End User Information Searching on the Internet: How do Users Search and what do they Search for?

摘要

Internet-based information retrieval services, whether World Wide Web search engines or vendor-based tools to access proprietary databases, have provided end users the ability to search for a range of information of interest. Every day numerous search engines process millions of queries submitted by users from around the world. Database vendors increasingly also provide access to end users who may now search vendor databases via the web. The presenters discuss findings and implications of research projects using an Internet search service and Internet-accessible vendor databases, representing the two sides of public database searching: query formulation and resource utilization.