Web Information Gathering Tasks and the User Search Behaviour

Abstract

The research described in this article is an attempt to characterize the kind of search behaviour users follow while gathering information on the Web. Information gathering on the Web is a task in which users collect information; possibly from different sources (pages); more likely over multiple sessions to satisfy certain requirements and goals. This process involves decision making and organization of the information gathered for the task. Information gathering tasks have been shown to be search-reliant. Therefore, identifying the kind of search behaviour users choose for this kind of task may lead to supporting Web information gathering tools as recommended in the findings of this research. The results of the user study reported in this paper indicate that the user search behaviour during Web information gathering tasks has characteristics of both orienteering and teleporting behaviours.