Web Search Literacy: Awareness, Interface Complexity, and Long-Term Effects

搜索素养是信息素养的重要组成部分，在个人生活和职业生活中都起着至关重要的作用。例如，在网络搜索中，50%的时间花在持续30分钟或更长时间的搜索会话上。然而，许多用户高估了自己在这方面的能力。ASL研究人员试图开发具有更丰富、更复杂功能的更有效的搜索用户界面，但由于缺乏用户的动机和学习努力，用户对这些方法的研究往往会产生负面结果。即使观察到了短期的积极影响，但长期影响几乎从未被研究过。在拟议的项目中，这些问题针对Web搜索的情况进行了讨论。我们的目标是通过开发和评估基于计算机的方法，如在线教程、游戏化和脚手架来提高网络搜索能力。对于游戏化，搜索被组织为参与者之间的竞争游戏，旨在提高他们在游戏中的能力。在脚手架中，系统首先分析当前的搜索情况，对此也可以利用外部知识库；然后系统提出有希望的行动，以继续或改进搜索。对于所有这三种方法，都将进行用户研究，以评估它们对搜索素养的长期影响。

Search literacy is an essential component of information literacy, which plays a crucial role both in private and professional life. E.g., in Web search, 50% of the time is spent in search sessions lasting 30 minutes or longer. However, many users overestimate their own capabilities in this area. Asl researchers try to develop more effective search user interfaces with a richer, more complex functionality, user studies of these approaches often yield negative results, due to the lack of users' motivation and learning effort. Even when short-term positive effects are observed, the long-term effects are hardly ever studied. In the proposed project, these issues are addressed for the case of Web search. We aim at enhancing Web search literacy by developing and evaluating computer-based methods such as online tutorials, gamification and scaffolding. For gamification, search is organized as a competitive game between participants, aiming at improving their capabilities during the game. In scaffolding, the system first analyzes the current search situation, for which also external knowledge bases may be exploited; then the system proposes promising actions for continuing or improving the search. For all three methods, user studies will be performed for evaluating their long-term effects on search literacy.