Comparative document evaluation as a feedback in on-line information retrieval

摘要

The iterative method of document retrieval described in the paper is based on a rule similar to that used in the relevance feedback method. The similarity lies in giving retrieved documents to a user for evaluation, and in utilizing information received in such a way in the next retrieval iteration. The evaluation is made by comparing the retrieved documents with each other. The comparative formulae are interpreted as algebraical inequalities that should be fulfilled by the term vectors corresponding to relevant documents. Thus the comparative evaluation of retrieved documents can be treated as determining boundaries of the area which contains descriptions of relevant documents. The case of linear boundaries of the area is discussed and some experiments are described involving the algebraical approach to the problem of determining the user's information need.