing of boundaries in sharing information and knowledge.

• Worrall, A. (2014). The meta-context of information behavior: The importance of multiple lenses and mixed methods tension. Lightning talk presentation given at the 14th Annual ASIS&T SIG USE Research Symposium: Context in Information Behavior Research, 77th ASIS&T Annual Meeting, Seattle, WA, November 1, 2014.

  Presented an empirical example to strengthen the argument that tensions between methods and contexts in mixed methods research can lead to insight about what we might call the meta-context for information behaviour, learning the most from our data and producing true, thick description.

• Huvila, I., Anderson, T. D., Jansen, E. H., McKenzie, P., Westbrook, L., & Worrall, A. (2014). Boundary objects in information science research: An approach for explicating connections between collections, cultures and communities. In A. Grove (Ed.), Proceedings of the 77th ASIS&T Annual Meeting: Connecting collections, cultures, and communities, Seattle, WA, October 31 – November 5, 2014. Silver Spring, MD: Association for Information Science and Technology. (Led by Huvila with others contributing equally.)

  Member of a panel discussing the state of the art of information science research informed by boundary object theory; illustrating the variety of studies and contexts for which boundary objects are useful for explicating connections between collections, cultures and communities; and discussing new empirical and practical areas of interest in boundary object research and theory.

• Worrall, A. (2013). A boundary-centric approach to studying mobile information sharing. Ignite talk presentation given at the 13th Annual ASIS&T SIG USE Research Symposium: Information Behavior on the Move: Information Needs, Seeking, and Use in the Era of Mobile Technologies, 76th ASIS&T Annual Meeting, Montreal, Canada, November 2, 2013.

  Argued that an approach cognizant of the importance of boundaries and their roles in information sharing “on the move” is necessary. Suggested multiple theoretical lenses compatible with such an approach, either individually or in synthesis.

• Worrall, A., Koepfler, J. A., Vitak, J., Alemanne, N. D., Snyder, J., & Rosenbaum, H. (2013). Theory and the social nature of information. In W. Moen (Chair), iConference 2013 proceedings (pp. 1047-1050), Fort Worth, TX, February 12-15, 2013. Champaign, IL: iSchools. https://doi.org/10.9776/13384

  Moderator and organizer of a panel discussion of the theoretical frameworks used by four emerging information scholars (Koepfler, Vitak, Alemanne, and Snyder, with Rosenbaum as discussant), who explored the social nature of information in the context of existing information research and social theory.

Panels and talks (invited)

• Worrall, A. (2016). “They would not slag you off at all”: Translation and coherence of information values in online communities. Research and Scholarship Series presentation, School of Library and Information Studies, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, March 16, 2016.

  Discussed research studies of information-centric online communities, focusing on the processes of negotiation, translation, and coherence of information values found to occur. Those who are insiders to an online community may not be aware of the importance of these processes, but they have great significance for information and knowledge sharing practices in online communities and for the provision of information, social, and emotional support to their users.

• Mandel, L. H., Alemanne, N. D., Worrall, A., & Yu, C. (2012). Theoretical flamingos. Research panel session, College of Communication and Information, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, March 14, 2012. [View my slides]

  Panel of four doctoral students, led by Mandel with others contributing equally, who presented and discussed four theoretical and epistemological paradigms / approaches in information science: physical (Yu), cognitive (Alemanne), social (Worrall), and semiotic (Mandel). A fishbowl discussion of these and other theories, metatheories, paradigms, and perspectives followed. This panel was based on the Theoretical Snowmen panels led by Jenna Hartel (University of Toronto iSchool) at recent ASIST conferences.

• Worrall, A., & Yi, Y. J. (2011). Quality evaluation of health answers in Yahoo! Answers: A comparison between experts and users. Research-in-progress presentation, College of Communication and Information, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, November 2, 2011.

  Contributed equally to presenting an in-progress study of the quality of online health answers as perceived by health reference librarians and Yahoo! Answers questioners (Sanghee Oh, PI). Forty evaluators from each group reviewed ten answers each on ten evaluation criteria; we found that librarians’ quantitative ratings were significantly lower on most criteria.

• Alemanne, N. D., Landbeck, C., & Worrall, A. (2011). Jumpstarting your career: Participation in academic & professional organizations. Panel session, College of Communication and Information and Information, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, September 14, 2011.

  Panel of three doctoral students who led and contributed equally to a discussion of academic and professional organizations and conferences in LIS, focusing on ASIST, ALISE, and the iSchools / iConference. We promoted service to the profession and field through these organizations and gave advice on what one should and should not do in preparing for and attending conferences.

• Na, K., Whetstone, M., & Worrall, A. (2011). Research questions. Research panel session, College of Communication and Information, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, January 19, 2011.

  Panel of three doctoral students who led and contributed equally to a discussion of current and future research questions in LIS. Covered key challenges suggested by the NSF; the implications of questions in relation to professional organizations, conferences, funding sources, and publication outlets; and developing personally relevant research questions.

• Kazmer, M. M. (speaker), Worrall, A., & Smith, P. (respondents) (2009). At the boundaries of the iField: Virtual organizations and the Mag Lab. Research colloquium, College of Communication and Information, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, October 28, 2009.

  Member of panel that responded to presentation of this NSF-funded research project studying virtual collaboration amongst scientific teams at the National High Field Magnetic Laboratory (“Mag Lab”). Also introduced speaker and panelists and facilitated discussion and Q & A with the audience.