Hi-Cites: Dynamically Created Citations with Active Highlighting

Abstract

The original SenseMaker interface for information exploration [2] used tables to present heterogeneous document descriptions. In contrast, printed bibliographies and World Wide Web (WWW) search engines use formatted citations to convey this information. In this paper, we discuss hi-cites, a new interface construct developed for SenseMaker that combines the benefits of tables (which encourage the comparison of descriptions) and citations (which facilitate browsing). Hi-cites are dynamically created citations with active highlighting. They are useful in environments where heterogeneous structured descriptions must be browsed and compared with ease. Examples beyond digital libraries include product catalogs, classified advertisements, and WWW search engines. We have performed an evaluation of hi-cites, tables, and citations for tasks involving single attribute comparisons in the digital-library domain. This evaluation supports our claim that hi-cites are valuable for both comparison and skimming tasks in this environment.