Abstract
This study investigated the accuracy and completeness of mental models users have of Web search engines in the context of a comparison of matched data obtained from samples from 2000 and 2010. The performance measures time, steps and accuracy were assessed along with 17 salient features of Web search engines identified in the study conducted in 2000. The results indicated that the 2010 sample had improved significantly across all performance measures. The two samples did, however, identify an equal number of salient features (N=7). It was clear from the detailed analyses of the salient features though, that that the accuracy and completeness of users’ mental models of search engines had demonstrably improved from 2000. So, while users’ mental models of Web search engines still remain largely inaccurate and incomplete, their alignment with designer’s conceptualisations has improved.
Chapter PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Jansen, B.J., Spink, A.: How Are We Searching the World Wide Web? A Comparison of Nine Search Engine Transaction Logs. Inf. Proc. Manag. 42, 248–263 (2006)
Slone, D.J.: The Influence of Mental Models and Goals on Search Patterns During Web Interaction. Journal of the J. Am. Soc. Inf. Sc. Techn. 53, 1152–1169 (2002)
Thatcher, A., Greyling, M.: Mental Models of the Internet. Int. J. Ind. Erg. 22, 299–305 (1998)
Makri, S., Blanford, A., Gow, J., Rimmer, J., Warwick, C., Buchanan, G.: A Library or Just Another Information Resource? A Case Study of Users’ Mental Models of Traditional and Digital Libraries. J. Am. Soc. Inf. Sc. Techn. 58, 433–435 (2007)
Crudge, S.E., Johnson, F.C.: Using the Repertory Grid and Laddering Technique to Determine the User’s Evaluative Model of Search Engines. J. Document 63, 259–280 (2007)
Efthimiadis, E.N., Hendry, D.G.: Search Engines and How Students Think They Work. In: Proceedings of the 28th Annual international ACM SIGIR Conf. Res. Dev. in Inf. Ret. (2005)
Muramatsu, J., Pratt, W.: Transparent Queries: Investigating Users Mental Models of Search Engines. In: Proceedings of the 24th annual international ACM SIGIR conference on Research and development in information retrieval, pp. 217–224 (2001)
Thatcher, A., Greyling, M.: Mental Models of Search Engines: How Do Search Engines Work? In: Harris, D., Duffy, V., Smith, M., Stephanidis, C. (eds.) Human-centred Computing: Cognitive, social and ergonomics aspects. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates Inc., Mahaw (2003)
Zhang, Y.: Undergraduate Students Mental Models of the Web as an Information Retrieval System. J. Am. Soc. Inf. Sc. Techn. 59, 2087–2098 (2008)
Liaw, S., Huang, H.: Information Retrieval From the World Wide Web: A User-Focused Approach Based on Individual Experience With Search Engines. Comp. Hum. Beh. 22, 501–517 (2006)
Spink, A., Jansen, B.J., Blakely, C., Koshman, S.: A Study of Results Overlap and Uniqueness Among Major Web Search Engines. Inf. Proc. Manag. 42, 1379–1391 (2006)
Spink, A., Jansen, B.J., Ozmultu, H.C.: Use of Query Reformulation and Relevance Feedback by Excite Users. Internet Res.: Elect. Net. App. Pol. 10, 317–328 (2000)
Spink, A., Wolfram, D., Jansen, B.J., Saracevic, T.: Searching the Web: The Public and Their Queries. J. Am. Soc. Inf. Sc. Techn. 52, 226–234 (2001)
Huck, S.W.: Reading Statistics and Research, 4th edn. Pearson, Boston (2004)
Marchionini, G.: Information Seeking in Electronic Environments. Cambridge University Press, New York (1995)
Bar-Ilan, J., Keenoy, K., Yaari, E., Levene, M.: User Rankings of Search Engine Rankings. J. Am. Soc. Inf. Sc. Techn. 58, 1254–1266 (2007)
Crystal, A., Greenberg, J.: Relevance Criteria Identified by Health Information Users During Web Searches. J. Am. Soc. Inf. Sc. Techn. 57, 1368–1382 (2006)
Sullivan, D.: How Search Engines Work (2007), http://searchenginewatch.com/2168031
Search Engine Watch. Top Search Providers for September 2010 (2010), http://searchenginewatch.com/3634991
Rose, D.E.: Reconciling Information-Seeking Behavior With Search User Interfaces for the Web. J. Am. Soc. Inf. Sc. Techn. 57, 797–799 (2006)
Vaughan, M.W., Resnick, M.L.: Search User Interfaces: Best Practices and Future Visions. J. Am. Soc. Inf. Techn. 57, 777–780 (2006)
Doyle, J.K., Ford, D.N.: Mental Models Concepts Revisited: some Clarifications and a Reply to Lane. Syst. Dyn. Rev. 15, 411–415 (1999)
Senge, P.M.: The Fifth Discipline. Currency Doubleday, New York (1990)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2011 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
About this paper
Cite this paper
Mlilo, S., Thatcher, A. (2011). Mental Models: Have Users’ Mental Models of Web Search Engines Improved in the Last Ten Years?. In: Harris, D. (eds) Engineering Psychology and Cognitive Ergonomics. EPCE 2011. Lecture Notes in Computer Science(), vol 6781. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-21741-8_27
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-21741-8_27
Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg
Print ISBN: 978-3-642-21740-1
Online ISBN: 978-3-642-21741-8
eBook Packages: Computer ScienceComputer Science (R0)