Natural language versus controlled vocabulary in information retrieval: A case study in soil mechanics
✍ Scribed by Muddamalle, Manikya Rao
- Publisher
- John Wiley and Sons
- Year
- 1998
- Tongue
- English
- Weight
- 65 KB
- Volume
- 49
- Category
- Article
- ISSN
- 0002-8231
No coin nor oath required. For personal study only.
✦ Synopsis
The effectiveness of two information retrieval tools, the precision which attempt to measure the effectiveness namely, thesaurus and natural language, in an informaof the retrieval system.
tion retrieval system has been studied. A database
Vocabulary plays a major role in the effectiveness and SOILSC was created using an HP3000/58 series miniefficiency of an information retrieval system. The search computer and MINISIS software. Records of articles toexpressions that are used in the retrieval process could taling 17,918 published in various journals, received in the Central Water and Power Research Station (CWPRS)
be derived from natural language or controlled vocabulibrary (Pune, India) since 1988, have been stored. The lary. One of the major advantages of controlled vocabuinformation needs of a soil mechanics group have been lary is that it can present standard search terms (i.e., terms formulated using thesaurus and natural language into 81 devoid of ambiguity). However, this calls for regularly search strategies. In consultation with the user, releupdating the thesaurus. This is more so in the case of vance of the retrieved documents was assessed and, recall (R) and precision (P) values were calculated. Since subjects rapidly advancing technologically, like soil meboth thesaurus and natural language have shown identichanics, leading to a number of new terms and usages.
cal performance in information retrieval, a combination
In other words, in the active information-communication of these two have been suggested for making searches system, new terminology is continuously adopted and the and providing relevant information.
vocabulary that is used to search documents is to be adaptive and flexible to the change. However, it is difficult to answer how often the thesaurus is to be updated or