Grieving online: the use of search engines in times of grief and bereavement

Abstract

In this paper, we study the information goals in searches on the topic of grieving and bereavement. Using log analyses and content analyses we present a categorization system of grief and bereavement-related queries submitted to a major search engine, reflecting the variety of information needs that occur during a period of bereavement. We also present patterns of interaction during the query formulation stage of these searches and results on the success of searches on the topic of grieving and bereavement. Using linguistic style analyses we compare the content of grief-related queries showing differences in content that may be used to classify grief-related queries to help provide tailored support for different types of query.