Alternative Models of Web Searching: Broadening Our Perspectives: An Exploratory Study: Preliminary Findings SIG/CON 2002 Joseph Janes The Information School of the University of Washington

“Are you doing SIG/CON this year?” no ok, yes

statement of the problem the Web is really big lots of good (?) stuff there Google rapidly becoming search mechanism of choice works ok, but there are problems worth examining alternative methods of Web searching, esp for complex, precise, Boolean-type searching problems

review of the literature as usual, examined classics of the field J. Christ (ca. AD 30), Matthew 7:7 prediction of Google M. de Nostradamus (14c?) prediction of Web A. Spink et al (1999a, 1999b, 1999c) Web searching A. Spink et al (2000 a-f) A. Spink et al (2001 a-h) A. Spink et al (2002 a-q) A. Spink et al (in press a-x)

methodology comparison of 4 approaches to try to replicate modes and models of search behavior, broadly understood: Google Yahoo browsing map of Web dowsing rod w/ random URL generator

methodology Ss: 50 undergraduates 50 public library users (chimpanzees didn’t work out) 20 UK darts players, local pub champions 13 water witches

methodology queries assigned: What is the meaning of life? Where should I dig a well? How about a pint? Why do I get this sharp, stabbing pain every time I pick up a copy of JASIST? analysis based on quality of responses as defined by searcher considered random assignment of questions to searchers seemed too dangerous

results differential performance by question/method/searcher potential source of bias: didn’t analyze the water witches too closely (resistance, sticks, witches) darts  Google; esp strong on pint Q, surprisingly strong on JASIST Q as well witches  Yahoo categories confirming something we’ve known intuitively for quite some time dowsing  browsing (perhaps rename??)

implications, conclusions, further research implications for metadata creation, system design, searchers, training—but nothing funny I could think of this afternoon multiple methods of search can be of significant value (ditto) potential challenge to global Google hegemony sometimes these more mature methods of search can be worthwhile for the Web i.e., you might just as well wave a stick at it

Alternative Models of Web Searching: Broadening Our Perspectives: An Exploratory Study: Preliminary Findings SIG/CON 2002 Joseph Janes The Information School of the University of Washington