CD-ROM Search Techniques of Novice End-Users: Is the English-as-a-Second-Language Student at a Disadvantage?

This study compared the CD-ROM search techniques of 42 undergraduate native speakers (NS) of English with those of 34 undergraduate English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) speakers in a controlled experiment. Native speakers were significantly more likely to use plural word forms when searching and to experiment with synonyms and alternative words to search for topics. Both groups of students underutilized basic search techniques, such as Boolean operations and indexing, and searched inefficiently. These findings suggests that bibliographic instruction targeted for ESL students can focus on techniques that circumvent difficulties with plurals and limited vocabulary.