Web-based information search and retrieval: effects of strategy use and age on search success.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between strategy use and search success on the World Wide Web (i.e., the Web) for experienced Web users. An additional goal was to extend understanding of how the age of the searcher may influence strategy use.


BACKGROUND
Current investigations of information search and retrieval on the Web have provided an incomplete picture of Web strategy use because participants have not been given the opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge of Web strategies while also searching for information on the Web.


METHODS
Using both behavioral and knowledge-engineering methods, we investigated searching behavior and system knowledge for 16 younger adults (M = 20.88 years of age) and 16 older adults (M = 67.88 years).


RESULTS
Older adults were less successful than younger adults in finding correct answers to the search tasks. Knowledge engineering revealed that the age-related effect resulted from ineffective search strategies and amount of Web experience rather than age per se. Our analysis led to the development of a decision-action diagram representing search behavior for both age groups.


CONCLUSIONS
Older adults had more difficulty than younger adults when searching for information on the Web. However, this difficulty was related to the selection of inefficient search strategies, which may have been attributable to a lack of knowledge about available Web search strategies.


CONCLUSIONS
Actual or potential applications of this research include training Web users to search more effectively and suggestions to improve the design of search engines.
Stronge
Aideen J
AJ
Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332-0170, USA.
Rogers
Wendy A
WA
Fisk
Arthur D
AD
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D016247:Information Storage and Retrieval / Q000379:methods*; D020407:Internet; D008297:Male; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis; D014584:User-Computer Interface