Abstract / Description of output
Supporting exploratory search is a very challenging problem, not least because of the dynamic nature of the exercise: both the knowledge and interests of the user are subject to constant change. Moreover, whether the results for a query are informative is strongly subjective. What is informative to one user, is too specific for the other; specificity differs between users depending on their intent and accumulated knowledge about the domain.
We propose a formal model - motivated by Information Foraging Theory - for predicting the subjective specificity of search results based on simple observables such as result-clicks. Through two studies including both controlled and free-form exploratory search we show our model allows us to differentiate between levels of subjective result specificity with regard to the current information need of the user.
We propose a formal model - motivated by Information Foraging Theory - for predicting the subjective specificity of search results based on simple observables such as result-clicks. Through two studies including both controlled and free-form exploratory search we show our model allows us to differentiate between levels of subjective result specificity with regard to the current information need of the user.
| Original language | English |
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| Title of host publication | Proceedings of the 23rd ACM International Conference on Conference on Information and Knowledge Management, CIKM 2014, Shanghai, China, November 3-7, 2014 |
| Pages | 819-828 |
| Number of pages | 10 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2014 |