Introduction. The categorial abilities are considered as the basic prerequisites for the effectiveness of educational activity. The ways of formulating search queries are determined by the characteristics of the student’s cognitive activity and by the complexity of the search task. It is currently unclear how these factors interact and contribute to the effectiveness of educational online searches.
Research question: What contribution do categorial abilities make to the formulation of educational online search queries while performing both simple and complex search tasks?
Materials and methods. The experimental study involved 287 school students ranging from 5th-9th grade. The students performed search tasks of varying complexity. The search actions were recorded with the use of a video screen capture program. Search query formulation strategies were identified by the analysis of these video recordings. Categorial abilities were assessed using the «categorization» technique.
Results and discussion. We found two strategies for the formulation of search queries: direct formulations and clarifying formulations. Clarifying formulations were more likely to lead to assimilation of information compared to direct formulations. The categorial abilities made a more significant contribution to the productivity of performing complex tasks compared to simple ones.
Conclusions. The results of the study should be used for teaching school students to develop the skills to carry out effective online searches.
