Reconceptualizing think-aloud methodology: refining the encoding and categorizing techniques via contextualized perspectives

摘要

Ericsson and Simon's prescriptions about verbal protocols are, in general, highly regarded among cognitive scientists. This paper however, presents arguments, illustrated with evidence, to justify the researcher's departure from some of Ericsson and Simon's guidelines. Drawing from previous problem-solving studies using verbal protocols, the researcher found that, given the ill-structured and complex, knowledge-rich nature of the activity, the analytic and objective information-processing model which underlies Ericsson and Simon's protocol analysis deserves to be questioned. The present paper presents a different framework from Ericsson and Simon's recommendations about context-free encoding and mutually exclusive categorization. The researcher proposes context-appreciative encoding and multiple co-defined categorizations and suggests the methodology be refined and conceptualized using a contextualized point of view. The paper is concluded by calling for the fine-tuning and qualification of thinking aloud methodology, and highlights some suggestions for the direction of future research.