Page 106 - DLIS402_INFORMATION_ANALYSIS_AND_REPACKAGING

Seema Sharma, Lovely Professional University Unit 5: Information Retrieval

Notes
Unit 5: Information Retrieval

CONTENTS
Objectives

Introduction
5.1 The Information Need

5.2 Conducting the Search

5.3 Search Techniques
5.4 Summary

5.5 Keywords
5.6 Review Questions

5.7 Further Readings

Objectives

After studying this unit, you will be able to:
• Define information retrieval
• Explain conducting the search
• Define command search and subject search
• Describe phrase search and proximity search.

Introduction

Information retrieval means recovery of information, especially in a database stored in a computer.
Two main approaches are matching words in the query against the database index (keyword searching)
and traversing the database using hypertext or hypermedia links. Keyword searching has been the
dominant approach to text retrieval since the early 1960s; hypertext has so far been confined largely
to personal or corporate information-retrieval applications. Evolving information-retrieval techniques,
exemplified by developments with modern Internet search engines, combine natural language,
hyperlinks, and keyword searching. Other techniques that seek higher levels of retrieval precision
are studied by researchers involved with artificial intelligence.
When information is sought with the help of computers, the information-seeking process can be
referred to as information retrieval.. During this period, information is sought from different electronic
information sources, e.g., several different databases. Internet search engines can also be included in
the information retrieval process. By carefully planning the search before actually conducting it, and

LOVELY PROFESSIONAL UNIVERSITY 101