This book brings together results from the Web search studies we conducted from 1997 through 2004. The aim of our studies has been twofold: to examine how the public at large searches the Web and to highlight trends in public Web searching. The eight-year period from 1997 to 2004 saw the beginnings and maturity of public Web searching. Commercial Web search engines have come and gone, or endured, through the fall of the dot.com companies. We saw the rise and, in some cases, the demise of several high profile, publicly available Web search engines. The study of the Web search is an exciting...

Whether searching, shopping, or socializing, Web users leave behind a great deal of data revealing their information needs, mindset, and approaches used, creating vast opportunities for Web service providers as well as a host of security and privacy concerns for consumers. The Handbook of Research on Web Log Analysis reflects on the multifaceted themes of Web use and presents various approaches to log analysis. This expansive collection reviews the history of Web log analysis and examines new trends including the issues of privacy, social interaction and community building. Over 20 research...