Information problem solving (IPS) is an important twenty-first century skill, but it is lacking at all age levels. One type of information problem, those of an ill-structured nature that require multiple iterations of (re)defining problems and formulating emerging solutions, can be particularly challenging but have received less attention in the IPS literature. Further, the process of solving such problems often reveals, while simultaneously being impacted by, problem solvers’ epistemic beliefs. Using a self-regulated problem-solving model as an analytic framework and taking advantage of multiple data sources, this study examined college students’ self-regulatory patterns in performing an ill-structured IPS task, and compared the patterns displayed by two groups of students with more and less adaptive epistemic beliefs. Sequential analysis of behavioral data revealed different patterns between the two groups. Think-aloud data, interviews, and students’ IPS products showed three key differences between the two groups: difference in the roles of IPS task instructions, difference in the numbers and triggers of queries, and qualitative difference in iterations between page viewing and writing. The findings yielded important insights into the self-regulatory processes of IPS and the role of epistemic beliefs at different problem-solving stages. Implications are drawn for educators and learning designers for developing IPS in higher education.

信息问题解决（IPS）是二十一世纪的一项重要技能，但所有年龄段的人都缺乏这项技能。一类信息问题，即那些结构不良的信息问题，需要多次迭代（重新）定义问题并制定新的解决方案，可能特别具有挑战性，但在 IPS 文献中受到的关注较少。此外，解决此类问题的过程通常会揭示问题解决者的认知信念，同时也会受到其影响。本研究以自我调节问题解决模型为分析框架，利用多个数据源，考察了大学生在执行结构不良的IPS任务时的自我调节模式，并比较了两组学生所表现出的模式具有或多或少的适应性认知信念。行为数据的顺序分析揭示了两组之间的不同模式。有声思考数据、访谈和学生的 IPS 产品显示了两组之间的三个关键差异：IPS 任务指令的角色差异、查询数量和触发的差异以及页面查看和写作之间迭代的质的差异。这些发现对 IPS 的自我调节过程以及认知信念在不同问题解决阶段的作用产生了重要的见解。对教育工作者和学习设计者在高等教育中开发 IPS 具有启示意义。