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The Role of genre in shaping our understanding of digital documents

Vaughan, Misha and Dillon, Andrew (1998) The Role of genre in shaping our understanding of digital documents. In Preston, Cecilia M., Eds. Proceedings American Society for Information Science 35, pages pp. 559-566, Pittsburgh, PA.

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Abstract

This item is not the definitive copy. Please use the following citation when referencing this material: Vaughan, M. and Dillon, A. (1998) The role of genre in shaping our understanding of digital documents. Proc. 61st Annual Meeting of the American Society for Information Science. Medford NJ: Information Today Inc., 559-566. Abstract: Interacting with documents in the digital domain is challenging many of our notions about discourse and its boundaries. Hyperlinked documents on the World Wide Web defy easy categorization and evaluation - making the role and value of digital documents difficult to assess. Most importantly, in such fluid and complex environments it is difficult to understand the nature of the interaction between users and information resources. This paper argues that notions such as navigation are limiting our understanding of these complex information spaces. Instead, what is needed is a broader framework of analysis that can embrace these concepts, and incorporate extended issues relating to shared understanding, relevance, and style. In the present paper we explore the utility of the intersection of genre theory and cognitive psychology in providing a meaningful framework for analysis and design purposes. In so doing we report the results of our latest research into the elements of genre that influence users of digital documents and provide examples of the usefulness of this analysis in web-based environments.

EPrint Type:Conference Paper
Keywords:navigation, information shape, digital documents
Subjects:Information Science
Human Computer Interaction
Hypertext and Hypermedia
Information Systems
Information Architecture
ID Code:1272
Deposited On:26 July 2006
Alternative Locations:http://www.asis.org/Publications/bookstore/proceedings.html, http://www.infotoday.com/books/asist/Pro61Annual.shtml
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