Investigates the combination of terms and document weighting functions in information retrieval. Describes weighting functions based on how information is used within documents and collections and uses them in two types of experiments: one based on combination of evidence for ad hoc retrieval, and one within a relevance feedback situation.…

The growing complexity of society has resulted in increased attention to the problem of knowledge production and utilization. This review of the scholarship pertaining to this subject traces the topic in its most general sense. Three fields of interest have received attention from researchers: 1) the relation of research to practice; 2) the nature…

The ideal on-line information retrieval system would offer statistical inference analysis and heuristic optimization programs as aids to query formation, and would include on-line programs capable of automatically computing, generating, and executing optimal query formulations and retrieval on request. (Author/MM)

SPIRES WAS PLANNED AS A FIVE-YEAR EFFORT TO DEVELOP AND STUDY AN EXPERIMENTAL SYSTEM FOR PROVIDING FOR THE SCIENTIFIC INFORMATION NEEDS OF PHYSICISTS AT STANFORD. THERE ARE TWO COMPONENTS TO THE SPIRES PROJECT. ONE IS TO STUDY THE INFORMATION NEEDS AND INFORMATION-SEEKING BEHAVIOR OF A USER POPULATION OF ABOUT 100 HIGH- ENERGY PHYSICISTS. DETAILS…