Making the transition from print to electronic encyclopaedias: adaptation of mental models

A study of how high school students use an encyclopaedia in both print and electronic form was conducted from a mental models perspective to analyse subjects' development of mental models for the electronic system, and evaluate the human-computer interface effects.

Abstract

A study of how high school students use an encyclopaedia in both print and electronic form was conducted from a mental models perspective. Over three sessions and prompted by a set of protocols administered by a participant observer, 16 subjects each conducted three searches, one a verbal simulation, and one each with the print and electronic versions of a general purpose encyclopaedia. Observer notes, audio tapes of all sessions, captured keystrokes of the electronic searches, and responses to a final interview were used to compare print and electronic versions, analyse subjects' development of mental models for the electronic system, and evaluate the human-computer interface effects. Encyclopaedias seemed to be default sources of information for these subjects. Subjects demonstrated satisfactory use of them by sequentially reading articles rather than scanning and without using the index. Some subjects simply applied print models to their electronic searches, not taking advantage of full-text searching or hypertext capabilities. Most were able to use some of the electronic system's features and a few took good advantage of these features and thus appeared to develop distinct mental models for the electronic encyclopaedia by adapting their existing mental models. Subjects took almost twice as much time, posed more queries, and examined more articles in the electronic searches. Designers and instructors are encouraged to guide adaptive transitions by focusing attention on the interactive features of electronic systems and the unique features for browsing, querying and filtering information. Recommendations about display effects, navigational aids, and query formulation aids are also made.