Queries-R-Links: graphical markup for text navigation

In this paper we introduce a style of interaction (interactive querying) that combines features of hypertext with Boolean querying, using direct markup of text to launch queries. We describe two experiments that compare the relative ease of expressing Boolean queries as text versus a graphical equivalent. The results of these experiments show that the expression of queries in the graphical format is no more difficult than the textual equivalent. We then describe the Queries-R-Links system that we have developed at the University of Toronto. Queries-R-Links uses the graphical markup method to launch Boolean queries interactively using direct markup of text. This work represents significant progress towards information exploration systems that combine the useful features of information retrieval querying and hypertext browsing.