Abstract: 【Purpose/significance】This paper explores the characteristics of user metadata attention and its relationship with academic
literatureselection behavior，in order to provide theoretical support for the optimization of retrieval system and the guidance of user se? lection and judgment behavior.【Method/process】The selection behavior of academic information retrieval results of 30 graduate stu? dents and doctoral students were observed and interviewed by using think-aloud method, semi-structured interview and key event method, the obtained materials were analyzed.【Result/conclusion】Users pay more attention to metadata information such as title, jour? nal and abstract, while less attention is paid to similar literature, download amount and other metadata information; senior users pay more attention to document content characteristics than junior users, but pay less attention to new functions; the more metadata users pay attention to, the more times they search; LB, LB-LD and SI-LB are the common paths for users to focus on metadata, while LB-LD and SI-LB are the best paths for literature selection.【Innovation/limitation】This paper enriches the perspective of academic information search results selection behavior research, and provides theoretical support for the subsequent retrieval system optimiza? tion and user selection behavior guidance; The conclusion of this study is more suitable for primary research users, and the applicabili? ty of empirical research users is still to be verified.