Measures that discriminate among online searchers with different training and experience

The major research objectives were to identify the differences among the searchers of users of online bibliographic systems who have different backgrounds of training and experience, and the differences among the searches of persons with and without experience of the Eric database. A quasi‐experimental research design used forty‐two searchers separated into five experience levels who conducted two pre‐selected searches using the Dialog system and the Eric database. The results were measured with variables which related to the search outcome, i.e., cost effectiveness, precision, and recall and to the search process and errors.