Usage scenario to try and fully understand result clicks and record views

  1. User accesses database Academic Search Complete
  2. User searches for ‘benefit cuts’ and ‘united kingdom’
  3. 113 search results are retrieved
  4. User looks at first 10records

User then undertakes several different actions with these results:

Number / Action / Result Click or Record view
5. / User decides that they will read the first 3 articles without looking at the abstracts so clicks on the Full Text links / 3 result clicks
(0 record views as detailed records aren’t viewed and user navigates directly to full text from result page)
6. / User decides to read the abstracts of articles 4 and 5.
After reading the abstracts, they decide the articles aren’t relevant so don’t go any further. / 2 result clicks AND 2 record views
7. / User decides to read the abstracts of articles 7, 8 and 9.
After reading the abstracts, they decide to access the articles in full text, by clicking the link to the Full Text from the Detailed Record view / Initial viewing of abstracts
3 result clicks AND 3 record views
Clicking of full text link from Detailed Record (Abstract) view
3 record views
(0 result clicks as user is on the detailed record screen – result clicks are actions taking place on initial result screen)
Total: 3 result clicks and 6 record views

Total number of user actions in this search transaction

Result clicks capturing all user actions:

-3 result clicks to view Full Text Links

-2 result clicks to view abstracts

-3 result clicks to view abstracts

Total result clicks – 8

Record views, capturing user interaction with detailed records within databases

-2 abstract views

-3 abstract views

-3 clicks on full text link from within detailed records

Total record views – 8

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This scenario was developed by Eric Howard, Information Services Librarian, Leeds Beckett University, United Kingdom

Article copyright: © 2015 UKSG. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of

Eric Howard copyright: © 2016

This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative

Commons Attribution Licence, which permits unrestricted use and distribution provided the original is credited.

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Andrew Barker, People in the News: Lorraine Estelle, Insights, 2015, 28(3), 1–3; DOI: org/10.1629/

uksg.267

Published by UKSG in association with Ubiquity Press on XX November July 2015