Towards correlating search on Google and asking on stack overflow

Chunyang Chen; Zhenchang Xing

doi:10.1109/COMPSAC.2016.210

Towards correlating search on Google and asking on stack overflow

Chunyang Chen, Zhenchang Xing

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference Paper › Research › peer-review

23 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Search engines and Question and Answer (Q&A) sites are the two commonly used ways for developers to seek information on the web. In this paper, we ask whether the questions developers ask on Q&A sites correlate with the information developers search for using search engines. We report on our empirical study to investigate the correlations of the 185 popular technical terms developers search on Google and ask on Stack Overflow using search statistics obtained from Google Trends over a 574-weeks span and question statistics derived from Stack Overflow Data Dump over a 300-weeks span. Our study shows that technical terms searched and asked have strong correlation over time. Search and asking of newer, specific technical terms have stronger correlation, compared with older, general technical terms. We have developed a web interface for accessing our dataset and empirical results available at http://comparetrend.appspot.com/. Inspired by our empirical results, we present future directions that can harness Stack Overflow as sampled data for supporting time-aware search and semantic search.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Proceedings - 2016 IEEE 40th Annual Computer Software and Applications Conference, COMPSAC 2016
Editors	Sheikh Iqbal Ahamed, Carl K. Chang, William Chu, Ivica Crnkovic, Pao-Ann Hsiung, Gang Huang, Jingwei Yang
Place of Publication	Los Alamitos CA USA
Publisher	IEEE, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
Pages	83-92
Number of pages	10
Volume	1
ISBN (Print)	9781467388450
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1109/COMPSAC.2016.210
Publication status	Published - 24 Aug 2016
Externally published	Yes
Event	International Computer Software and Applications Conference 2016 - Atlanta, United States of America Duration: 10 Jun 2016 → 14 Jun 2016 Conference number: 40th https://www.computer.org/web/compsac2016 https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/xpl/conhome/7551592/proceeding (Proceedings)

Conference

Conference	International Computer Software and Applications Conference 2016
Abbreviated title	COMPSAC 2016
Country/Territory	United States of America
City	Atlanta
Period	10/06/16 → 14/06/16
Internet address	https://www.computer.org/web/compsac2016 https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/xpl/conhome/7551592/proceeding (Proceedings)

Keywords

Google Trends
Stack Overflow
tag
technology
Trend correlation

Access to Document

10.1109/COMPSAC.2016.210

Cite this

Chen, C., & Xing, Z. (2016). Towards correlating search on Google and asking on stack overflow. In S. I. Ahamed, C. K. Chang, W. Chu, I. Crnkovic, P-A. Hsiung, G. Huang, & J. Yang (Eds.), Proceedings - 2016 IEEE 40th Annual Computer Software and Applications Conference, COMPSAC 2016 (Vol. 1, pp. 83-92). [7551996] IEEE, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. https://doi.org/10.1109/COMPSAC.2016.210

Chen, Chunyang ; Xing, Zhenchang. / Towards correlating search on Google and asking on stack overflow. Proceedings - 2016 IEEE 40th Annual Computer Software and Applications Conference, COMPSAC 2016. editor / Sheikh Iqbal Ahamed ; Carl K. Chang ; William Chu ; Ivica Crnkovic ; Pao-Ann Hsiung ; Gang Huang ; Jingwei Yang. Vol. 1 Los Alamitos CA USA : IEEE, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, 2016. pp. 83-92

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abstract = "Search engines and Question and Answer (Q&A) sites are the two commonly used ways for developers to seek information on the web. In this paper, we ask whether the questions developers ask on Q&A sites correlate with the information developers search for using search engines. We report on our empirical study to investigate the correlations of the 185 popular technical terms developers search on Google and ask on Stack Overflow using search statistics obtained from Google Trends over a 574-weeks span and question statistics derived from Stack Overflow Data Dump over a 300-weeks span. Our study shows that technical terms searched and asked have strong correlation over time. Search and asking of newer, specific technical terms have stronger correlation, compared with older, general technical terms. We have developed a web interface for accessing our dataset and empirical results available at http://comparetrend.appspot.com/. Inspired by our empirical results, we present future directions that can harness Stack Overflow as sampled data for supporting time-aware search and semantic search.",

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Chen, C & Xing, Z 2016, Towards correlating search on Google and asking on stack overflow. in SI Ahamed, CK Chang, W Chu, I Crnkovic, P-A Hsiung, G Huang & J Yang (eds), Proceedings - 2016 IEEE 40th Annual Computer Software and Applications Conference, COMPSAC 2016. vol. 1, 7551996, IEEE, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Los Alamitos CA USA, pp. 83-92, International Computer Software and Applications Conference 2016, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America, 10/06/16. https://doi.org/10.1109/COMPSAC.2016.210

Towards correlating search on Google and asking on stack overflow. / Chen, Chunyang; Xing, Zhenchang.
Proceedings - 2016 IEEE 40th Annual Computer Software and Applications Conference, COMPSAC 2016. ed. / Sheikh Iqbal Ahamed; Carl K. Chang; William Chu; Ivica Crnkovic; Pao-Ann Hsiung; Gang Huang; Jingwei Yang. Vol. 1 Los Alamitos CA USA: IEEE, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, 2016. p. 83-92 7551996.

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference Paper › Research › peer-review

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N2 - Search engines and Question and Answer (Q&A) sites are the two commonly used ways for developers to seek information on the web. In this paper, we ask whether the questions developers ask on Q&A sites correlate with the information developers search for using search engines. We report on our empirical study to investigate the correlations of the 185 popular technical terms developers search on Google and ask on Stack Overflow using search statistics obtained from Google Trends over a 574-weeks span and question statistics derived from Stack Overflow Data Dump over a 300-weeks span. Our study shows that technical terms searched and asked have strong correlation over time. Search and asking of newer, specific technical terms have stronger correlation, compared with older, general technical terms. We have developed a web interface for accessing our dataset and empirical results available at http://comparetrend.appspot.com/. Inspired by our empirical results, we present future directions that can harness Stack Overflow as sampled data for supporting time-aware search and semantic search.

AB - Search engines and Question and Answer (Q&A) sites are the two commonly used ways for developers to seek information on the web. In this paper, we ask whether the questions developers ask on Q&A sites correlate with the information developers search for using search engines. We report on our empirical study to investigate the correlations of the 185 popular technical terms developers search on Google and ask on Stack Overflow using search statistics obtained from Google Trends over a 574-weeks span and question statistics derived from Stack Overflow Data Dump over a 300-weeks span. Our study shows that technical terms searched and asked have strong correlation over time. Search and asking of newer, specific technical terms have stronger correlation, compared with older, general technical terms. We have developed a web interface for accessing our dataset and empirical results available at http://comparetrend.appspot.com/. Inspired by our empirical results, we present future directions that can harness Stack Overflow as sampled data for supporting time-aware search and semantic search.

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A2 - Huang, Gang

A2 - Yang, Jingwei

PB - IEEE, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers

CY - Los Alamitos CA USA

T2 - International Computer Software and Applications Conference 2016

Y2 - 10 June 2016 through 14 June 2016

ER -

Chen C, Xing Z. Towards correlating search on Google and asking on stack overflow. In Ahamed SI, Chang CK, Chu W, Crnkovic I, Hsiung P-A, Huang G, Yang J, editors, Proceedings - 2016 IEEE 40th Annual Computer Software and Applications Conference, COMPSAC 2016. Vol. 1. Los Alamitos CA USA: IEEE, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. 2016. p. 83-92. 7551996 doi: 10.1109/COMPSAC.2016.210

Towards correlating search on Google and asking on stack overflow

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