Search effectiveness and efficiency of facet-based online catalog: A crossover study of novice users

Abstract

The effectiveness and efficiency of facet-based interface of an online catalog have yet explored much from a perspective of in experienced users. This crossover study compares search efficiency and effectiveness of novices using between facet-based and text-only interfaces of Koha OPAC. Twelve novice users in a secondary school were randomly recruited from November 12, 2013 to January 28, 2014. Participants were asked to perform 6 search tasks. Task completion and search accuracy, precision, recall, search time, and the number of search terms were observed and analyzed. The results from the comparisons of these measures indicate that the efficiency and effectiveness of novice users’ search using faceted interfacetends to be poorer than ones of non-faceted interface in certain aspects. This study informs a design recommendation ofa library catalog search interface for novice users.