Examines trends in World Wide Web searching; reviews new search services; and describes changes in major Web search services. Highlights include commercial sites, subject access, target audience, custom interfaces, concept searching, and results lists. (LRW)

Findings from a study of users' multitasking searches on Web search engines include: multitasking searches are a noticeable user behavior; multitasking search sessions are longer than regular search sessions in terms of queries per session and duration; both Excite and AlltheWeb.com users search for about three topics per multitasking session and…

Describes MusiCat, an experimental user interface designed in Denmark that reflects the different ways that patrons think when searching for musical material on the Web. Discusses technology versus content; search trees that use a hierarchy of subject terms; and usability testing. (LRW)

Discusses intelligent user interfaces, through which a user may query for information; explains the different types of intelligent online search assistants, or agents, which are used to support these interfaces. Describes several different agent systems. Concludes by discussing the current state of agents in information retrieval, especially as…

Provides an overview of online systems and search engines, highlighting search (relationships between terms and interpretation of words), browse, and Web search engine capabilities, iterative searches, canned or stored queries, vocabulary browsing, delivery of full source documents, simple and advanced user interfaces, and global access. Notes…

Describes DocML, a Web-based digital library of university data that is used to build a system capable of preserving and managing student assignments. Topics include requirements for a digital library of university data; metadata and XML; three-tier architecture; user interface; searching; browsing; content delivery; and administrative issues.…

Compares three online databases designed for elementary school use for searching periodicals. Highlights include limiting the ability to surf the Web; print capabilities; available resources included in the database, including full text versus abstracts; user-support materials; reading levels; and ease of interface use. (LRW)

Discussion of user interfaces to information retrieval systems focuses on interfaces that incorporate thesauri as part of their searching and browsing facilities. Discusses research literature related to information searching behavior, information retrieval interface evaluation, search term selection, and query expansion; and compares thesaurus…

Describes the role of a webmaster as designing, implementing, and maintaining an effective World Wide Web site; discusses needed skills in the areas of network configuration, interface and graphical design, software development, business strategy, writing, editing, marketing, and project management; and considers the webmaster's role in the online…

Presents six principles for building and evaluating Web-based information retrieval interfaces: help the user develop an understanding of the interface and search process, judge the value of continuing search paths, and refine search queries or search topics; avoid complex navigation; make system actions explicit; and provide verbal labels…

Reviews the Institute for Scientific Information's (ISI) Web interface for its Arts and Humanities, Social Sciences, and Science Citation Expanded citation indexes. Discusses content; other Internet efforts from ISI; pricing; searching; quick and full search modes; using the results; document delivery; full text; documentation and help; and future…

In the context of exploring educational hypermedia on the World Wide Web, this paper presents a history visualization that helps learners reorganize explored contents to find what Web sites they should visit next. Learning-by-exploration is discussed as it relates to educational hypermedia, including the "Get Lost in Hyperspace" problem,…

Presents a matrix that can serve as a tool for designing the information architecture of a Web portal in a logical and systematic manner. Highlights include interfaces; metaphors; navigation; interaction; information retrieval; and an example of a children's Web portal to provide access to museum information. (Author/LRW)

Describes a study of graduate students that examined how Web interfaces impact the quality or outcome of online searches, as well as the information seeking behavior of the searcher. Examines how two search interfaces work to noticeably increase or decrease the impact of the emotive aspects of search behavior. (LRW)

Until recently, the World Wide Web (WWW) public access search engines have not included many of the advanced commands, options, and features commonly available with the for-profit online database user interfaces, such as DIALOG. This study evaluates the features and characteristics common to both types of search interfaces, examines the Web search…