Focuses on the library-user interface by relating two measures of user satisfaction, book availability and the delay associated with recalls, to the loan policy of the library. This relation is established by computer simulation techniques. (Author)

This essay identifying conditions for saying that X has need for certain information concludes that information need is condition in which certain information contributes to achievement of genuine or legitimate information purpose. Information need is a relationship that obtains between information and information purposes; it is not a…

An information retrieval system which aspires to retrieval of relevant documents should have second stage which will order topical set to provide maximum informativeness to requestor. A two-stage system concerned only with topicality can be iterated to generate a high recall set and discard imprecise documents without user input. (EJS)

Explores the fundamentals of browsing behavior as a basis for the creation of an intelligent computer system to assist in online information retrieval. A prototype system is described, and the results of initial tests are reported. (5 references) (Author/CLB)

Discussion of the interpretation of user queries in information retrieval highlights theoretical models that utilize user characteristics maintained in the form of a user profile. Various query/profile interaction models are identified, and an experiment is described that tested the relevance of retrieved documents based on various models. (29…

Describes an expected precision (EP) measure designed to predict document retrieval performance. Highlights include decision theoretic models; precision and recall as measures of system performance; EP graphs; relevance feedback; and computing the retrieval status value of a document for two models, the Binary Independent Model and the Two Poisson…

Describes and organizes the variables affecting display presentation format (i.e., tables and graphs) in information systems into a classification scheme and creates a framework for research in this area. Two-factor studies are discussed; research recommendations are presented; and Cognitive Match Interface Design is explained. (Contains 31…

Describes a simplified process that can be used by computer departments in businesses to measure fulfillment of user requirements, with emphasis on practical interpretation and usefulness of results. The methodology is based on a set of minimum criteria determined by the organizational environment. An example using a spreadsheet implementation is…

Presents an evaluation model that is appropriate to the assessment of the effect, from the perspective of the user, of variations in the interface to an information retrieval system. The application of the model to the evaluation of an experimental online catalog is described. (11 references) (Author/CLB)

Discussion of the solicitation and measurement of relevance judgments focuses on a study of faculty and doctoral students at the University of Michigan that examined how users' judgments of document representations changed as more information about the documents was revealed to them. The use of magnitude estimation techniques is also discussed.…

Presents a model for information retrieval evaluation based on the notion of total relevance, a function derived from the traditional summation of relevance ratings over the documents in a collection. The model makes explicit the perceptual underpinnings of relevance assessments while allowing for consideration of interdocument dependencies. (37…

The current state of information retrieval (IR) evaluation is reviewed with criticisms directed at the available test collections and the research and evaluation methodologies used, including precision and recall rates for online searches and laboratory tests not including real users. Automatic text retrieval systems are also discussed. (32…

Discusses trade-off analysis, a data collection method with conjoint measurement technique in which respondents rank order a matrix of pairs of levels of specific attributes, and gives examples for use in determining library users' perceptions of relative utility of completeness of information versus cost of a search. Twelve sources are cited.…

Describes an iterative method of document retrieval similar to relevance feedback in that user feedback is utilized in subsequent iterations. However, this method compares retrieved documents with each other using algebraic formulae which determine the boundaries of the area that contains descriptions of relevant documents. Fifteen references are…

Presents a dynamic model of user behavior when scanning an information storage and retrieval system output list, compares rules for determining the user's optimum stopping point, presents an algorithm for implementing the Bayesian model, and discusses implications for retrieval system design. Provided are 13 figures and 15 references. (Author/RBF)