Information-seeking on the web: influence of language on search performances and strategies

Abstract

This study deals with information-seeking on the Web with a focus on the use of more than one language. Native speakers (NS) of French (N=20) were compared with non-native speakers (NNS) of French (N=30) as to how they sought for answers to given questions using Google. Half of the NNSs (N=14) were also asked to change language and find the answers in their mother tongue (Finnish). The results show no differences in finding the correct answers, but the NSs of French completed the tasks faster than the NNSs. The NNSs formulated more queries than the NSs, and the group that had to change language formulated more queries and used more keywords than the other two groups. In searching for information in another language, diverse search strategies emerged.