Discussion of query processing focuses on techniques developed by LEXIS-NEXIS for identifying key concepts, selecting synonyms and related terms, and detecting phrases that can be combined to increase recall and precision. Describes experiments in the ad hoc track of the sixth TREC (Text Retrieval Conference), including the use of ranking…

Presents a new stemming algorithm based on tree structures that improves relevance in information retrieval by conflation, grouping similar words into a single term. Highlights include the normalization process used in automatic thesaurus construction; theoretical aspects; the normalization algorithm; and experiments with English and Spanish. (LRW)

Analyzes the formal properties, structural consequences, similarities, and differences of link indicators, brackets, and cohesion separators in the query languages employed in information retrieval. Eleven figures, a 32-item reference list, and appendices on Extended Backus Notation and the formal definition of the Formal Relevance Language are…

Discusses the feasibility of building intelligent rule- or weight-based algorithms into general-purpose software for interactive thesaurus navigation. Previous research is surveyed; practical investigations in thesaurus navigation and query enhancement are described; and implications for automatic or intelligent thesaurus navigation are…

Discussion of clustering of documents and queries in information retrieval systems focuses on the use of a genetic algorithm to adapt subject descriptions so that documents become more effective in matching relevant queries. Various types of clustering are explained, and simulation experiments used to test the genetic algorithm are described. (27…

Discussion of a new method of index term dictionary compression in an inverted-file-oriented database highlights a technique of word coding, which generates short fixed-length codes obtained from the index terms themselves by analysis of monogram and bigram statistical distributions. Substantial savings in communication channel utilization are…

Describes the three subsystems of an information retrieval system (document descriptions, queries, and matching algorithms) and argues that the interdependency of these subsystems requires adaptation for the system to perform when any component changes. An algorithm for redescribing documents, in response to changes in queries and retrieval rules,…

Analytical methods for facilitating comparison of multiple sets during online searching are illustrated by description of specific searching methods that eliminate duplicate citations and a factoring procedure based on syntactic relationships that establishes ranked sets. Searches executed in National Center for Mental Health database on…

Examines through a series of mathematical models (theorems, descriptions, and examples), properties and operations on inverted files, which are used in an information retrieval system based on thesaurus with weighted descriptors. (CWM)

Analyzes the use of weights to denote a query representation and/or the indexing of a document as a generalization of a Boolean retrieval system. Criteria are given for the functions used to evaluate the relevance of the records to a specific query and a new evaluation approach is suggested. (CWM)

Presents a new method of document retrieval based on the fundamental operations of fuzzy set theory. Basic notions are introduced. Then the syntax and semantics of the proposed language for document retrieval is given, and an algorithm allocating documents to particular queries is described and its properties are discussed. (Author/CWM)

Discusses vectors used in information retrieval and the algorithms used to manipulate them. Uses the Kohonen neural algorithm and a fuzzification model to perform a fuzzy clustering of document terms to reduce the high dimension and presents results from a test database. (Author/LRW)

Three specific contributions to the field of information retrieval are presented. The first two describe the establishment of an adaptive, interactive man-machine dialogue that produces a form of unsolicited librarian-like assistance for the user in his selection of index terms to characterize an indexing function. The data set upon which the…

Presents methods of information query building in selective dissemination of information systems based on user's publications and examines possible compatibility between user's information queries and his publications. Methods of information query construction determined by logical operators AND, OR, NOT and set of weighted keywords are described.…

The index entries generated by the Selective Listing in Combinations (SLIC) technique constitute a lattice which is a subset of the power set of the set of descriptors assigned to a document and this fact leads to an improved algorithm for generating SLIC entries. (Author/MF)