More and more people search online in a language that is not their native language due to the limited availability of content in underrepresented languages [1]. Most such users search in English as a second language. Very few researchers studied the challenges second language searchers face, even though searching in a foreign language and language proficiency and skills constitute an essential part of the context of searching, which can in return impact the search process and outcome. This exploratory study examines differences in first and second language web searching. Query reformulations from 14 participants who searched in English (first language) and Spanish (second language) and 17 participants who searched in Hungarian (first language) and English (second language) are analyzed and compared. Preliminary results show that searching in a foreign language requires significantly longer time, more query reformulations, and more websites viewed. User feedback also indicates that the search strategy that our participants successfully use in their first language is often much less efficient in their second language.
Online searching is a central element of internet users' information behaviors. Searching is usually executed in a user's native language, but searching in English as a foreign language is often necessitated by the lack of content in languages that are underrepresented in Web content. This paper reports results from a study of searching in English as a foreign language and aims at understanding this particular group of users' behaviors. Searchers whose native language is not English may have to resort to queries in English in support of their information needs due to the lack or low quality of the web content in their own language. However, when searching for information in a foreign language, users face a unique set of challenges that are not present for native language searching. We studied this problem through qualitative research methods and report results from focus groups in this paper. The results reported in this paper describe typical problems foreign language searchers face, the differences in informationseeking behavior in English and in the participants' native language, and advice and ideas shared by the focus group participants about how to search effectively and efficiently in English.
Non-native English speakers (NNESs) often search in English due to the limited availability of information in their native language on the Web. Information seeking in a non-native language can present special challenges for users. Current research literature on non-native language search behavior is insufficient and even less is known about how online systems and tools may accommodate NNESs' needs and assist their behaviors. To gain a better understanding of user behavior and the search process of NNESs, this paper presents a study of online searching in English as a foreign language (EFL) or second-language (L2). Particular attention is paid to language selection, search challenges, query formulation and reformulation, as well as user interaction with online systems and tools. Results from eight focus groups (36 participants) and 36 questionnaires indicate NNESs face a unique set of challenges that may not be present for native speakers when searching for information in English. A user interaction model is abstracted to address the iterative and spiral search process of NNESs. Implications for design of systems and tools to assist this particular user group are discussed.
In this paper, we present preliminary findings from an exploratory mixed-methods study of foreign-language searchers' credibility assessment of web documents when searching in English. Findings highlight a set of criteria used by these searchers to assess the credibility and accuracy of English web sources, the most frequent of which relates to source reputation. Foreign language searchers are more likely to trust an English language source if it is familiar or if it is the official source of information. Design aesthetics and functionality also have an impact on credibility. Findings have implications for the design of online sources that better support credibility assessments of foreign-language searchers.
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