Non‐native English speakers (NNESs) often search in English due to the limited availability of information in their native language on the Web. Information seeking in a non‐native language can present special challenges for users. Current research literature on non‐native language search behavior is insufficient and even less is known about how online systems and tools may accommodate NNESs’ needs and assist their behaviors. To gain a better understanding of user behavior and the search process of NNESs, this paper presents a study of online searching in English as a foreign language (EFL) or second‐language (L2). Particular attention is paid to language selection, search challenges, query formulation and reformulation, as well as user interaction with online systems and tools. Results from eight focus groups (36 participants) and 36 questionnaires indicate NNESs face a unique set of challenges that may not be present for native speakers when searching for information in English. A user interaction model is abstracted to address the iterative and spiral search process of NNESs. Implications for design of systems and tools to assist this particular user group are discussed.

This paper reports (1) on the results of a user study and (2) search‐history‐based user interface tools developed based on the results of the study. The research described is part of a dissertation (Komlodi ) that examined the use of search histories in legal information seeking and derived interface design recommendations for information storage and re trieval systems. The study examined legal information seekers' use of their memory and externally recorded search histories in searching for and using information through qualitative research methods. The data collected was analyzed to identify potential task areas where search histories can support information seeking and use. The results show that many information‐seeking tasks can take advantage of automatically and manually recorded history information, including mental model building of a topical area, the integration of searching for and using infrmation, and integrating these into larger tasks contexts, which are reported in this paper. These findings encouraged the design of user interface tools building on search history information: direct search history displays, history‐enabled scratchpad facilities, and organized results collection tools.

Users judge the credibility of websites while browsing for information. The criteria that influence how they judge the credibility depend on many factors. In this study we found that computer expertise had a strong impact on what criteria users used in their credibility judgments. Participants evaluated websites they found while searching and described their credibility evaluation process. The criteria identified from their evaluations differed between novice and intermediate/expert users.