Augmenting and Limiting Search Queries.
Elaine G. Toms, Luanne Freund, Cara Li · 2002
Introduction Web queries tend to be significantly shorter and less complex than queries used in earlier types of information systems (Jansen & Pooch, 2000; Lawrence & Giles, 1999; Spink et al, 2001). Yet, there is general belief that enriched queries and query reformulation will lead to improved results (Belkin et al, 2001). In our research we are examining the sorts of tools that could assist with the creation of enriched queries and in turn improve the search process and the user's search experience. In the work reported here we assessed the use of two types of tools: one to assist the user in targeting and, thus, restricting the query, and a second one to assist in augmenting the query. We speculated that certain types of tools are more useful for certain types of information tasks. In particular we targeted the standard informational request in which a suitable response could be culled from many different Web pages, and secondly, the 'know-item' task, in which a specific Website