CD-ROM Search Techniques of Novice End-Users: Is the English-as-a-Second-Language Student at a Disadvantage? | Zendy

Diane DiMartino | Zendy; William J. Ferns | Zendy; Sharon Swacker | Zendy

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CD-ROM Search Techniques of Novice End-Users: Is the English-as-a-Second-Language Student at a Disadvantage?

Author(s) -

Diane DiMartino,

William J. Ferns,

Sharon Swacker

Publication year - 1995

Publication title -

college and research libraries

Language(s) - English

Resource type - Journals

SCImago Journal Rank - 1.886

H-Index - 52

eISSN - 2150-6701

pISSN - 0010-0870

DOI - 10.5860/crl_56_01_49

Subject(s) - disadvantage , computer science , vocabulary , focus (optics) , search engine indexing , cd rom , plural , english language , word (group theory) , information retrieval , linguistics , mathematics education , natural language processing , world wide web , artificial intelligence , psychology , operating system , philosophy , physics , optics

This study compared the CD-ROM search techniques of 42 undergraduate native speakers (NS) of English with those of 34 undergraduate English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) speakers in a controlled experiment. Native speakers were significantly more likely to use plural word forms when searching and to experiment with synonyms and alternative words to search for topics. Both groups of students underutilized basic search techniques, such as Boolean operations and indexing, and searched inefficiently. These findings suggests that bibliographic instruction targeted for ESL students can focus on techniques that circumvent difficulties with plurals and limited vocabulary. General bibliographic instruction in CD-ROM usage can address the other problems that ESL students share with novice users in general

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