SOCIAL SCIENTISTS' INFORMATION NEEDS IN THE 1980s

Some results of a recent study of the information needs of social scientists are selectively summarised and commented upon. Where relevant, to monitor change, this is set in the context of earlier research, notably during the peak period of the 1970s. This paper is not, however, in any sense intended as a balanced state of the art review of research and system design progress since 1970. Instead, it concentrates on the fresh evidence provided by a small‐scale qualitative study by depth interview amongst social scientists, broadly defined, and intermediaries in the social science area.