Spelling and the Web

Varnhagen, Connie K.; McFall, G. Peggy; Figueredo, Lauren; Takach, Bonnie Sadler; Daniels, Jason; Cuthbertson, Heather

doi:10.1016/j.appdev.2008.12.022

Cited by 9 publications

(17 citation statements)

References 15 publications

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“…Here, it appears that both Luisa's and Mariana's time abroad allowed them to dialogue effectively with native Brazilians on Facebook. While some may argue that the informality and abbreviations of these interactions could negatively affect advanced competence in the language, studies such as Varnhagen et al (2009) have demonstrated that CMC-related alterations do not appear to negatively affect discourse in more formal registers.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Using Facebook Data to Analyze Learner Interaction During Study Abroad

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2013

Foreign Language Annals

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Although study abroad is viewed as an ideal environment for interaction in the target language, research in this area has relied mostly upon self‐reported data, which pose challenges regarding recall bias and participant commitment. This article shows how Facebook data can be used to analyze naturally occurring learner interactions during study abroad. Drawing from a 10‐month, Web‐based ethnography of three learners, findings indicate an overall increase in Portuguese use during study abroad, as well as acquisition of computer‐mediated communication–relevant terms in Portuguese. Comparisons to Language Contact Profile data show the advantages of using social media data to gain a detailed view of learner interactions while abroad. Implications for language instructors and the use of social media in the classroom setting are also discussed.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Using Facebook Data to Analyze Learner Interaction During Study Abroad

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2013

Foreign Language Annals

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“…And poor spellers may be advanced readers who take part in postsecondary education (Holmes & Castles). Indeed, as society becomes more technologically dependent, the use of correct spelling increases in importance, especially for effective online IR (Varnhagen et al, 2009).…”

Section: Background and Rationalementioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, spell checkers do not always produce the correct spelling of a word. For example, spell checkers may come up with erroneous suggestions when the misspelled words are orthographically or phonologically dissimilar to the target word (Montgomery, Karlan, & Coutinho, 2001) or when the spell checker uses common spellings rather than a true dictionary, as is the case with Google's “Did you mean” spell‐checking function (Varnhagen, et al, 2009). True dictionaries, with fixed collections of words can also result in text correction problems, particularly for specialized vocabulary.…”

Section: Background and Rationalementioning

confidence: 99%

“…Borgman et al, 1995; Chen, 2003). Varnhagen et al (2009) found that university and fourth‐grade students who could not obtain the correct spelling of a search term could not retrieve information on the topic.…”

Section: Background and Rationalementioning

confidence: 99%

“…There are numerous, interrelated factors that affect the efficacy of online searches. Some of these factors relate to information retrieval (IR) system design (e.g., Borgman, 1996, discusses access points and technical skills); others relate to search query formulation (e.g., Novotny, 2004, notes the use of advanced search features and synonyms; Varnhagen et al 2009, note the importance of correct spelling). Additional factors, such as user knowledge (Borgman, 1996), searching experience (Kim, 2001; Lau,& Goh, 2006), personality (Heinström, 2005), cognitive style (Kim) and strategy use (Varnhagen et al) also influence searching success.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The effect of spelling and retrieval system familiarity on search behavior in online public access catalogs: A mixed methods study

Willson

Given

2010

J. Am. Soc. Inf. Sci.

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Although technology can often correct spelling errors, the complex tasks of information searching and retrieval in an online public access catalog (OPAC) are made more difficult by these errors in users' input and bibliographic records. This study examines the search behaviors of 38 university students, divided into groups with either easyto-spell or difficult-to-spell search terms, who were asked to find items in the OPAC with these search terms. Search behaviors and strategy use in the OPAC and on the World Wide Web (WWW) were examined. In general, students used familiar Web resources to check their spelling or discover more about the assigned topic. Students with difficult-to-spell search terms checked spelling more often, changed search strategies to look for the general topic and had fewer successful searches. Students unable to find the correct spelling of a search term were unable to complete their search. Students tended to search the OPAC as they would search a search engine, with few search terms or complex search strategies. IntroductionSearching for information is a complex task, particularly for novice searchers. There are numerous, interrelated factors that affect the efficacy of online searches. Some of these factors relate to information retrieval (IR) system design (e.g., Borgman, 1996, discusses access points and technical skills); others relate to search query formulation The ability to spell words correctly is a literacy skill that is essential but nearly invisible. Effective communication skills-from writing a memo, to searching for information in a directory, or sending an e-mail message-rely on appropriate spelling skills. Indeed, many guides to professional communication note the importance of editing skills to ensure that documents are error-free and communicate the intended message to the reader (e.g., Ross & Dewdney, 1998). In online environments, misspellings may lead searchers to miss important information or believe that very little information exists on a given topic. Despite the advent of spell checkers, spelling continues to be an important aspect of online searching as spell checkers may not recognize mistakes or may make incorrect spelling suggestions. In searching OPACs, spelling is especially important to consider in assessing users' searching skills, as most systems do not include spell-checking functions, leaving many misspellings to go unnoticed. Unfortunately, spelling is not often studied in examinations of effective IR strategies. In the field of library and information studies (LIS), spelling in OPAC searching has been examined primarily to determine the number of bibliographic records that contain typographical errors (e.g., Beall & Kafadar, 2007;Randall, 1999) improper search syntax, rather than a more substantive user issue (e.g., Yee, 1991). When spelling has been examined in studies of users' searching behaviors, this has typically occurred through transaction log analysis of OPAC searches that examine the frequency of misspellings (e.g., Blecic, Dorsch, Koenig, ...

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