Cognitive differences in end user searching of a CD-ROM index

Cognitive abilities of fifty university students were tested using eight tests from the Kit of Factor-Referenced Cognitive Tests. All students searched for references on the same topic using a standard computerized index, and performance in the searches was analyzed using a variety of measures. Effects for cognitive differences, as well as for differences in demographic characteristics and knowledge, were identified using multiple regression. Perceptual speed had an effect on the quality of searches, and logical reasoning, verbal comprehension, and spatial scanning abilities influenced search tactics. It is suggested that information retrieval systems can be made more accessible to users with different levels of cognitive abilities through improvements that will assist users to scan lists of terms, choose appropriate vocabulary for searching, and select useful references.