“I Know What I’m About”: Fanfiction and the Information-Seeking Behaviors of Young Adult Readers

Project start: 2021

Current stage: Coding and Analysis

Description: This project is focused on examining how young adults find fiction and fanfiction for pleasure reading. I am conducting interviews with young adults between the ages of 18 and 23 to understand what search methods they use to find fiction and fanfiction to read. The goal is to compare the methods employed and to understand whether these methods differ depending on whether they are searching for fiction or fanfiction.

Method: Semi-structured interviews

Funding: Research Improvement Grant – UMD iSchool, Awarded 2021