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Patterns and transitions of query reformulation during web searching

Bernard J. Jansen (College of Information Sciences and Technology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA)
Mimi Zhang (College of Information Sciences and Technology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA)
Amanda Spink (Faculty of Information Technology, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia)

International Journal of Web Information Systems

ISSN: 1744-0084

Article publication date: 20 December 2007

524

Abstract

Purpose

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To investigate and identify the patterns of interaction between searchers and search engine during web searching.

Design/methodology/approach

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The authors examined 2,465,145 interactions from 534,507 users of Dogpile.com submitted on May 6, 2005, and compared query reformulation patterns. They investigated the type of query modifications and query modification transitions within sessions.

Findings

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The paper identifies three strong query reformulation transition patterns: between specialization and generalization; between video and audio, and between content change and system assistance. In addition, the findings show that web and images content were the most popular media collections.

Originality/value

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This research sheds light on the more complex aspects of web searching involving query modifications.

Keywords

Citation

Jansen, B.J., Zhang, M. and Spink, A. (2007), "Patterns and transitions of query reformulation during web searching", International Journal of Web Information Systems, Vol. 3 No. 4, pp. 328-340. https://doi.org/10.1108/17440080710848116

Publisher

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Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2007, Emerald Group Publishing Limited

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