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The Decline of Subject Searching: Long-Term Trends and Patterns of Index Use in an Online Catalog.

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Bibliographic Details
Title: The Decline of Subject Searching: Long-Term Trends and Patterns of Index Use in an Online Catalog.
Authors: Larson, Ray R.1
Source: Journal of the American Society for Information Science. Apr1991, Vol. 42 Issue 3, p197-215. 19p.
Subjects: Mathematical statistics, Documentation, Online library catalogs, Economic trends, Electronic information resource searching, Mathematical models
Abstract: Search index usage in a large university online catalog system over a six-year period (representing about 15.3 minion searches) was investigated using transaction monitor data. Mathematical models of trends and patterns in the data were developed and tested using regression techniques. The results of the analyses show a consistent decine in the frequency of subject index use by coniine catalog users, with a corresponding increase in the frequency of title keyword searching. Significant annual patterns in index usage were also identified. Analysis of the transaction data, and related previous studies of online catalog users, suggest a number of factors contributing to the decline in subject search frequency. Chief among these factors are user difficulties in formulating subject queries with Library of Congress Subject Headings, beading to search failure, and the problem of Information overload" as database size increases. This article presents the modes and results of the transaction log analysis, discusses the underlying problems with subject searching contributing to the observed decine, and reviews some proposed improvements to online catalog systems to aid in overcoming these problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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Database: Engineering Source
Description
Abstract:Search index usage in a large university online catalog system over a six-year period (representing about 15.3 minion searches) was investigated using transaction monitor data. Mathematical models of trends and patterns in the data were developed and tested using regression techniques. The results of the analyses show a consistent decine in the frequency of subject index use by coniine catalog users, with a corresponding increase in the frequency of title keyword searching. Significant annual patterns in index usage were also identified. Analysis of the transaction data, and related previous studies of online catalog users, suggest a number of factors contributing to the decline in subject search frequency. Chief among these factors are user difficulties in formulating subject queries with Library of Congress Subject Headings, beading to search failure, and the problem of Information overload" as database size increases. This article presents the modes and results of the transaction log analysis, discusses the underlying problems with subject searching contributing to the observed decine, and reviews some proposed improvements to online catalog systems to aid in overcoming these problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
ISSN:00028231
DOI:10.1002/(SICI)1097-4571(199104)42:3<197::AID-ASI6>3.0.CO;2-T