How to support search activity of users without prior domain knowledge when they are solving learning tasks?

Overview & Synopsis

This study focused on the impact of prior domain knowledge on the resolution of search tasks. More precisely, the study looked at the effect of procedural and semantic support on search strategies and performances during information search activity comparing different levels of learning tasks. Eighteen students with prior domain knowledge, fourteen unguided students without prior domain knowledge and fifteen guided students without prior domain knowledge had to solve six learning tasks (two "remember" tasks, two "understand" tasks, two "evaluate" tasks) related to psychology. Main results showed that procedural and semantic support improved the navigation of users without prior domain knowledge (i.e. fewer links opened from SERP, less time spent on URL and globally less time to find information, longer queries) and they got close to users having higher prior domain knowledge.