Explores the use of metaphors as problem-solving mechanisms by novice searchers of bibliographic databases. Subjects were 28 undergraduate students at the University of Technology, Sydney, Australia, who "talked through" a search on a bibliographic retrieval system. A range of metaphors was apparent from the language used by students.…

Describes a study of undergraduates that was conducted to determine how they searched databases, the effectiveness of their searches, and their satisfaction with them. The students' cognitive and learning styles were determined by the Lancaster Approaches to Studying Inventory and Riding's Cognitive Styles Analysis tests. (Author/LRW)