Analyzes recent developments in the problem of processing queries expressed as Boolean expressions, shows that the concept of threshold values resolves the problems inherent with relevance weights, and explores possible evaluation mechanisms for document retrieval based on fuzzy set theory. Sixteen references are listed. (FM)

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)

Suggests a new definition of relevance as it relates to information retrieval and compares the use of the term in theoretical models by Swets and by Maron and Kuhns. (FM)

Compares the retrieval performance of a technique for machine-aided indexing using a controlled vocabulary with that of a Key Word Out of Context Index, basing conclusions on the results of 20 subject searches of a database containing summaries of defense management data. (FM)

Discussion of hypertext browsing proposes a filtering algorithm which restricts the amount of information made available to the user by calculating the set of most relevant hypertext nodes for the user, utilizing the user profile and data clustering technique. An example is provided of an optimal cluster of relevant data items. (Author/LRW)

Presents a preliminary empirical test of a maximum likelihood approach to using relevance data for training information retrieval parameters. Discusses similarities to language models; the unification of document-oriented and query-oriented views; tests on data sets; algorithms and scalability; and the effectiveness of maximum likelihood…

Discusses software design issues for Okapi, an information retrieval system that incorporates both search engine and user interface and supports weighted searching, relevance feedback, and query expansion. The basic search system, adjacency searching, and moving toward a distributed system are discussed. (Author/LRW)

Examines general issues in conducting information retrieval research. Topics include the Okapi information retrieval system and its probabilistic model; the Cranfield projects, concerning recall and precision; the SMART project with its vector-space model; evaluation methodology, including laboratory evaluation of interactive systems; and…

Proposes a theoretical framework called NLPIR that integrates natural language processing (NLP) into information retrieval (IR) based on the assumption that there exists representation distance between queries and documents. Discusses problems in traditional keyword-based IR, including relevance, and describes some existing NLP techniques.…

Discusses genetic algorithms in information retrieval, especially for relevance feedback, and evaluates the efficacy of a genetic algorithm with various order-based fitness functions for relevance feedback in a test database. Compares results with the Ide dec-hi method, one of the best traditional methods. (Contains 56 references.) (Author/LRW)

Presents the application of a knowledge visualization tool, VxInsight[R], to enable domain analysis for science and technology management. Uses data mining from sources of bibliographic information to define subsets of relevant information and discusses citation mapping, text mapping, and journal mapping. (Author/LRW)

Describes an experiment that investigated how relevance feedback could be used to build and adjust profiles to improve filtering system performance. Explains the use of the SIFTER (Smart Information Filtering Technology for Electronic Resources) filtering system by graduate students and discusses results that established the importance of context…

Provides background on the problems of traditional text retrieval systems and describes STATUS/IQ, an advanced text retrieval system that incorporates a natural language front-end and an advanced relevance ranking facility. The principles, capabilities, and benefits of the system are discussed, and an example of a STATUS/IQ session is presented…

Discussion of retrieval overlap and relevant overlap focuses on an analysis of data from an earlier study on overlap among document representations. This new analysis investigated the odds that an item was judged relevant when it was retrieved by two search fields as opposed to being retrieved by only one field. (Contains 17 references.) (LRW)

Describes the development of a method for the automatic identification of sublanguage vocabulary words as they occur in abstracts. Highlights include research relating to sublanguages and their vocabulary; domain terms; evaluation criteria, including recall and precision; and implications for natural language processing and information retrieval.…