City Research Online

Abstract

This research is aimed towards the eventual design and implementation of an intelligent interface for document retrieval systems. A number of functions have been identified as being necessary for intelligent interaction with the user. The research presented here is concerned with two of these functions in particular: Problem Description and Retrieval Strategy. Problem Description involves the development of a model of the user’s problem. Retrieval Strategy is the selection and application of appropriate retrieval strategies to the knowledge resources (e.g. bibliographic databases). It is assumed that an intelligent interface should simulate the functional behaviour of a good human intermediary. Therefore the way in which human intermediaries carry out these two functions, and the knowledge resources required to enable them to do this, have been investigated. Audio recordings were made of human user-human intermediary interactions in online search service settings. The transcripts of these interviews have been subjected to detailed functional discourse analysis. This analysis has been used to develop a specification for both functions and to identify the categories and specific knowledge resources each function would need to employ in order to carry out its tasks successfully. Interactions between these functions and other functions, such as User Modelling, were also examined.

Results show that both Problem Description and Retrieval Strategy comprise a number of subfunctions. Each function requires extensive knowledge resources, encompassing many different types of knowledge. Analysis of the interactions between the Problem Description and Retrieval Strategy function indicates that retrieval strategies are formulated on the basis of the problem description and conversely the developing retrieval strategy may also affect the way in which the problem description evolves. Formalisms for representing problem descriptions and the knowledge resources employed by the Problem Description are suggested. The implications of these findings for the design and implementation of the Problem Description and Retrieval Strategy functions in an intelligent interface, and for the design and implementation of the interface as a whole, are outlined.

Publication Type:	Thesis (Doctoral)
Subjects:	Z Bibliography. Library Science. Information Resources Z Bibliography. Library Science. Information Resources > Z665 Library Science. Information Science Z Bibliography. Library Science. Information Resources > ZA Information resources > ZA4450 Databases
Departments:	School of Communication & Creativity > Media, Culture & Creative Industries > Library & Information Science School of Communication & Creativity > School of Communication & Creativity Doctoral Theses Doctoral Theses

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