Interaction differences in web search and browse logs

Paul Thomas; Alex O'Neill; Cecile Paris

Interaction differences in web search and browse logs

Paul Thomas^*, Alex O'Neill, Cecile Paris

^*Corresponding author for this work

School of Computing

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference proceeding contribution › peer-review

5 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

We use logfiles from two web servers (public and internal), two corresponding search engines, and two user populations (public and staff) to examine differences in behaviour across users and sites. We observe similar overall characteristics to other browsing and searching logs, but differences in behaviour between staff and the public and between external and internal sites. Staff familiarity with organisational language and structure does not translate to more effective search or navigation, although staff do expend considerable effort looking for information and often look in the wrong place. This would not be apparent from logs covering only search or only browsing behaviour.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	ADCS 2010 - Proceedings of the Fifteenth Australasian Document Computing Symposium
Pages	52-59
Number of pages	8
Publication status	Published - 2010
Event	15th Australasian Document Computing Symposium, ADCS 2010 - Melbourne, VIC, Australia Duration: 10 Dec 2008 → 10 Dec 2008

Other

Other	15th Australasian Document Computing Symposium, ADCS 2010
Country/Territory	Australia
City	Melbourne, VIC
Period	10/12/08 → 10/12/08

Keywords

Information retrieval
Log analysis
User behaviour

Cite this

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title = "Interaction differences in web search and browse logs",

abstract = "We use logfiles from two web servers (public and internal), two corresponding search engines, and two user populations (public and staff) to examine differences in behaviour across users and sites. We observe similar overall characteristics to other browsing and searching logs, but differences in behaviour between staff and the public and between external and internal sites. Staff familiarity with organisational language and structure does not translate to more effective search or navigation, although staff do expend considerable effort looking for information and often look in the wrong place. This would not be apparent from logs covering only search or only browsing behaviour.",

keywords = "Information retrieval, Log analysis, User behaviour",

author = "Paul Thomas and Alex O'Neill and Cecile Paris",

year = "2010",

language = "English",

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booktitle = "ADCS 2010 - Proceedings of the Fifteenth Australasian Document Computing Symposium",

note = "15th Australasian Document Computing Symposium, ADCS 2010 ; Conference date: 10-12-2008 Through 10-12-2008",

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AU - Thomas, Paul

AU - O'Neill, Alex

AU - Paris, Cecile

PY - 2010

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N2 - We use logfiles from two web servers (public and internal), two corresponding search engines, and two user populations (public and staff) to examine differences in behaviour across users and sites. We observe similar overall characteristics to other browsing and searching logs, but differences in behaviour between staff and the public and between external and internal sites. Staff familiarity with organisational language and structure does not translate to more effective search or navigation, although staff do expend considerable effort looking for information and often look in the wrong place. This would not be apparent from logs covering only search or only browsing behaviour.

AB - We use logfiles from two web servers (public and internal), two corresponding search engines, and two user populations (public and staff) to examine differences in behaviour across users and sites. We observe similar overall characteristics to other browsing and searching logs, but differences in behaviour between staff and the public and between external and internal sites. Staff familiarity with organisational language and structure does not translate to more effective search or navigation, although staff do expend considerable effort looking for information and often look in the wrong place. This would not be apparent from logs covering only search or only browsing behaviour.

KW - Information retrieval

KW - Log analysis

KW - User behaviour

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84872855646&partnerID=8YFLogxK

M3 - Conference proceeding contribution

AN - SCOPUS:84872855646

SN - 9781921426803

SP - 52

EP - 59

BT - ADCS 2010 - Proceedings of the Fifteenth Australasian Document Computing Symposium

T2 - 15th Australasian Document Computing Symposium, ADCS 2010

Y2 - 10 December 2008 through 10 December 2008

ER -

Interaction differences in web search and browse logs

Abstract

Other

Keywords

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