An evaluation of a visual interface for supporting query formulation in scholarly searching

Svarre, Tanja and Russell-Rose, Tony. 2024. An evaluation of a visual interface for supporting query formulation in scholarly searching. Journal of Librarianship and Information Science, ISSN 0961-0006 [Article] (In Press)

[img]
Preview
Text
Accepted_version.pdf - Accepted Version
Available under License Creative Commons Attribution Non-commercial No Derivatives.

Download (488kB) | Preview

Abstract or Description

Performing an effective literature review is a fundamental academic skill. Whether writing up a final project, preparing a research proposal, or simply finding answers to complex questions, students need to be able to systematically gather and analyze evidence from a variety of sources. However, many students have difficulty formulating effective search queries and understanding how to optimize their search strategy. This paper evaluates a novel approach to query formulation based on an alternative, visual interface. The approach is evaluated alongside a conventional, form-based interface in a comparative, controlled setting. The study finds that overall, participants considered the visual interface to be more complex and difficult to use. However, at the same time they used significantly more terms, facets and reformulations in the visual interface, and gave more attention to creating and refining more complex queries. In addition, the majority considered the visual interface to have greater transparency, with a clearer overview of the search tasks that encouraged them to invest greater effort in completing them successfully. The results demonstrate that visual approaches can offer tangible benefits in developing and improving students’ competence in exploratory search tasks.

Item Type:

Article

Identification Number (DOI):

https://doi.org/10.1177/09610006241291603

Keywords:

Academic search, complex search, controlled lab test, conventional search interface, exploratory search, student search, visual search, interface

Departments, Centres and Research Units:

Computing

Dates:

DateEvent
26 September 2024Accepted
4 November 2024Published Online

Item ID:

37715

Date Deposited:

10 Oct 2024 09:35

Last Modified:

19 Nov 2024 15:24

Peer Reviewed:

Yes, this version has been peer-reviewed.

URI:

https://research.gold.ac.uk/id/eprint/37715

View statistics for this item...

Edit Record Edit Record (login required)