tales from the field search strategies applied in web searching故事从字段搜索策略应用于web搜索.pdf

Future Internet 2010, 2, 259-281; doi:10.3390/fi2030259 OPEN ACCESS future internet ISSN 1999-5903 /journal/futureinternet Article Tales from the Field: Search Strategies Applied in Web Searching Iris Xie * and Soohyung Joo School of Information Studies, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Bolton Hall, 5th floor, 3210 N Maryland Ave Milwaukee, WI 53211, USA; E-Mail: sjoo@ * To whom correspondence should be addressed; E-Mail: hiris@; Tel.: +1-414-229-6835; Fax: +1-414-229-6699. Received: 1 July 2010; in revised form: 30 July 2010 / Accepted: 3 August 2010 / Published: 6 August 2010 Abstract: In their web search processes users apply multiple types of search strategies, which consist of different search tactics. This paper identifies eight types of information search strategies with associated cases based on sequences of search tactics during the information search process. Thirty-one participants representing the general public were recruited for this study. Search logs and verbal protocols offered rich data for the identification of different types of search strategies. Based on the findings, the authors further discuss how to enhance web-based information retrieval (IR) systems to support each type of search strategy. Keywords: search strategies; search tactics; web environment; IR system design 1. Introduction Search strategy is one of the major topics in interactive information retrieval (IR)