Exploring search tactic patterns in searching digital libraries

Abstract

This study explored users' application of search tactics within a single search session while using the U.S. Library of Congress Digital Collections. Thirty-eight sessions of exploratory tasks were analyzed focusing on tactic application patterns. We investigated the amount of time users spent on each type of search tactics and how tactic occurrence probability changed over time during the session. Preliminary results revealed that on average users spent the most time in evaluating individual items or search results. Query creation and exploration tactics were the two main strategies to start a search session, and evaluation tactics showed high occurrence probability throughout the session. © 2012 Springer-Verlag.