Ruthven, in an ARIST chapter, reviews the methodologies applied in empirical research on user behaviour.
Early research using quantitative methods contributed to the understanding of information needs and uses at a macro level, while the adoption of qualitative methods adopted from the 1970s onwards has brought a new level of understanding of users at a micro level. Both qualitative and quantitative methods are now used in user information research, and are complementary to each other.
While reviewing the literature on user studies, Wang points out that the following important points, crucial for any user study, are often missing: