Understanding Query Formation in the Use of Internet Search Engines

Internet search engine use is notoriously challenging and frustrating to typical users. Most users are inefficient at finding what they are looking for and often give up before achieving their goals. Most commercial search engines have advanced search interfaces that are designed to facilitate increased precision and recall, but users generally avoid these due to poor usability and high perceived difficulty of use. This paper outlines three studies that investigated the strategies and effectiveness of user-generated search queries. Scenarios were formulated to encourage users to construct the single best query for each task. In general, users were unable to construct accurate queries for tasks that required compound logic. Study 1 verified the reluctance of users to use advanced search features. Study 2 investigated the use of Boolean and proximity search commands and capitalization strategies. Participants generally did not use them properly. Study 3 compared the use of basic search with advanced search when users were forced to use each one. Performance was similar but preference measures showed a significant advantage for basic search while confidence was higher for advanced search.