Appendix 5: Abstract of Dr. Spink's NSF grant

NSF Award Abstract - #9753277

POWRE: Interaction in Information Retrieval: Successive Searching by Usage Over Time

Abstract

The proposed study is a pilot investigation in a new and little explored line of inquiry in Information Retrieval (IR). The primary goal is to study refinement of successive searching in information retrieval, investigating the nature, manifestations, and behavior of successive searching in IR, deriving criteria for use in the design of IR interfaces and systems supporting successive searching behavior. The following objectives will be examined: --The nature and extent of successive IR search episodes by a set of users over time characterizing the changes that occur in user situational context, user information problem, cognitive and affective states of the user, and consequently in the queries. -- On the computer side, characterize related changes over time in the type and use of information resources and search strategies, particularly related to the capabilities of systems and search engines. -- Examine changes in user's relevance judgments and criteria, characterizing their difference. -- Characterize progressive changes in shifts in successive interactions between users and computers. -- Develop appropriate models for IR interactions in successive search episodes. -- Derive a set of design criteria for interfaces and systems supporting successive searching. The research is significant in the following respects. First, as the size and variety of information resources in IR systems and the Web grow exponentially, the problem of searching becomes The critical problem for most users. Second, technologically-driven designs for IR and related systems are lacking in many respects when encountered and judged by users. Human-driven designs have to be incorporated as well. This research is oriented towards a human dimension of design.