Web searching behaviour for academic resources

This paper aims to investigate Web-searching behaviour for academic resources, the usability issues encountered, and the affect of user education levels on the search process. This experimental study used pre- and post-test questionnaires, Think Aloud Protocol (TAP), and observation methods at the University of East Anglia (UEA). The students engaged in recorded video, audio, and screen session as they searched academic resources. They had a free choice of search tool(s) on the topic of their study, specific to their needs. The study also used questionnaires and interviews with UEA faculty. A total of 64 subjects participated in the research. Forty-eight students were classified into three groups (undergraduates, masters, and PhD students) composed of 16 participants each; an additional 16 faculty members participated in the questionnaires and interviews. Participants were selected from all UEA faculties and included a mix of nationalities and genders. Results showed that user needs, skills, and persistence differ with respect to academic searching—they increase as education levels increase. In addition, results showed that users generally prefer using search tools because of their overall usability rather than dealing with online databases, even though such databases may be more effective. The study concludes that education level plays an important role—given the complex nature of huge amounts of information on the Web—in adopting different techniques and advanced search tools.