Priming the query specification process
Elaine G. Toms, Luanne Freund · Proceedings of the American Society for Information Science and Technology · 2003
Abstract As part of a large project to develop tools that aid users with the search process, we are testing ways of priming the query specification process. In this paper we test the use of questions as a technique. Using a within‐subjects design 48 people interacted with a modified Google interface to solve four information problems in four domains. Half the tasks were entered as typical keyword queries, and half as questions or statements. While results are not definitive, they suggest that the typical search box is a barrier to the creation of enriched queries.