A day in the life of web searching: an exploratory study

  • Authors:
  • Seda Ozmutlu;Amanda Spink;Huseyin C. Ozmutlu

  • Affiliations:
  • Department of Industrial Engineering, Uludag University, Gorukle Kampusu, Bursa 16059, Turkey;School of Information Sciences and Technology, The Pennsylvania State University, 004C Thomas Building, 120 S. Burrowes Street, University Park, PA;Department of Industrial Engineering, Uludag University, Gorukle Kampusu, Bursa 16059, Turkey

  • Venue:
  • Information Processing and Management: an International Journal
  • Year:
  • 2004

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Abstract

Understanding Web searching behavior is important in developing more successful and cost-efficient Web search engines. We provide results from a comparative time-based Web study of US-based Excite and Norwegian-based Fast Web search logs, exploring variations in user searching related to changes in time of the day. Findings suggest: (1) fluctuations in Web user behavior over the day, (2) user investigations of query results are much longer, and submission of queries and number of users are much higher in the mornings, and (3) some query characteristics, including terms per query and query reformulation, remain steady throughout the day. Implications and further research are discussed.