Effects of learning styles on the application of search tactics: A preliminary result

In. this study, we investigated how searchers' learning styles would influence their application of search tactics. We measured searchers' learning styles including Active/Reflective and Sensing/Intuitive dimensions using Felder and Silverman's (1988) instrument Then, based on multiple regression, the effects of learning styles on searchers' application patterns of search tactics were examined, Preliminary results of this study indicates that (1) active searchers spent more time in accessing forward tactics, (2) sensing searchers spent more time in visiting previous pages and in evaluating search results, and (3) reflective searchers spent more time in evaluating individual items.