Information retrieval (IR) systems have tremendously broaden users' access to information. However, users need to select their needs from trillions of information indexed daily. Due to the "semantic gap" between queries and indexed terms in IR system, whether users can satisfy their needs depends on whether they use the correct terms as…

The performance of information retrieval systems varies significantly by test topics. Even for those systems that have performed well on average, the results for some difficult topics are still poor. Previous studies have revealed that different optimization techniques should be used for those difficult topics. However, a prerequisite of the…

Introduction: This study investigated the effect of cognitive styles on users' information-seeking task performance using a knowledge domain information visualization system called CiteSpace. Method: Sixteen graduate students participated in a user experiment. Each completed an extended cognitive style analysis wholistic-analytic test (the…

Describes a linkage similarity measure which takes into account both the bibliographic coupling of documents and their cocitations and compares the resulting predictions of relevance to the user's evaluations of the papers used in a test collection. (FM)

CITATION INDEXES, IN COMBINATION WITH REGULAR INDEXES, ARE CREATING NEW METHODS OF INFORMATION RETRIEVAL, WHICH USE SOME MEASURE OF CONNECTION OR ASSOCIATION BETWEEN A GIVEN BASE OF ARTICLES AND OTHER DOCUMENTS IN A COLLECTION. GENERAL REQUIREMENTS OF SUCH A MEASURE ARE--(1) IT SHOULD BE INDIRECTLY PROPORTIONAL TO THE NUMBER OF LINKS IN A CHAIN OF…

CONTENTS--(1) AN ASSOCIATIVITY TECHNIQUE FOR AUTOMATICALLY OPTIMIZING RETRIEVAL RESULTS BY RONALD R. ANDERSON. AN ASSOCIATIVE TECHNIQUE BY WHICH IT IS POSSIBLE TO AUTOMATICALLY EXPAND AND NARROW THE NUMBER OF DOCUMENTS RETRIEVED AND TO RETRIEVE DOCUMENTS RELATED TO A REQUEST EVEN THOUGH THEY MAY NOT BE INDEXED BY THE EXACT TERMS OF THE REQUEST IS…

ONE OF THE PROBLEMS IN INFORMATION STORAGE AND RETRIEVAL SYSTEMS OF TECHNICAL DOCUMENTS IS THE INTERPRETATION OF WORDS USED TO INDEX DOCUMENTS. SEMANTIC TOOLS, DEFINED AS CHANNELS FOR THE COMMUNICATION OF WORD MEANINGS BETWEEN TECHNICAL EXPERTS, DOCUMENT INDEXERS, AND SEARCHERS, PROVIDE ONE METHOD OF DEALING WITH THE PROBLEM OF MULTIPLE…

Presents brief accounts of the user-based performance measure of relevance and the information system-based performance measure of competence. Results of an experiment are reported that used a geographic information system to illustrate how collecting and analyzing data from both a system and a user view of performance can be beneficial. (73…

Describes the simulation of a nearest neighbor searching algorithm for document retrieval using a pool of microprocessors. Three techniques are described which allow parallel searching of a binary search tree as well as a PASCAL-based system, PASSIM, which can simulate these techniques. Fifty-six references are provided. (Author/LRW)

This report discusses the problem of the meansings of words used in information retrieval systems, and shows how semantic tools can aid in the communication which takes place between indexers and searchers via index terms. After treating the differing use of semantic tools in different types of systems, two tools (classification tables and…

An interactive, self-guided program for the joint post-processing of bibliographic citations from the federal information centers of the Department of Energy (DOE), the Department of Defense (DOD), and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is described. The program, presently installed on the Intelligent Gateway Processor of the…

Discusses the application of theories of cognitive modeling to information systems design and describes research that investigated the validity of the repertory grid for incorporation into intelligent front-end interfaces for information storage and retrieval systems. Personal construct theory is discussed and future research is suggested. (67…

A DETAILED ANALYSIS OF THE RETRIEVAL EVALUATION RESULTS OBTAINED WITH THE AUTOMATIC SMART DOCUMENT RETRIEVAL SYSTEM FOR DOCUMENT COLLECTIONS IN THE FIELDS OF AERODYNAMICS, COMPUTER SCIENCE, AND DOCUMENTATION IS GIVEN IN THIS REPORT. THE VARIOUS COMPONENTS OF FULLY AUTOMATIC DOCUMENT RETRIEVAL SYSTEMS ARE DISCUSSED IN DETAIL, INCLUDING THE FORMS OF…

THE TWELFTH IN A SERIES COVERING RESEARCH IN AUTOMATIC STORAGE AND RETRIEVAL, THIS REPORT IS DIVIDED INTO THREE PARTS TITLED EVALUATION, CLUSTER SEARCHING, AND USER FEEDBACK METHODS, RESPECTIVELY. THE FIRST PART, EVALUATION, CONTAINS A COMPLETE SUMMARY OF THE RETRIEVAL RESULTS DERIVED FROM SOME SIXTY DIFFERENT TEXT ANALYSIS EXPERIMENTS. IN EACH…