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Marti Hearst wrote:By permission of Cambridge University Press, browsing the contents of the book on this web site is free. Users may make one hardcopy of the contents of the book for personal use, but not for further copying or distribution. Users may link freely to this site but may not post any material from the book on other web sites, other than short excerpts with attribution as permitted under fair use.

Excerpts from Book Description:

This book focuses on the human users of search engines and the tool they use to interact with them: the search user interface. The truly worldwide reach of the Web has brought with it a new realization among computer scientists and laypeople of the enormous importance of usability and user interface design. In the last ten years, much has become understood about what works in search interfaces from a usability perspective, and what does not. Researchers and practitioners have developed a wide range of innovative interface ideas, but only the most broadly acceptable make their way into major web search engines. This book summarizes these developments, presenting the state of the art of search interface design, both in academic research and in deployment in commercial systems. Many books describe the algorithms behind search engines and information retrieval systems, but the unique focus of this book is specifically on the user interface. It will be welcomed by industry professionals who design systems that use search interfaces as well as graduate students and academic researchers who investigate information systems.

Reviews:

Keith Instone, Information Architecture Lead, IBM.com User Experience Design:

"Many people think designing a search user interface is as simple as copying what someone else does. There are a lot of complex issues below the surface and this is the first book to explain all of the research in a way that a practitioner like me can apply it. If you want to design innovative search user interfaces, you need this book close at hand at all times."

Chris Sherman, Executive Editor, Search Engine Land:

"A comprehensive guide, not to how search works but how we humans work with search to satisfy our information needs. A must-read for anyone concerned with usability and creating the optimal user experience for searchers."

Gary Marchionini, Boshamer Professor, University of North Carolina, School of Information and Library Science:

"Professor Hearst has given us the definitive work on search user interfaces; grounded in the theory and practice of information retrieval and human-computer interaction and brimming with examples and clear explanations, this landmark book will serve the needs of students, practitioners, and scholars for years ahead."