The effects of domain knowledge and Web experience on user search performance in a digital library context

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of individual differences on information-seeking performance while completing an information-seeking task on the World Wide Web. The i-DLR web site is used as the web application where the participants perform the information-seeking tasks over the Internet. Using a quasi-experimental research design, this study investigates the effect of domain knowledge and web experience, and the interaction between them, on the information seeking performance and satisfaction among a sample of graduate students.; The study found that only domain knowledge played an important role in information seeking activity on the web, and that previous web experience was not as critical as domain knowledge in information-seeking activity on the web. There was no evidence of any interaction between domain knowledge and web experience. This finding supports previous findings in hypertext research that reported that minimal training in terms of browsing and searching skills should be sufficient enough for hypertext novices to be able to perform basic searching and browsing on a hypertext system, such as on a web site. Also, expertise in the subject domain plays a more important role than does system expertise with regard to performance and success in completing information seeking tasks. In conclusion, the present study suggests that beginners would benefit the most if the information system design and training were focused on the content within a specific subject area so that it would compensate for the lack of knowledge in that subject area.; Based on the findings, the role of user's domain knowledge and web experience was identified. Finally, the implications and suggestions for future research were proposed.