A Query-Level Examination of End User Searching Behaviour on the Excite Search Engine

Abstract

This study presents an analysis of selected characteristics of a large set of queries submitted by end users to the Excite search service. Characteristics examined include the frequency distribution of queries, browsing persistence at the query level based on query size, and browsing persistence at the session level based on query session length. Findings reveal that users submit largely unique queries and engage in similar, non-persistent browsing habits. Users are not browsing much beyond the first one or two pages of results regardless of the effort they put into their queries or the number of queries submitted during a search session.