Five Colleges Tutorial Logo


Introduction
Test
Guidelines
Tutorial
Payment Form

USABILITY TEST:  OVERVIEW AND INSTRUCTIONS

We invite any Five Colleges of Ohio faculty member, librarian, or student to answer the questions below. Your responses to this survey will help us improve the usability of this "Five Colleges of Ohio Libraries Information Literacy Tutorial." Please print out this form and use a pencil or pen to answer the questions. In addition, we encourage additional comments anywhere on the form, front or back. When done, please send or give the completed survey to the contact person who works in your campus library. Contacts are listed below:
  • College of Wooster:  Julia Gustafson, Access Services Librarian
  • Denison University:  Susan Scott, Library Instruction Coordinator
  • Kenyon College:  Jasmine Vaughan, Librarian and Technology Consultant
  • Oberlin College:  Cynthia Comer, Head of Reference
  • Ohio Wesleyan University:  Danielle Clarke, Public Services Librarian

  • DEMOGRAPHICS

    Please answer the following questions to help us learn more about the participants in our usability testing.

    1.  I am a (check one, indicate details requested):

    _____  teaching faculty member
                    Discipline taught: _______________________________

    _____  librarian
                     Position title:______________________________________

    _____  student (circle one):     First Year        Sophomore        Junior       Senior
                         Major:_______________________________

    2.  My age (circle one):  18-22       23-29       30-39       40-49       50+

    3.  I use the Web approximately (circle one):

         several times/day       once/day       once/week       2-5 times/week     less frequently

    4.  I most often use a (circle one):

         Macintosh computer       Windows computer (PC)     other:_____________________

    5.  I prefer to use a (circle one):

         Macintosh computer                          Windows computer (PC)

          other:_____________________          no preference

    6.  I most often use the following Web browser software (circle one):

         Netscape       Internet Explorer       other:___________________       don't know

    7.  I prefer to use the following Web broswer software (circle one):

         Netscape       Internet Explorer       other:___________________       no preference

    8.  I most frequently use the Web in (circle one):

         campus lab outside library             residence hall (campus owned)         home

          campus lab in library                    residence hall (my computer)           office

          library research workstation          other:_________________________

    9.  I am comfortable using the Web (circle one):

         very             somewhat             not at all
     


    TASKS

    Please use the tutorial to complete each of the following tasks. Start by calling up the home page of the tutorial on your Web browser at the URL: http://www.denison.edu/ohio5/infolit/.  Return to the tutorial's home page after completing each task. [If you are performing a usability evaluation on your own, please record the strategy you used to complete each task and any problems that you encountered.]

    1.  Define "Information Literacy."
     
     
     

    2.  What types of sources could you consult to find statistical information?
     
     
     

    3.  Look at the headings and links on the tutorial home page speculate what you would expect to find under the heading "Library Navigation?"
     
     
     

    4.  Describe the contents of the "Flow of Information" lesson.
     
     
     

    5.  Using the tutorial, define "periodicals."
     
     
     

    6.  Read the citation listed in the box below. To what type of material does this citation refer?
    Finney, Henry C. "American Zen's 'Japan Connection': A Critical Case Study of Zen Buddhism's Diffusion to the West." Sociological Analysis 52, no. 4 (1991): 379-396.

     
     
     

    7.  List the categories of lessons in the tutorial.
     
     
     

    8.  Who created the tutorial?
     
     
     

    9.  You have been assigned a short, two-page report and you have decided that the topic you chose seems too broad. What strategies would you use to refocus or narrow your topic?
     
     
     
     


    REFLECTIONS:

    Your comments on the ease of use, appearance, and organization of the content will assist our development process. Please rate the following statements and write additional comments as appropriate.  Feel free to refer back to the tutorial before answering.


    NAVIGATION: Ease of maneuvering within tutorial. Comments on functional aspects of tutorial.

    Please rate the following statements using this scale:
    1=poor     2=needs improvement     3=adequate     4=good     5=excellent

    1.  Pages load quickly.
         (circle one:     1        2        3        4        5     )

         Additional comments:
     
     

    2.  Home Page is accessible throughout tutorial.
         (circle one:     1        2        3        4        5     )

         Additional comments:
     
     

    3.  It is easy to move forward and backward within a lesson.
         (circle one:     1        2        3        4        5     )

         Additional comments:
     
     

    4.  At all times, it is clear which part of the tutorial I am viewing.
         (circle one:     1        2        3        4        5     )

         Additional comments:
     
     

    5.  I have the opportunity to provide feedback about the tutorial.
         (circle one:     1        2        3        4        5     )

         Additional comments:
     
     

    6.  The "Definitions" page is easy to use.
         (circle one:     1        2        3        4        5     )

         Additional comments:
     
     

    7.  Buttons are clear (e.g., "Lesson Descriptions" and "Definitions").
         (circle one:     1        2        3        4        5     )

         Additional comments:
     
     

    8.  The gray bars are clear navigation tools.
         (circle one:     1        2        3        4        5     )

         Additional comments:
     
     
     

    Please answer the following questions by circling a response and commenting where indicated.

    9.   I like the pop-up windows with illustrations of resources. See "Determining the Information You Need" page for examples of pop-up windows.
          (circle one:     disagree          no opinion          agree     )

         Additional comments:
     
     

    10.  Which pop-up windows did you see? (Please list them below)
     
     
     

    11. It is necessary to have a gray navigation bar at the top and bottom of each page.
          (circle one:     bottom only okay          top only okay          both locations necessary
          bar should be relocated to:_____________________     )

         Additional comments:
     
     

    12.  At which point should the user be able to select a different lesson?
            (circle all that apply:     home page          end of each lesson
            beginning of each lesson      every page within each lesson    )

         Additional comments:
     
     

    13.  Some lessons have many sections (e.g., "Search Techniques," "Reference Resources"). Do you prefer to...
           (check one:     _____ view sections of each lesson in order -- current arrangement
                                   _____ select sections on my own from a menu
                                   _____ have all the content on one page and scroll to read through it    )

         Additional comments:
     
     

    14.  Other comments about navigation in the Information Literacy Tutorial:

         Additional comments:
     
     
     
     
     


    DESIGN: Appearance, style, look, and feel of tutorial.

    Please rate the following statements using this scale:
    1=poor     2=needs improvement     3=adequate     4=good     5=excellent

    1.  After viewing the home page only, I want to continue with the tutorial.
         (circle one:     1        2        3        4        5     )

         Additional comments:
     
     

    2.  Tutorial graphic on the top of each page is clear.
         (circle one:     1        2        3        4        5     )

         Additional comments:
     
     

    3.  Tutorial graphic on the top of each page is appropriate.
         (circle one:     1        2        3        4        5     )

         Additional comments:
     
     

    4.  Default fonts are legible.
         (circle one:     1        2        3        4        5     )

         Additional comments:
     

    5.  Changes in font sizes of headings add clarity to the organization of tutorial pages. See the "Research Databases" section as an example.
         (circle one:     1        2        3        4        5     )

         Additional comments:
     
     

    6.  Links throughout the tutorial are easy to detect.
         (circle one:     1        2        3        4        5     )

         Additional comments:
     
     

    7.  Colors used complement the presentation and content of the tutorial.
         (circle one:     1        2        3        4        5     )

         Additional comments:
     
     

    8.  The tutorial is visually pleasing.
         (circle one:     1        2        3        4        5     )

         Additional comments:
     
     

    9.  The graphics displayed within the text of the lessons are clear.
         (circle one:     1        2        3        4        5     )

         Additional comments:
     
     

    10.  The graphics displayed within the text of the lessons are appropriate.
         (circle one:     1        2        3        4        5     )

         Additional comments:
     
     

    11.  Screens are clutter free.
         (circle one:     1        2        3        4        5     )

         Additional comments:
     
     

    12.  Other comments about tutorial appearance:

         Additional comments:
     
     
     
     
     


    ORGANIZATION: Clarity of content, headings, vocabulary.

    Please rate the following statements using this scale:
    1=poor     2=needs improvement     3=adequate     4=good     5=excellent

    1.  It is clear to me that the tutorial covers information literacy concepts.
         (circle one:     1        2        3        4        5     )

         Additional comments:
     
     

    2.  It is clear to me that the tutorial covers library research concepts.
         (circle one:     1        2        3        4        5     )

         Additional comments:
     
     

    3.  Headings on each page describe clearly the content that follows.
         (circle one:     1        2        3        4        5     )

         Additional comments:
     
     

    4.  At the end of each lesson, it is clear which lesson to take next.
         (circle one:     1        2        3        4        5     )

         Additional comments:
     
     

    5.  Each lesson can be taken individually and still be understood.
         (circle one:     1        2        3        4        5     )

         Additional comments:
     
     

    6.  Definitions on the "Definitions" page are clear.
         (circle one:     1        2        3        4        5     )

         Additional comments:
     
     
     

    Please answer the following question as indicated:

    7.  (Check the appropriate category before answering the question.)

        _____ [FOR STUDENTS]
                 I would use this on my own to learn about information literacy concepts.
        _____ [FOR LIBRARIANS AND FACULTY]
                 I would assign this tutorial in my classes/instruction sessions.

         (circle one:      absolutely not          yes--sections          yes--entire tutorial       )

         Why?
     
     

    8.  Other comments about organization and content:
     
     





    Thank you for participating in this usability test!



     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     

    Questions and/or comments: upfold@denison.edu
    © 2000 Five Colleges of Ohio