Autocomplete as Research Tool: A Study on Providing Search Suggestions

As the library website and on its online searching tools become the primary “branch” many users visit for their research, methods for providing automated, context-sensitive research assistance need to be developed to guide unmediated searching towards the most relevant results.  This study examines...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: David Ward, Jim Hahn, Kirsten Feist
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: American Library Association 2012-12-01
Series:Information Technology and Libraries
Online Access:https://ejournals.bc.edu/ojs/index.php/ital/article/view/1930
Description
Summary:As the library website and on its online searching tools become the primary “branch” many users visit for their research, methods for providing automated, context-sensitive research assistance need to be developed to guide unmediated searching towards the most relevant results.  This study examines one such method, the use of autocompletion in search interfaces, by conducting usability tests on its use in typical academic research scenarios.  The study reports notable findings on user preference for autocomplete features, and suggests best practices for their implementation.
ISSN:0730-9295
2163-5226