Exploration of the Relative Contributions of Domain Knowledge and Search Expertise for Conducting Internet Searches |
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| Authors: | Eileen Wood Domenica De Pasquale Julie Lynn Mueller Karin Archer Lucia Zivcakova Kathleen Walkey |
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| Institution: | 1. Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, Ontario, Canadaewood@wlu.ca;3. Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada |
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| Abstract: | The relative contributions of expertise in search skills and domain knowledge were examined when using the Internet to find information. Four conditions were compared: expert searchers/high domain knowledge; expert searchers/low domain knowledge; novice searchers/high domain knowledge; and novice searchers/low domain knowledge. Search outcomes and verbal protocols were analyzed. The combination of search expertise and high domain knowledge yielded the most efficient searches. Higher search expertise yielded access to sites rated more accurate and credible. High domain knowledge yielded sites rated more thorough. Verbal protocols depicted searching as a complex decision process. Findings have implications for instructional support. |
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| Keywords: | Internet search search strategies expert search skills finding information |
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