The document proposes a visualization called the CirSA (Circle-Sector-Arc) Chart to represent the relevance of terms in a search query using a circle divided into sectors with arcs showing relevance. It describes how the CirSA Chart works and previous tests showing users could correctly interpret queries represented in this format. The document then describes new tests examining if users can decode Boolean operators and specify them on a CirSA Chart, as well as represent phrases.

1. Visualizing Search-Term Relevance, Boolean Operators, and Phrases using the CirSA Chart Ratvinder Grewal, PhD Dept. of Mathematics & Computer Science Laurentian University Sudbury, ON P3E 2E6 [email_address] http://www.cs.laurentian.ca/rsgrewal/ Funded by LURF

7. Interested in knowing more? Read the full article in the conference proceedings for InSciT 2006. Visualizing Search-Term Relevance, Boolean Operators, and Phrases using the CirSA Chart Further reading: Grewal, R. S., Jackson, M., Wallis, J. and Burden, P. (1999) Using Visualisation to Interpret Search Engine Results. In Clarke, D., Dix, A. and Dix, F. (eds.) Proceedings of The Active Web . Staffordshire University, UK, 20 January. Staffordshire University, UK, pp. 15-25. Grewal, R. S., Jackson, M., Burden, P. and Wallis, J. (1999) A Novel Interface for Interpreting Search Engine Results. Proceedings of Lost in the Web: Navigation on the Internet. Savoy Place, London, 2 November. Savoy Place, London: IEE Press, pp. 7/1-7/10. Grewal, R. S., Jackson, M., Burden, P. and Wallis, J. (2000) A Visual Representation of Search-engine Queries and their Results. In Li, Q., Ozsoyoglu, Z. M., Wagner, R., Kambayashi, Y. and Zhang, Y. (eds.) Proceedings of the 1 st International Conference on Web Information Systems Engineering. Hong Kong, China, 19-21 June. Los Alamitos, California: IEEE Computer Society Press, pp. 352-356. Grewal, R. S., Jackson, M., Burden, P. and Wallis, J. (2000) A Visual Technique to Indicate Overall and Component Relevancy of Search-engine Results. In Tjoa, A. M., Wagner, R. R. and Al-Zobaidie, A. (eds) Proceedings of the 11 th International Workshop on Database and Expert Systems Applications (DEXA). Greenwich, London, 4-8 September. Los Alamitos, California: IEEE Computer Society Press, pp. 608-612. Grewal, R. S. (2001) A Visual Metaphor-Based Tool for a Search-engine User Interface. Ph.D. Thesis, University of Wolverhampton.