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…

Discusses expert systems and their value as components of information retrieval systems related to semantic inference, and describes IOTA, a model of an intelligent information retrieval system which emphasizes natural language query processing. Experimental results are discussed and current and future developments are highlighted. (Author/LRW)

This paper provides a portrayal of Z39.50 (a communications protocol that enables two systems to exchange messages for the purpose of information retrieval) that explains its flexibility in response to a variety of information retrieval requirements in the networked environment. The first section presents an overview of Z39.50, including the…

DESIGNED FOR LINGUISTS AND LEXICOGRAPHERS, THE COLLECT SYSTEM CAN ANALYZE THE SYNTAX AND SEMANTICS OF RUSSIAN SENTENCES BY SEARCHING A FILE OF RUSSIAN TEXT. IN A TYPICAL SEARCH ON A GIVEN SENTENCE, GRAMMATICAL RELATIONSHIPS, INDIVIDUAL WORD SPELLINGS, AND WORD OCCURRENCES CAN BE DETERMINED. SINCE THE SYSTEM INCLUDES INTERPRETERS, THE LINGUIST CAN…

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 a model that distinguishes between data as directly observable facts, information as structured collections of data, and knowledge as methods of using information. The discussion covers the likely benefits of the use of the model for a semantic information retrieval system using the concept of semantic categories. (28 references)…

Presents a system which supports image retrieval by high-level chromatic contents, the sensations that color accordances generate on the observer. Surveys Itten's theory of color semantics and discusses image description and query specification. Presents examples of visual querying. (AEF)

Explores what might be the optimal query expansion (QE) processing method with semantically coded thesauri. Examines whether QE via semantically coded thesauri terminology is more effective in the "automatic" or "interactive" processing environment. Results revealed that synonyms and partial synonyms and narrower terms are…

This paper presents an information agent and latent semantic-based indexing architecture to retrieve documents on the Internet. The system optimizes the search for documents in the Internet by automatically retrieving relevant links. The information used for the search can be obtained, for instance, from Internet browser caches and from grades of…

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…

Describes a prototype natural language text knowledge system (TKS) that was used to organize 50 pages of a handbook on artificial intelligence as an inferential knowledge base with natural language query and command capabilities. Representation of text, database navigation, query systems, discourse structuring, and future research needs are…

The grammars of natural languages may be learned by using genetic algorithm systems such as LUST (Linguistics Using Sexual Techniques) that reproduce and mutate grammatical rules and parts-of-speech tags. In document retrieval or filtering systems, applying tags to the list of terms representing a document provides additional information about…

Analyzes the theoretical and the epistemological assumptions of information science. Topics include users and cognition; subject analysis; methods of classification; composition, semantics, and retrieval; the meaning of information; the typology of documents; information selection and research evaluation; and information specialists and…

This volume, the first of three dealing with a number of investigations and studies into the formal structure, advanced technology and application of large scale information processing systems, is concerned with the areas of compiler languages, natural languages and information storage and retrieval. The first report is entitled "Semantics and…

The relationship between the disciplines of linguistics and information science has not yet been studied in depth. We must assess the state of our knowledge of natural language and determine how this knowledge is applicable within the context of an information system. The concept of a natural language information system can be specified in terms…