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10 things we didn’t know about how students use EDS

Discover the surprising insights from usability testing on how students use EDS (EBSCO Discovery Service). Findings include students' slower search time, popular browser preference, various search routes, variable correct answers, navigation feature problems, confusion with citations, typing errors, and perseverance. The study challenges assumptions and changes teaching practices. Contact us for e-copies of the consent form and more information.

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10 things we didn’t know about how students use EDS

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  1. 10 things we didn’t know about how students use EDS Adele Robinson, Janine Bhandol. Alan Wheeler, Alan Bullimore Academic Liaison Librarians, University of Bedfordshire

  2. Usability Testing of EDS Why did we do it? How did we do it? Practicalities

  3. Findings…. Some of these were more surprising than others if we are quite honest…

  4. The Ten things…..Number 10 Students took longer to search than we thought they would….

  5. The Ten things…..Number 9 The most popular browser was Firefox

  6. The Ten things…..Number 8 Students use a whole variety of routes to find the DISCOVER (EDS) Search Box

  7. The Ten things…..Number 7 The number of questions answered correctly was variable

  8. The Ten things…..Number 6 Students had problems with navigation features (missed new search instruction, date-slider, facets etc)

  9. The Ten things…..Number 5 Students may not understand citations and how to extract the best words for searching (confusion about journal title and article title, entering place of publication as part of a book search)

  10. The Ten things…..Number 4 Searches include lots of typing errors. Predictive results and suggestions were not used a great deal

  11. The Ten things…..Number 3 Students could generally find the full-text link where it was available

  12. The Ten things…..Number 2 There was confusion about formats (eg between print and e-book)

  13. The Ten things…..Number 1 Students showed perseverance in completing the worksheet Hawthorne effect?

  14. A composite illustration of common search errors Confusion between article title and journal title Place of Publisher Date range caused problems

  15. In summary… • Enjoyable and worthwhile (especially one student who added humorous commentary into the Google search box) • It challenged our assumptions about how students search • It has changed the way we teach students If you would like e-copies of the consent form, exercise sheet and participant information sheet or further details please get in touch with one of us: alan.bullimore@beds.ac.uk, adele.robinson@beds.ac.uk or alan.wheeler@beds.ac.uk

  16. References • Fagan, J.C., Mandernach, M., Nelson, C.S., Paulo, J.R. & Saunders, G. (2012) ‘Usability test results for a discovery tool in an academic library’ Information Technology and Libraries, 31 (1), pp. 83-112 • Fry, A. & Rich, L. (2011) ‘Usability testing for e-resource discovery: how students find and choose e-e-resources using library web sites’ The Journal of Academic Librarianship, 37 (5), pp.386-401 • Gross, J. & Sheridan, L. (2011) ‘Web scale discover: the user experience’, New Library World, 112 (5/6), pp.236-247 • Williams, S.C. & Foster, A.K. (2011) ‘Promise fulfilled? An EBSCO discovery service usability study’ Journal of Web Librarianship, 5 (3), pp.179-198

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