Affective and Cognitive Searching Behavior of Novice End-Users of a Full-Text Database

Novice end users were given 2 hours of training in searching a full-text magazine database (Magazine ASAPTM) on DIALOG. Subjects searched during three to four sessions in the presence of a trained monitor who prompted them to think aloud throughout the sessions. Qualitative analysis of the transcripts and transaction logs yielded empirical information on user variables (purpose, motivation, satisfaction), uses of the database, move types, and every question users asked during the searches. The spontaneous, naturalistic questions were categorized according to affective, cognitive, and sensorimotor speech acts. Results show that most of the searches were performed for the self and were work-related. The most common use of the database was to retrieve full-text articles online and to download and print them out rather than read them on screen. The majority of searches were judged satisfactory. Innovative uses included browsing for background information and obtaining contextualized sentences for language teaching. Searchers made twice as many moves to limit sets as moves to expand sets. Affective questions outnumbered cognitive and sensorimotor questions by two to one. This preponderance of affective micro-information needs during searching might be addressed by new system functions.

[1]  Carol Tenopir,et al.  Magazines in Full Text: Uses and Search Strategies. , 1989 .

[2]  Diane Nahl,et al.  Affective Elaborations in Boolean Search Instructions for Novices: Effects on Comprehension, Self-Confidence, and Error Type. , 1995 .

[3]  Raya Fidel,et al.  Moves in online searching , 1985 .

[4]  Raya Fidel.  Towards Expert Systems for the Selection of Search Keys , 1986 .

[5]  Alfred Kobsa,et al.  User Models in Dialog Systems , 1989, Symbolic Computation.

[6]  Carol Tenopir,et al.  Strategies and assessments online: Novices' experience , 1991 .

[7]  Marcia J. Bates,et al.  Information search tactics , 1979, J. Am. Soc. Inf. Sci..

[8]  Diane Nahl-Jakobovits,et al.  Learning the Library: Taxonomy of Skills and Errors , 1987 .

[9]  Linda Guyotte Stewart.  Helping students during online searches: An evaluation , 1993 .

[10]  Diane Nahl-Jakobovits.  CD-ROM point-of-use instructions for novice searchers : a comparison of user-centered affectively elaborated and system-centered unelaborated text , 1993 .

[11]  Carol Tenopir,et al.  Magazines Online: Users and Uses of Full Text , 1989 .

[12]  Marcia J. Bates,et al.  Idea tactics , 1980, IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication.

[13]  Paul B. Kantor,et al.  A study of information seeking and retrieving. I. Background and methodology , 1997, J. Am. Soc. Inf. Sci..

[14]  Baruch Fischhoff,et al.  Decision making in online searching , 1988, J. Am. Soc. Inf. Sci..

[15]  Paul B. Kantor,et al.  A study of information seeking and retrieving. III. Searchers, searches, and overlap , 1988, J. Am. Soc. Inf. Sci..

[16]  Raya Fidel,et al.  Searchers' selection of search keys: III. Searching styles , 1991, J. Am. Soc. Inf. Sci..

[17]  Paul B. Kantor,et al.  A study of information seeking and retrieving. II. Users, questions, and effectiveness , 1988, J. Am. Soc. Inf. Sci..

[18]  K. A. Ericsson,et al.  Protocol Analysis: Verbal Reports as Data , 1984 .

[19]  Raya Fidel.  Constructing a pattern model of man-machine interaction in online literature searching , 1982 .

[20]  Diane Nahl-Jakobovits,et al.  Managing the Affective Micro-Information Environment. , 1985 .

[21]  Raya Fidel,et al.  Searchers' selection of search keys: I. The selection routine , 1991, J. Am. Soc. Inf. Sci..

[22]  Raya Fidel,et al.  Searchers' selection of search keys: II. Controlled vocabulary or free‐text searching , 1991 .

[23]  A. Bandura.  Human agency in social cognitive theory. , 1989, The American psychologist.