Construction and analysis of the user satisfaction evaluation system for Baidu Scholar

• DOI: 10.1016/j.acalib.2021.102435
• Publication Date: 2021-08-23T22:05:34Z
• Authors: Kun Zhang; Yuxing Qian; Jianping He; Fenfang Cao
• Keywords: User Satisfaction; Delphi Method

Abstract Various new information technologies have promoted the development of general academic search engines (GASEs), but have also presented them with unprecedented challenges. It is necessary to improve GASEs' service quality. Baidu Scholar (BS) is currently the most popular GASE in China, and improving its service quality is of great importance to Chinese researchers. The service quality of BS can be reflected by user satisfaction, which inspires service providers that researches on user satisfaction are helpful to find effective strategies to improve the service quality of BS. However, there are few tools available to evaluate BS' user satisfaction. In this study, based on the previous study and the characteristics of BS, the user satisfaction evaluation system for BS was constructed and analyzed by the combination of the Delphi method, questionnaire survey, and Grey Relational Analysis (GRA). The results showed that the constructed user satisfaction evaluation system for BS included three evaluation dimensions and nineteen evaluation indicators. Moreover, it was found that ensuring the effectiveness of the service links, improving the responsiveness of the system, and keeping information available at no charge are the best strategies to improve BS' user satisfaction.