Etic, Emic, or Both? A Fundamental Decision for Researchers of Young People's Information Needs

Abstract

There is much agreement regarding the importance of managers of library and information services possessing a sound understanding of the information needs of the young people they are aiming to serve. Consensus regarding the methods that should be used to gain this insight is much harder to find, however. A fundamental question is whether youngsters themselves should be participants in research examining their information needs. Their involvement can provide an insider's or “emic” perspective but alternative strategies may appear to be more attractive. Such options include the collection of data from adults whose day-to-day lives routinely bring them into contact with young people. These informants may be considered to offer a more “etic,” or external, viewpoint. The paper explores the respective arguments associated with the different courses of action open to the researcher and suggests lines of questioning that may be applied if the decision is taken to collect data directly from young people. In particular, it addresses three possibilities: an “information-oriented” strategy, a “life-centered” method, and a “help chain” approach. The work concludes by highlighting the value of drawing on contributions from both youngsters and adults even in a single study.

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