Informaationhaku

Informaationhaku is a Finnish-language term for the process of seeking information to answer questions, solve problems, or support decision making. The term is formed from the Finnish words informaatio (information) and haku (search) and is used in information science, library science, and education to describe the broad activity of locating and assessing relevant information from a range of sources.

The process typically includes identifying a concrete information need, determining suitable sources (libraries, databases, web search engines, archives), formulating search queries, executing searches, and evaluating results for credibility and relevance. After locating information, the user extracts relevant data, synthesizes findings, and cites sources. Information literacy— the ability to formulate questions, search effectively, evaluate sources, and manage information ethically—supports Informaationhaku.

Methods and technologies include Boolean and keyword-based searching, natural language processing, semantic search, and relevance ranking. Users may employ metadata, controlled vocabularies, and taxonomies to improve precision. In many settings, information retrieval systems aim to balance recall (completeness) and precision (relevance).

Applications span academia, journalism, public administration, business intelligence, and everyday learning. Challenges include information overload, misinformation, access limitations, and language or domain barriers. Good practice involves critical evaluation of sources, annotation, and proper citation.

Related areas include information literacy and information retrieval.