Abstract
Our final goal is to understand exploratory searches as four levels of search processes: search task, intent unit, search unit, and link unit. To complete these objectives, we used qualitative data to categorize participants’ information needs for search units and quantitatively analyzed whether differences in the information needs of search units influence users’ search processes and how task types and groups affect search units. In the experiment, eleven undergraduates and five graduates conducted information gathering task for writing a report and trip planning. We recorded their verbal protocols during the tasks and post interviews, browser logs, screen captured video, and eye-tracking data. We divided the process of exploratory searches into search units. Then search units were classified into the two types of information needs, navigational and informational, based on qualitative data. We conducted a quantitative analysis to compare between tasks and groups and types of search units. The results showed that there were many differences between the information and navigation search units.
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Saito, H., Takaku, M., Egusa, Y., Terai, H., Miwa, M., Kando, N. (2010). Connecting Qualitative and Quantitative Analysis of Web Search Process: Analysis Using Search Units. In: Cheng, PJ., Kan, MY., Lam, W., Nakov, P. (eds) Information Retrieval Technology. AIRS 2010. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 6458. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-17187-1_16
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-17187-1_16
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