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Farhoodi F. Religion and relevance judgment: The effect of users’ religiosity scales on their relevance judgment. Research on Information Science and Public Libraries 2023; 29 (4) :518-531
URL: http://publij.ir/article-1-2493-en.html

Purpose: The main purpose of this research is investigation of effect of the users’ religiosity on their relevance judgment. 
Method: This research is practical in terms of purpose and was conducted using the descriptive survey design. The statistical population of the research consisted of all fourth-level doctoral students at Al-Zahra University, whose number was 69. Mean and Standard deviation were used to describe the statistical data, and Pearson’s correlation coefficient and simultaneous regression analysis were used to analyze the data. In order to collect information about the level of users’ adherence to religiosity dimensions, Glock and Stark’s religiosity questionnaire (1968) was used which includes 26 items arranged in 4 dimensions of beliefs, emotional, consequential, and ritual. Then, in order to determine the degree of relevance judgment, 6 simulated work tasks were defined and the most important criteria of relevance judgment were evaluated during the execution of work tasks. First, the users searched on the topic of work tasks in Persian paper databases, including Magiran, SID and Ensani Portal (Iran’s Humanities Portal), and they selected 10 papers for each task. After reading each scenario and the demand related to it, users evaluated the papers related to each scenario in a related, somewhat related, unrelated format. Therefore, each user evaluated 30 papers related to 6 work tasks.
Findings: The findings indicates that among the religiosity dimensions, the interactive behavior of users showed a higher average than the interactive performance and relevance judgment. Moreover, the average of practices dimension was the highest, followed by belief dimension, and emotion dimension. Finally, the works dimension showed the lowest average. The results of multiple regression test showed that users’ ritual and behavioral dimension (such as worship, prayer, participation in special religious rites, fasting, etc.) and belief dimension and religious beliefs are effective in increasing relevance judgment, but the two affective and emotional dimensions have nothing to do with the judgment of users. In other words, despite the change in the emotional dimension of the users, i.e., the change in the degree of emotions, imaginations and feelings related to having a relationship with a divine entity such as God or an ultimate reality or a supreme authority, their relevance judgment would not change. Furthermore, despite the change in the ‘consequences dimension’ of religiosity, i.e., the change in the effects of religious beliefs, actions, experiences and knowledge on the daily life of users, the level of their relevance judgment did not show a change.
Originality/value: The present research is the first research that has explored the effect of users’ religiosity scales on relevance judgment. According to the findings, it is suggested that system designers and experts, in addition to considering technical issues and hardware and software equipment, should also manage the interactions of users with the system and consider the different conditions and situations of users. Librarians, while knowing the society in which the users are located and considering the religious context of the society as well as knowing the religious approaches of the users, can provide the necessary guidance to them when retrieving information.