Not all who wander are lost: an argument for searching to browse as a separate information behaviour

Introduction. The relationship between search and browse has long been framed as separate, interleaved and sometimes equal activities. With the shift to nearly exclusive online behaviour, this relationship is changing Method. In light of some surprising incidental research findings, we conduct a...

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Main Authors: Dana McKay, Michael Twidale, George Buchanan
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: University of Borås 2025-05-01
Series:Information Research: An International Electronic Journal
Subjects:
Online Access:https://publicera.kb.se/ir/article/view/52351
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author Dana McKay
Michael Twidale
George Buchanan
author_facet Dana McKay
Michael Twidale
George Buchanan
author_sort Dana McKay
collection DOAJ
description Introduction. The relationship between search and browse has long been framed as separate, interleaved and sometimes equal activities. With the shift to nearly exclusive online behaviour, this relationship is changing Method. In light of some surprising incidental research findings, we conduct a critical literature synthesis of literature on search typologies, exploratory search and browsing, especially digital browsing. Analysis. Based on the results of previous work, we identify a gap in previous models of search, specifically searching to browse. Results. The notion of searching to browse changes the relationship between searching and browsing, particularly in a digital context. This new form of both searching and browsing creates a need for new interfaces, particularly for collecting items of interest. Conclusions. We argue for searching to browse as a new form of information behaviour, one that is slowly being accommodated by digital information systems. We recommend that more digital information systems take searching to browse into account.
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series Information Research: An International Electronic Journal
spelling doaj-art-90d0f16677cf4505bafe5c5355ed43342025-08-20T03:48:02ZengUniversity of BoråsInformation Research: An International Electronic Journal1368-16132025-05-0130CoLIS10.47989/ir30CoLIS52351Not all who wander are lost: an argument for searching to browse as a separate information behaviourDana McKay0Michael Twidale1George Buchanan2RMIT UniversityUniversity of Illinois Urbana-Champaign School of InformationRMIT University Australia’s School of Computing Technologies Introduction. The relationship between search and browse has long been framed as separate, interleaved and sometimes equal activities. With the shift to nearly exclusive online behaviour, this relationship is changing Method. In light of some surprising incidental research findings, we conduct a critical literature synthesis of literature on search typologies, exploratory search and browsing, especially digital browsing. Analysis. Based on the results of previous work, we identify a gap in previous models of search, specifically searching to browse. Results. The notion of searching to browse changes the relationship between searching and browsing, particularly in a digital context. This new form of both searching and browsing creates a need for new interfaces, particularly for collecting items of interest. Conclusions. We argue for searching to browse as a new form of information behaviour, one that is slowly being accommodated by digital information systems. We recommend that more digital information systems take searching to browse into account. https://publicera.kb.se/ir/article/view/52351Information behaviour and practicesInteractive information retrievalsearchingbrowsinginformation behaviourhuman information interaction
spellingShingle Dana McKay
Michael Twidale
George Buchanan
Not all who wander are lost: an argument for searching to browse as a separate information behaviour
Information Research: An International Electronic Journal
Information behaviour and practices
Interactive information retrieval
searching
browsing
information behaviour
human information interaction
title Not all who wander are lost: an argument for searching to browse as a separate information behaviour
title_full Not all who wander are lost: an argument for searching to browse as a separate information behaviour
title_fullStr Not all who wander are lost: an argument for searching to browse as a separate information behaviour
title_full_unstemmed Not all who wander are lost: an argument for searching to browse as a separate information behaviour
title_short Not all who wander are lost: an argument for searching to browse as a separate information behaviour
title_sort not all who wander are lost an argument for searching to browse as a separate information behaviour
topic Information behaviour and practices
Interactive information retrieval
searching
browsing
information behaviour
human information interaction
url https://publicera.kb.se/ir/article/view/52351
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