To What Extent Does Domain Knowledge Influence Search Stopping Behavior?

Recently, search stopping behavior has gained attention from researchers. The purpose of the present research study was to investigate if users' level of domain knowledge influenced when they chose to end a search for information. The topic of stopping behavior was investigated using a convenience sample of 15 third-and fourth-year undergraduate students at a large university. This study investigated how users' level of domain knowledge influenced their decisions to stop information searches. Subjects were asked to complete four search task in which their completion time was measured. Subjects also completed questionnaires about their experiences and participated in an exit interview. The results of the study indicated that there was not an association between knowledge level and stopping behavior. However, the results of the study indicated there was a correlation between levels of domain knowledge and levels of interest in domains. There was also a strong correlation between the subjects' satisfaction with the search process and the retrieved results. Lastly, there was a negative correlation between the subjects' level of domain knowledge and their task times