Yahoo! directories
Bilal (2000, 2001, 2002) is a series of research reports of
a research project that investigated the information-seeking behavior and
success of seventh-grade science children in using the Yahooligans! Web search
engine/directory. In parts 1 and 2, children performed fully assigned tasks to
pursue in the engine. In the third study, children generated their tasks fully.
Children were found to be more successful on the fully self-generated task than
the two fully assigned tasks. Children were more successful when they browsed
than when they searched by keyword on the three tasks. Yahooligans! design,
especially its poor keyword searching, contributed to the breakdowns children
experienced.
To better understand whether searchers consider
classificatory structures a viable alternative to information retrieval, Lee & Olson
(2005) reports on a study of how 24 library and information science students
used Yahoo! directories, a search service resembling classification, in
completing an assigned simple task. Several issues emerged from the students'
reporting of their search process and a comparison between hierarchical
navigation and keyword searching: citation order of facets, precision vs.
recall, and other factors influencing searchers' successes and preferences. The
latter included search expertise, knowledge of the discipline, and time required
to complete the search.
Literature:
Bilal, D. (2000). Children's use of the Yahooligans! Web search engine: I.
Cognitive, physical, and affective behaviors on fact-based search tasks.
Journal of the American Society for Information Science, 51(7), 646-665.
Bilal, D. (2001). Children's use of the Yahooligans! Web search engine: II.
Cognitive and physical behaviors on research tasks. Journal of the American
Society for Information Science and Technology, 52(2), 118-136.
Bilal D (2002). Children's use of the yahooligans! - Web search engine. III. Cognitive and physical behaviors on fully self-generated search tasks. Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology, 53(13), 1170-1183.
Hock, R. (2005). Yahoo! to the max: an extreme searcher guide. Medford, N J: Information Today, Inc.
Lee, H. L. & Olson, H. A. (2005). Hierarchical navigation: An exploration of Yahoo! directories. Knowledge Organization, 32(1), 10-24.
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Yahoo!: http://www.yahoo.com/
Birger Hjørland
Last edited: 17-07-2006