request_types.txt

  Explanation of request_types
  ============================

  Each method can be tagged as on of the following requests below, e.g.
    get "login" => :new, :defaults => {:request_type => :page_request}

  If request_type tag is omitted in the route, a default request type ":page_request" is assumed


  :raw_request
  ------------
  The total number of requests or hits recorded in the log file for the session.


  :page_request
  -------------
  A singe page request is a file or a combination of files sent to a user as a result of that user’s
  request being received by the server. Care must be taken to discount additional html files from
  framesets, gifs and other files. It is recommended that the web server be configured to log the
  MIME type delivered for each request in the log file, as this will make the counting of the
  page_requests element simpler, particularly on sites which do not duplicate this information in
  the URL.


  ---------------
  :search_request
  This corresponds to the ICOLC defined ’Number of Queries (Searches)’ data element.


  :menu_request
  -------------
  This corresponds to the ICOLC defined ’Number of Menu Selections’ data element. This
  differs from browse_requests defined here in that a menu selection is the following of a link
  from a menu or browse page to a full-content unit. In HTTP terms this corresponds to request
  for a full content unit page with a Referer header that is a browse/menu page.


  :browse_request
  ---------------
  The number of browse or menu page requests in the user session. This element may be used to
  include A-Z lists, Tables of Contents, Indexes and lists of classifications, which all serve as
  alternate navigational devices, and ultimately lead to content pages.


  :content_request
  ----------------
  This corresponds to the ICOLC defined ’Number of Full-Content Units’ data element.
  Number of Full-Content Units examined, downloaded, or otherwise supplied to user, to the extent
  these are recordable and controlled by the server rather than the browser.
  - Journal articles – by journal title with ISSN and title listed
  - E-Books – by book title with ISBN and title listed
  - Reference materials – by content unit appropriate to resource (e.g. dictionary definitions,
    encyclopedia articles, biographies, etc.
  - Non-textual resources – by file type as appropriate to resource (e.g. image, audio, video, etc.)