Keyword comparison: a user-centered feature for improving web search tools

Current web search tools are examined. Human cognitive limitations in worki ng memory, text processing and comprehension, problem solving, and decision -making in a search process are analysed. Based on the literature review, a user-centered feature, keyword comparison, was proposed to help users revi ew the search results and extract useful information. Experimental search e ngines and browsers were developed using Visual Basic, Java and Common Gate way Interface (CGI) programming languages. An experiment was conducted to t est the effectiveness of this feature. The dependent variables were the num ber of relevant web sites identified during the 1-hour period and satisfact ion. The independent variable was the interface type of the search tools. A between-subject t-test experimental design was utilized with 20 subjects. Testing of the hypothesis, by contrasting the user-centered feature against the current search engine, indicated that feature keyword comparison impro ved users' search performance by 77% and satisfaction in using the feature by 35%. (C) 2000 Academic Press.