Optimizing Library Search Research Project Coding Procedures

Tools:

• Airtable

• Loop11

Process:

1. Open both Loop 11 and the Airtable base for this project (Optimizing Library Search Research Project 2022)

2. In Airtable, open the following view:

   1. Participants-Tasks Results tab

   2. Questions → [ select the question set being worked on]

      1. Note that question sets are split into two: Group A and Group B. Work on one group at a time.

3. In Loop 11, select the Projects on the sidebar, then select “View Report” for one of the following two projects depending on the group selected in step 2. (Ignore projects with additional words, like “Demo” or “Staff”)

   1. Optimizing Library Website (Group A)

   2. Optimizing Library Website (Group B )

4. Once the project is selected, go to the “Participants Tab” and select the participant that matches the first (or next, if continuing) Loop 11 participant ID in Airtable (not that this is not the same as the participant ID assigned by the project team)

5. Select the “Tasks” tab

6. Go the task that matches the question set being coded.

7. Click on the video

8. Watch the video of that task and code the following

   1. Coded by → select your name

   2. Search terms used

      1. Type in the search terms that were used by the participants. Record searches exactly as input by the participant, including punctuation, capitalizations, etc. If the user supplies search terms more than one time, separate searches with a semi-colon ( ; ).

         1. Advanced search or databases that allow for searching using multiple indexes: recreate the search using capitalized boolean operators AND/OR in between search terms or phrases

         2. Wherever the coder is supplying data beyond what the participant supplied (such as grouping search terms together to demonstrate phrases in an advanced search, use a carrot ( ^ ) instead of quotations

   3. Initial Search Method

      1. Copy/pasted - if the participant copied AND pasted the text from the search prompt (Note: this does not include highlighting text.)

      2. Typed - select this if the participant typed in the initial search terms

      3. Both - select this if the participant copied and pasted terms AND also typed in or modified a terms before searching

   4. Assign categories to the search terms that were used. If more than one search term was applied or search terms were changed midway through process, include categories for all search terms. Categories include:

      1. Title

      2. Author

      3. Person (not author)

      4. Topical term (s)

      5. Call number

      6. Citation

      7. Date

      8. Other

   5. Initial Search Errors

      1. Record any major search errors that may have impacted the search results for the participant, options include:

         1. Misspelling

         2. Irrelevant words added inadvertently

         3. Irrelevant words added intentionally

   6. Answer correct:

      1. Yes - answer is complete and correct

      2. In part - answer is mostly complete and/or correct

      3. No - answer is wrong

   7. Observations

      1. Record observations about the search process that match the considerations for that question (Click on the Task link to see more information about the task, list of potential correct answers and considerations to think about) as well as anything noteworthy or unusual about the search

   8. Outside Study Parameters: If the participant uses spaces or resources other than the search boxes intended for their assigned task to start or re-start their search, indicate all resources used. Options include:

      1. Find (top drop-down)

      2. Services (top drop-down)

      3. Help (top drop-down)

      4. About (top drop-down)

      5. Books and Media link

      6. Articles and Databases link

      7. Journals, Magazines, and Newspapers link

      8. Course Reserves (Class materials) link

      9. Academic Search Ultimate

      10. Locate databases

      11. Google

      12. USU Search bar

      13. Library homepage (Note: this is the regular library homepage at http://library.usu.edu , not the modified library homepage for Encore test used for this project)

      14. Other

   9. Duration - Start Time

      1. Record the minute and second when the participant clicked “start task” (mm:ss)

   10. Duration - End Time

       1. Record the minute and second the task ended (mm:ss)

   11. Login Pages (Not Accessed)

       1. Record the number of times a login appears and the user does NOT login (actions include exiting the tab, using the back button, etc.)

   12. Login Pages (Accessed)

       1. Record the number of times a login page appears and the user DOES login

   13. For Encore-based tasks record the following:

       1. E_Search Page Facets: Select any facets present on the search page that were used by the participant from the list provided. Facets are located in the left-hand shaded column of the search results

          Open

          

       2. E_AS Used: Check this if the participant used the Advanced Search at all

          Open

          

       3. E_AS Index Used: select which index was used to search from the list provided (i.e. keyword, author, title, subject)

       4. E_AS_Conditions Selected: select if additional search conditions were set (i.e. format, collection, language, year)

   14. E_AdditionalTools : select as many as were used

       1. more_BelowRecord_E: This feature expands the shortened abstract or description on the search results page

       2. seeall_BelowRecord_E: This feature expands the list of items to show location, call number, and status

       3. author_BelowRecord_E: This hyperlink will take the participant to a list of all works by an author

       4. author_InRecord_E: This hyperlinke will take the participant to a list of all works by an author. Unlike the “BelowRecord” version noted above, this hyperlink is not located in the search results page, but is located in the actual record for an item

   15. For Dual-Tab based tasks, record the following:

       1. DT_Tabs Used: select the tabs that were used in this search process (i.e. Google Scholar, Books and Printed Material)

       2. DT_GS_Refinements/Tools: if the participant used the Google Scholar tab, select any or all refinements that were used:

          1. Cite

          2. Show results for

          3. SinceDate

          4. SortByDate

          5. Reviews

       3. DT_Books_Index Used: if the participant used the Books and Printed Material tab, select the indexes that were used (i.e. Keyword, author, title, subject)

       4. DT_Books_WebpacRefinementTools: if the participant used the Books and Printed Material tab, select any refinements that were used, including:

          1. “Change search to…”

       5. DT_Books_More Searches Selected: if the participant selected additional search indexes by using the drop down of the same name on the upper right hand side of the page, check this box.

       6. DT_Books_Sorting Selected: if participants chose any sorting besides the default “relevancy”, select which sort they chose

          or

           

       7. DT_Books_Location: if participants chose a specific location, selected the location they chose from the list provided