In this chapter, the results are delivered from the methodologies mentioned in the previous chapter. The first part includes artifact model and open coding which reveal the concept labels and properties from different interactions. The second part which includes main categories within paradigm models is revealed and explained. At the last part a theoretical reading pattern is proposed to illustrate the whole phenomenon of this research.
4-1 Artifact Model
Figure 4-1-a shows the overview of artifact model which is consolidated from the received data and interviews. These artifacts present the information of the
participants’ using patterns, including the appearances and environmental distinctions.
In the center of the Figure 4-1-a is the material book, which is our mainly discussion;
and the sub-groups of artifacts are around the material book that they are considered as the connection between material books and people.
Figure 4-1-a the overview of the artifact model
25 Material Books
Figure 4-1-b reveals the structure of material books. The material books can be divided into several sections: (1). the content section: texts and picture are printed in this section and it usually located in the center of pages. Depending on the type of books, some of the participants may markup or write their opinions on this section directly. (2). the edge section: this section which is kept blank for grabbing is around the content section. some of the participants mentioned that to keep the
completeness of the content section, sometimes they use this area to write their opinions. (3). corner section: depending on the contents of books, some of the participants will fold the corner of the page if they have no bookmarkers on hands.
Figure 4-1-b the material books
Objects for Record
Figure 4-1-c, which is usually mentioned in two types, is about the artifacts of personal records. Instead of writing notes on the material books directly, some of the
participants use notebooks, which are only used for recording participants’ feeling and beautiful lines. In some situations they also use post-its and pieces of blank paper for the same work. No matter what types of these recording objects are, there are several common features among these objects. (1) These objects allow people for almost
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unrestricted uses and they can “save” more kinds of records. It is known that they are not anything but papers, and people can copy beautiful lines, write down some opinions, note down important events, or sketching some ideas. Comparing to some softwares such as Office Word or Notepad, these “pieces of paper” can record not only information but user’s handwriting, which represent use’s emotion and habits directly. Although some tablets have the similar function, the following features make these “pieces of paper” different from digital files. (2) These objects can be reviewed and arranged discretionarily. When participants seek for inspirations or writing materials, they will review these recording pieces randomly. Meanwhile, they also try to find some sparkle when these pieces are combined and arranged in various types.
However, we find that these similar phenomena in the participants who prefer digital files than material papers are rarely occurred. Even the digital recording files are not the first choice for them. (3) Material papers provide multiple sense stimulations.
When users record or seek information with material papers, they are not only use their eyes to “seek”, but also use their fingers to flip pages or their noses to smell the musty odor. In other words, they “touch” these data directly.
Figure 4-1-c the objects for record
27 Bookmarkers
Figure 4-1-d exhibits the bookmarkers which are used in marking the process of participants’ reading or the important pages. These bookmarkers have two
appearances; the first type is the form of traditional bookmarkers, they are designed for what they pretend to be. There are two mainly functions in traditional bookmarkers:
(1) the first one which is always the lower part of bookmarkers marks the specific page. (2) The second part which is always stand out of books notices people where it is. And it is also the showing part for bookmarkers to differ from each others. Besides, it is found that the image of “closing books” is the main reference source in the
bookmarker design.( the flattened frog and the bird in Figure 4-1-c)The second type is the substitute bookmarkers, which mean they are not designed for the usage of marking pages. For example, one of the participants uses the meaningful postcards received from friends abroad, as her favorite bookmarkers. “While marking pages with these meaningful cards,” she said, “It seems like my friends are always around me.”
Figure 4-1-d the bookmarkers
28 Objects for Relaxation
The artifacts listed in the Figure 4-1-e are considered as the stuff which help
participants relax themselves while reading. Although this stuff is not necessary in the reading experiences, they still reflect the reading habits, personal valves, aesthetic preferences and environmental features. Although these objects have different functions in the reading process, they are still considered that they construct a optimizing reading environment cooperatively to keep people from the external interruption. For example, music player provides the theme music to separate external noise; cushions soften bodies and keep muscle aches caused by poor postures away.
Figure 4-1-e the objects for relaxation
Storage Containers
Most of participants use normal book shelves - with door or not, single or double size, they are not anything but book shelves - as containers for their book collection. But it is found that some of the participants use a “temporary area” - this area is usually close to where the participants read - as a place for the temporary stack.
In addition to storage, we also found that the participants tend to put the books thought as the reflection of importance, meaning or the specific ambiance, on the
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obvious part of book shelves like a proper stature of sights. Other books, without high specialties, are put on the unapparent regions such as the corners or the deeper layers of the book shelves. On the other side, participants take the temporary area as a to-read list. This area is stacking with books and magazines which are in reading, or waiting to read. For example, one of the participants put books which are on the to-read list on a unused chair. Only the finished books can be transferred from the chair to the book shelf.
Figure 4-1-f the storage containers
According to these artifacts listed above, it is found that they are not only kept what they tend to be, but also revealing some special connection between the participants and material books such as social interactions, emotional linking, environmental adaptabilities. These detailed features will be coded and categorized appropriately in the next chapter.
30 4-2 Open Coding
Table 4-1, 4-2 and 4-3 reveal the result of open coding which is constantly compared, reviewed and refined. Also it shows that the interactions between books and people can sorted into three parts: reading, collection and social interaction. The table 4-1 lists the open coding about the reading activities. Seven categories are proposed and grouped into two super-categories: “satisfaction” and “effect”. The categories named (a) solacement, (b) ritual, (c) reliability, (d) completeness of reading course, and (e) buffer are grouped into “satisfaction”; (f) self review and (g) reflection of status are grouped into “effect”
Table 4-1 open coding of reading
Super-Category Category Property Dimension
Satisfaction
solacement level high / low
ritual
instrument much / less time long / short type arbitrary / routine
reliability
control level high / low tangible feeling high / low quality of texture high / low completeness of reading course content type fragment / whole
level high / low
buffer
role involved / onlooker progress rapid / slow ambiance easeful / frightened
status isolated / connected location private / public
Effect
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In table 4-2, which shows the result of open coding of collection contains various and complex categories. The whole table is consisted by three main super-categories: (a) possession, (b) maintenance and (c) reorganization. The possession contains three categories named “territory declaration”, “in one's reach”, “companion”; the
maintenance includes four categories named ”hedging”, “protection”, ”duration” and
“mysophobia”. The third super-categories, reorganization, contains four categories named “temporary stack”, “treasure hunt”, “experience transference” and
“arrangement”.
Table 4-2 open coding of collection
Super-Category Category Property Dimension
Possession
territory declaration
sensation level high / low range wide / narrow attitude active / nagtive
in one's reach
range wide / narrow amount much / less awareness level high / low
companion
duration time long / short relation far / close
temporary stack time long / short
amount much / less treasure hunt attitude enjoyable / annoyed
time long / short experience transference type digital / material
arrangement
frequency high / low range wide / narrow
type random / order
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The table 4-3 combined with two super-categories named “expectation” and
“identification” represents the open coding of social interaction. Three categories,
“bestowment”, “information filter” and “spreader” belong to the super-category:
“expectation” and “ownership demonstration”, “discussion”, “sense of communion”
and “the reference of appraisal”.
Table 4-3 opening coding of social interaction
Super-Category Category Property Dimension
Expectation
bestowment
frequency high / low
value high / low
relation far / close information filter source self / others
amount much / less
spreader
amount much / less time long / short attitude passive / active frequency high / low
Identification
ownership demonstration
alertness level high / low frequency high / low time long / short attitude passive / active
discussion
time long / short frequency high / low
location private / public
sense of communion time long / short
level high / low
the reference of appraisal
ranking high / low
level high / low
range wide / narrow object self / others
33 4-3 Axial Coding
According to the table 4-1, 4-2 and 4-3, some categories in the following phases reveal their importance that they can be developed as the key phenomenon with paradigm model. In the table 4-1, the open coding of reading, the wuper-category named “satisfaction” is under development; in the table 4-2, the open coding of collection, the super-category named “possession” is focused; and in the table 4-3, the open coding of social interaction is proposed in the following chapter.
4-3-1. Expectation
While many participants talked about the meaningful books for them, the experience of bestowment are mentioned again and again. The phenomenon named “expectation”
is usually performed when people seek for some advices. Either as a giver or a recipient, the books are not just normal books but the specific existence which represents the connection of their family and friends.
The evidence from the interviews indicates that when some difficulties force people in a corner, the book, as a present, means an indirect advice from the giver. A
participant pointed that one of her friends who was known about her setbacks recommended a motivational and inspirational books immediately to help her
encounter the difficulties. Another participant said that she used to select some books as birthday present for her little brother to develop his reading habit from childhood.
The table 4-2 describes the how expectation occurs and what effects it brings:
〔Quote-1〕
“…few days ago my boss really really annoyed me. I cannot but read the book gave from my cousin to learn…..how to accept the absurd or stupid orders.”
(Participant D)
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“…I only take books as gifts for my little brother; he is only ten years old… „cause I wish he could have the reading habit…Only my little brother and I have reading habits in my family…so you know that..I hope he can read books as more as possible.”
(Participant E) Table 4-4 paradigm model of expectation
Casual Condition:
When people need some advices Phenomenon:
Expectation
Properties: Specific Dimensions:
information filter source: other
spreader attitude: active
bestowment value: isolation
relation: private Context:
Expectation is performed when :
When recipients get books from others who are close and actively.
action / interaction strategy : provide some advices search for suitable books
seek for right time intervening conditions:
the deviation of experience and values have no chance realizing their situation
no idea about the suitable books consequence:
get close
It is found that there are two characters in this stage, “the receiver” and “the spreader”.
When people are receivers, no matter where the information is, they will search for suitable or helpful information about books. If people become spreaders, they will
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recommend others some proper advices depending on others’ demands. Almost participants are active in playing receivers. They use internet, bookstores, and interpersonal relationship to get comments, discussion and related backgrounds.
However, participants have different performances in the character of spreader. The active spreaders are used to recommend others books regularly and share their reading comments in social occasions. Some of them take it as a social tool to expand their social topics and they also have taken books as gifts in social occasions. On the contrary, the passive spreaders have no will to share their feelings in the public, social occasions. They only give their suggestions when they are asked for, and they have rare experiences in giving books as gifts to others.
Besides, we found that there are three participants who have intensive awareness of expectation in this research. All of them reveal more actively interacting performances with their families, and their experiences of “expectation” are around their family members as well. Even, some of the sample books which are relevant to “expectation”
are owned jointly with their families. But other participants who have unapparent performances about “expectation” have these experiences little, and most of their books are owned by themselves.
36 4-3-2. Possession
Possession is an important phenomenon which is discovered when participants explained and demonstrated how they collect their books. In the most cases,
possession is emerged when participants consider that the books are really belonged to them and reveal their territory awareness. They will take the special strategies to deal with these specific books which are identified as their important collections.
〔Quote-2〕
“…‟cause it‟s very expensive and limited. Yeah, I agree that it really makes me trouble if I want to read it. But packaging books with shells has been my habit because..for example, the brand new books on the bookcases are sealed. And when I finish a book, I just put book back to the plastic shell because it can prevent the book from moistness. Oh, it can also protect the book when it putted in my back bag. „cause my bag is full of….a lot of little things. If my books get hurts, I will be upset.”
( Participant B )
“…I keep my books as new ones. Even I buy more ones for my favorite books. It seems like I own the perfect, new books all the time! That is real collection! More new, more uncommon, and more worthy! ”
( Participant C )
“My best friend gave me a book as a birthday gift. When I tore the wrapper, I found that I had bought the same book before! What a coincidence it was! Finally I decided to keep both of them. ”
( Participant E )
37 Table 4-5 paradigm model of possession
Casual Condition:
When the books belong to people Phenomenon:
Possession
Properties: Specific Dimensions:
territory declaration sensation level: high in one's reach awareness level: active
Arrangement type: order
Protection level: high
ownership demo alertness level: high Context:
Possession is performed that when :
people are sensitive about their territory awareness, and take some specific strategies to protect and arrange their books.
action / interaction strategy :
put on the obvious spots care about the preservation
keep from other people intervening conditions:
not enough space the deviation of values
accidents consequence:
be a part of the one's world
Two features are found in this section: “the threshold” and “the attitude”. The threshold which is preformed in the quantities of their books is polarized into two opposite performances named “the swallowed” and “the picker”. The “swallower”
means people that if there is any book they have interests in, they have desires to get the book by any means. It cannot be thought that they have the lower standard for collections, but it can be thought that it’s a kind of collecting addiction.
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On the other side, “the pickers” always take books as a kind of information carrier.
They care more about the ownership reading experience rather than physical books.
One of the participants with “the picker” property regards books as tradable
assessments to exchange other books. Even they sell these books just for cash. In other words, the pickers put more attention on the accumulation of reading experience than the quantities of books under their controls.
Similarly, the other feature, ”the attitude”, is polarized into two opposite performances named “sacrosanct” and ”coexistence”. The first one, named sacrosanct, means that if people consider a book as one of their collections, they will make every effort to keep the book in the “perfect” status. It sounds like some kinds of mysophobia or virgin complex because people with this performance cannot stand any sullies of their books like creases, stains and fading pages. Many precautions for protecting books are brought to implementations such as extra covers and controlled temperature.
Besides, some of the participants will buy another extra book only for their storage if they really want to collect. The most extreme example is that a participant replaces her favorite books regularly if the books are faded to keep depreciation out. For these people, the books in their collections have an unique, divine and precious place.
〔Quote-3〕
“In that time, I had an idea that just tie them up to the second-hand bookstore, because I had no more space for my books! But…in the end I just cut the rope and putted them back. I can leave them….until another suitable owner comes up.”
( Participant E )
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On the contrary, another side named coexistence has the different performance about the books. People in coexistence do not show any special treatment for their books. It does not mean that they don’t care about their books but they take books as a part of their lives. They have a merciful attitude for their books and consider the traces as mark instead of stains. For these people, books which are scattered casually and clogged in the apertures of their environments are being in the “invisible” sights. One of the participants said that there are too many books that she has already forgotten the positions. But she takes the searching process as treasure hunting and she really enjoy it.
〔Quote-4〕
“…from that you can understand my dad and I don‟t really care about the
books‟……status. Well, you know, some are really really care about their books. Uh, what‟s the term they called? Paranoid? We ain‟t that kind. We don‟t intend to fold or maltreat our books, but when you are reading, you just cannot control your fingers! (laugh) ”
( Participant A )
“my books just “spreading” around my room, you can see(pointing the photo) they are on the ground, desk, my bed…they are everywhere! My books are overflowing!! ”
( Participant E )
“…if I cannot find the book…well, it doesn‟t matter „cause I know it is being there! ”
( Participant E )
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From the finding above there is a coordinate map, figure 4-2, that consisted by two
From the finding above there is a coordinate map, figure 4-2, that consisted by two