Referring to my previous posting, we decided in the end to not issue any instructions to the participants about staying on the library website. However, when a participant went off the site, the moderators asked them why and then directed them back on to the library website. This way, we have hopefully captured a picture of the points on the site that drive people off while keeping the focus of the study on the usability of the site itself. Forty two Fresno State juniors participated last week and now were working out the coding procedure.
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TheAnthroGeek
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Felicia Salcido
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November 24, 2010 at 4:16 pm
Suzanne Ronshausen
Deciding to allow students to exit the library website and document why they were doing it is an excellent way to determine what the library website is lacking in. This process may allow the library website to incorporate the information that students are finding elsewhere. Simply prohibiting them from going off site may have only determined that the library website is lacking in something but not specifically what information. That was a good choice for modifying this study.
December 12, 2010 at 5:34 pm
Sean Bennett
I’m not sure if finding out if students would navigate away from the website is that big of an issue in regards to site reliability. I think time would be better spent trying to manage search engines within the site. However, it is good to see that different forms of testing are being done to test different scenarios within the site.
December 15, 2010 at 7:33 pm
Breanna Giersch
I did not realize that letting them leave the website would actually be beneficial. Allowing them to leave the site but finding out why they are leaving the site is the information you need. All forms of testing need to be done to accurately asses the site so seeing exactly why that student needs to use a different search engine is the information that you need.
December 16, 2010 at 11:34 pm
Andrew Epperson
I believe that the study will help improve the website with or without allowing them to go “off-site”. Keeping their interest in the library website and then getting feedback from the students is the main focus. Studying both sides of this issue could benefit the study but you have to limit your focus to a certain area. Stay on subject with the library website is in the spot light and receiving input from the students will help in the areas where they are confused. When the coding procedure is finished, new information will be revealed and should improve the study even more.