A comparative transaction log analysis of browsing and search formulation in online catalogues
- 1 March 1993
- journal article
- Published by Emerald Publishing in Program: electronic library and information systems
- Vol. 27 (3) , 269-280
- https://doi.org/10.1108/eb047145
Abstract
OLIVE, a transaction logging facility enhanced with online questionnaires, was used to collect data from users of public and academic library catalogues. The comparative analysis of subject searching behaviour focused on the role of browsing subject headings and brief references in search formulation. Opportunities for browsing are greatly constrained by indexing practices. It is suggested that a more integrated approach to pre‐coordinate and post‐coordinate searching would be more effective. The logging software has been developed for a number of commercial online catalogues including Geac, CLSI and LIBERTAS. The use of a diagnostic and monitoring tool in the evaluation of OPACs is advocated.Keywords
This publication has 5 references indexed in Scilit:
- AN EVALUATION OF AUTOMATIC QUERY EXPANSION IN AN ONLINE LIBRARY CATALOGUEJournal of Documentation, 1992
- Evaluation of online catalogues: Eliciting information from the userInformation Processing & Management, 1991
- The design of browsing and berrypicking techniques for the online search interfaceOnline Review, 1989
- Subject access in online catalogs: A design modelJournal of the American Society for Information Science, 1986
- OPAC User Logs: Implications for Bibliographic InstructionLibrary Hi Tech, 1983