Using Broder's Taxonomy of Web Search,
In the web context the "need behind the query" is often not informational in nature. We classify web
queries according to their intent into 3 classes:
1. Navigational. The immediate intent is to reach a particular site.
2. Informational. The intent is to acquire some information assumed to be present on one or more web pages.
3. Transactional. The intent is to perform some web-mediated activity
Exercise:
1.Oxford University
- Through Broder's definition, locating "Oxford University" would be classed as Navigational, because the immediate intent was to reach a particular site.
- If you were to use natural language and type "Can you find the website for Oxford University" the search results would be broader, because it will locate results with all or some of the words listed in the search eg can, you, oxford, etc. But it would specifically state that it cannot find the desired quote.
- With Boolean Search, "oxford AND university" as well as "oxford OR university" in both google and bing results in the actual website for oxford university. "oxford NOT university" results in everything else related to "oxford" EXCEPT results related to the university.
- With "-" and "+" the search results are similar, both generating results related to query with the actual university website as the first on the list.
- Imputing the words "oxford university" would generate the desired location immediately.
