The Search Process

The following table illustrates the critical questions experts ask themselves while conducting a search. These are noted in the four corners of the Problem Solving Process diagram.

Critical Thinking Questions, Tasks and Examples

Questions	Critical Thinking Tasks	Example Items
WHAT What characteristics, concepts, and formats are you looking for?	Identify characteristics Define Concept(s) *Select Format	Fact/Opinion, Single/Multiple perspectives, Quantitative/Qualitative, Reliable/Less reliable Various concept representations Text/Picture/Sound Synonyms, Hyper-,Hypo-, other nyms
WHEN When do you need the information? (How long can you spend looking?)	Establish parameters Analyze tradeoffs *Determine optimization	Time now/Time total Recall/Precision *Over-optimizing/Sub-optimizing
WHERE Where is the most likely location in which to find this information?	Differentiate Order *Select	Non-internet/Internet/WWW/Domain(s)/Site(s) /Document(s) Most probable/Less probable Time/Accessibility/Strengths/Experience Visible, Invisible, or Opaque Web
HOW How will you search? (What tools will you use? What options would be most helpful?)	Tools: Differentiate Order Select Rules:* Differentiate Order *Select	Tools: Directories/Meta-SearchEngines/Search Engines/SiteSearch engines/Site maps Most useful/Least useful Time/Accessibility/Strengths/Experience Rules:* Keywords/Category names/Operators/Features Operators/FeaturesAnalysis *Options: Review all/Follow best/Select Site/Re-rank
WHY Why did your search return the results you received? (Is this what you wanted? What clues are revealed to help you structure your search more efficiently?)	Compare results to goal Evaluate goal *Evaluate criteria of success	Generality/Specificity Adequate statement/Needs revision/Needs restating *Realistic goal/Realistic parameters/Realistic comparison criteria
WHAT NEXT What did you do Next? (Were you finished? If not, how did you refine your search and try again?)	Refine goal Refine Topic Refine Strategy Refine Tactics	Realistic/Less Realistic Too broad/Too narrow Too complex/Too simple Change tactics/Execute better

Authored by Lora K. Kaisler 2003

Questions	Critical Thinking Tasks	Example Items
WHAT What characteristics, concepts, and formats are you looking for?	Identify characteristics Define Concept(s) *Select Format	Fact/Opinion, Single/Multiple perspectives, Quantitative/Qualitative, Reliable/Less reliable Various concept representations Text/Picture/Sound Synonyms, Hyper-,Hypo-, other nyms
WHEN When do you need the information? (How long can you spend looking?)	Establish parameters Analyze tradeoffs *Determine optimization	Time now/Time total Recall/Precision *Over-optimizing/Sub-optimizing
WHERE Where is the most likely location in which to find this information?	Differentiate Order *Select	Non-internet/Internet/WWW/Domain(s)/Site(s) /Document(s) Most probable/Less probable Time/Accessibility/Strengths/Experience Visible, Invisible, or Opaque Web
HOW How will you search? (What tools will you use? What options would be most helpful?)	Tools: Differentiate Order Select Rules:* Differentiate Order *Select	Tools: Directories/Meta-SearchEngines/Search Engines/SiteSearch engines/Site maps Most useful/Least useful Time/Accessibility/Strengths/Experience Rules:* Keywords/Category names/Operators/Features Operators/FeaturesAnalysis *Options: Review all/Follow best/Select Site/Re-rank
WHY Why did your search return the results you received? (Is this what you wanted? What clues are revealed to help you structure your search more efficiently?)	Compare results to goal Evaluate goal *Evaluate criteria of success	Generality/Specificity Adequate statement/Needs revision/Needs restating *Realistic goal/Realistic parameters/Realistic comparison criteria
WHAT NEXT What did you do Next? (Were you finished? If not, how did you refine your search and try again?)	Refine goal Refine Topic Refine Strategy Refine Tactics	Realistic/Less Realistic Too broad/Too narrow Too complex/Too simple Change tactics/Execute better