Assessment of Search Interface of Information Retrieval Systems A Case Study of Select Academic Databases
Huma Shafiq, Zahid Ashraf Wani · 2018
Search interface is an important component of information retrieval system. It acts as medium which connects users with an information retrieval system (IRS) and offers a platform for interaction and communication of users' information needs to IRS. Search interface needs to be robust and embedded with features that act as aid-in-hand to users, in particular to novice users to enable them to translate their information needs to meaningful and semantically rich queries. The present study attempts to identify and assess features and facilities of search interface of seven prominent academic databases, i.e., Cambridge Journals, JSTOR, Sage Journals, ScienceDirect, SpringerLink, Taylor & Francis, and Wiley Online Library. The emphasis is laid on the searching features like simple search, advanced search, browsing, access points (sign in, register), user assistance, alerting services, web 2.0 tools, etc. To achieve the maximum exploitation of academic databases, the study, on the basis of experience gained during assessment, suggests features that should be available on search interface of academic databases. This may prove helpful for academic database designers for designing a better user-friendly academic database.