APPENDIX E

CRITICAL INCIDENT REPORT FORM FOR EFFECTIVE SEARCHES

Appendix E contains the critical incident report form used for effective searches. It was used during the structured interviews that we conducted with participating users. It aims to collect qualitative data about users' search experience with CHESHIRE.

Incident ID #: User login #:

EFFECTIVE INCIDENT REPORT FORM

1. Can you think of a recent instance in which the bibliographic records/sources you obtained through a CHESHIRE search you conducted was especially helpful with your work? Do you have a specific search in mind?

2. What specific information were you seeking? [What was the subject of the search? What was the question in your mind?]

3. How did you carry out this search to get the information you needed? How did you formulate your original search question? What exactly did you type?

4. What information did you obtain as a result of your initial search? What kinds of sources did you find? Were they helpful? In what ways?

5. Did you carry out a relevance feedback search? Y / N [If the answer is "no," skip this question. If "yes," continue.] How did relevance feedback search help? [Would you say relevance feedback further improved/worsened your research? How?]

6. Considering your search experience with CHESHIRE for this question and the types of sources you found, would you say your search was, in general, successful/effective? Y / N Why was this?

7. How would you assess the following sentences?

  • a) CHESHIRE retrieved most of the useful sources. Y / N Can you be more specific?
  • b) More than half of the sources I found using CHESHIRE were useful. Y / N Can you be more specific?
    •