In Formation Seeking on the WWW: Task Interest and Search Strategies

Abstract

Observational, log-file and retrospective verbal protocol data were collected from eighty subjects while they were engaged in two directed search tasks and two general-purpose browsing tasks. In each of these two task types, directed task and general-purpose task, one task was chosen by the subject (subject interest) and one task was chosen by the researcher (subject non-interest). This data was used to determine whether search strategies differed according to the interests of the subject and whether any differences in search strategies were consistent across task types. Results indicate that there are consistent differences on task performance and search strategies between subject interest and non-interest tasks and between general-purpose browsing and directed search tasks. These results are discussed in terms of currently evolving Web information seeking models.

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