The Use of Thinking-out-loud and Protocol Analysis in Development of a Process Model of Interactive Database Searching

A variation of the “thinking-out-loud” and protocol analysis method of studying problem solving behavior was used to observe the interactive searching of experienced bibliographic dababase searchers. To control for the effects of different search problems, three different search requests were structured to represent major generic kinds of search problems. Analysis of pre-search protocols, on-line search transcripts, and post-search debriefings of nine searchers, three of whom were randomly assigned to each type of search request, revealed that, while there were differences in searcher behavior as a function of type of search problem, there were important similarities in searcher behavior. These similarities made it possible to develop a general characterization of the process of database searching. This process model was subsequently used to structure tutorial exercises used in training beginning searchers. These tutorial exercises were embedded in an on-line search assistance program. Evaluation studies conducted both on the training exercises and on the search assistance system as a whole supported the idea that the search process model developed through “thinking-out-loud” and protocol analysis was a reasonable representation of the search process and was useful in training searchers.