Relevance criteria identified by health information users during Web searches

This study focused on the relevance judgments made by health information users using the Web. Health information users were conceptualized as motivated information users concerned about how an environmental issue affects their health. Users identified their own environmental health interests, and conducted a Web search of a particular environmental health Web site. Users were asked to identify (by highlighting with a mouse) the criteria they use to assess relevance in both Web search engine surrogates and full-text Web documents. Content analysis of document criteria highlighted by users identified the criteria these users relied on most often. Key criteria identified included (in order of frequency of appearance): research, topic, scope, data, influence, affiliation, Web characteristics, and authority/person. A power-law distribution of criteria was observed (a few criteria represented most of the highlighted regions, with a long tail of occasionally-used criteria). Implications of t...

• Type: Journal
• Year: 2006
• Where: JASIS
• Authors: Abe Crystal, Jane Greenberg
• Keywords: Environmental Health, Health Information Users, Information Users, JASIS 2006