What the Experts Say About the Book

"With a loud clear trumpet blast Marti Hearst announces a new scientific research domain, with emerging theories, a clear research agenda, and a compelling opportunity to influence vital technologies. Her book provides powerful insights for experts and is a vital guide for those coming into the field. It is difficult to convey my satisfaction and enthusiasm for Marti Hearst's remarkable analysis of the emerging scientific research domain of Search User Interfaces. Hearst's brilliant organization, lucid writing, and admirably comprehensive review (600+ references) are gifts to scholars, implementers, and students who want to contribute to the flourishing activity in user interfaces for information search and retrieval. Her devotion to evidence-based analysis from user and usage studies lays a compelling scientific foundation for future contributions."

"Professor Hearst has given us the definitive work on search user interfaces; grounded in the theory and practice of information retrieval and human-computer interaction and brimming with examples and clear explanations, this landmark book will serve the needs of students, practitioners, and scholars for years ahead."

"Marti Hearst has written an impressively comprehensive and authoritative account of search interfaces, bringing together the state of the art in search sites with the large and rapidly growing body of scientific research that explains what works and why. This book will be an invaluable resource for anyone who wants to get below the surface of search --- to analyze and create search interfaces and to understand the full range of issues, problems, and new potentials for design."

"This will be seen as a transformational book -- one that synthesized a new, coherent discipline of human information interaction out of literature and experience scattered across many fields. Professor Hearst has read everything. There is no book like it that puts together so completely the new technical foundations for a user-centered design of information systems. Search User Interfaces should be required reading for anyone who would study or design such systems."

"A comprehensive guide, not to how search works but how we humans work with search to satisfy our information needs. A must-read for anyone concerned with usability and creating the optimal user experience for searchers."

"Many people think designing a search user interface is as simple as copying what someone else does. There are a lot of complex issues below the surface and this is the first book to explain all of the research in a way that a practitioner like me can apply it. If you want to design innovative search user interfaces, you need this book close at hand at all times."

Online Reviews

"Apart from being a fascinating history of the development of search interfaces, the book also discusses research that points to new developments we can expect in search interfaces in the coming years that will undoubtedly have an impact on how we practice our craft as search marketers."
Entire Review
"Although it is really an academic textbook in many ways, it is still very readable, with a wealth of well-researched and well-referenced information on all aspects of search interface design and structure. I think it is that broad range of examples and sources that really makes it such a good book, and all this is drawn together very nicely by an author who is clearly expert in the field. ... To have a book which deals with what is such a crucial area for so many websites is very valuable." Entire Review
"[T]his is too good of a book for a casual skim. I'd recommend picking up a copy so you can sit down for a more thorough read." Entire Review
"All in all, this is an excellent book, and I'm sure it will find its way into many course syllabi." Entire review.
"This is a clear and thoughtful discussion of many aspects of Search User Interfaces. It thoroughly synthesizes most of the recent research in the field with fluency and insight." Entire review.

Read the Book

This book is available to be read online, free of charge. Read it!

Buy the Book!