Sparse spatial selection for novelty-based search result diversification

Abstract. Novelty-based diversification approaches aim to produce a diverse ranking by directly comparing the retrieved documents. However, since such approaches are typically greedy, they require O(n 2) documentdocument comparisons in order to diversify a ranking of n documents. In this work, we propose to model novelty-based diversification as a similarity search in a sparse metric space. In particular, we exploit the triangle inequality property of metric spaces in order to drastically reduce the number of required document-document comparisons. Thorough experiments using three TREC test collections show that our approach is at least as effective as existing novelty-based diversification approaches, while improving their efficiency by an order of magnitude.

New perspectives on Web search engine research

Purpose–The purpose of this chapter is to give an overview of the context of Web search and search engine-related research, as well as to introduce the reader to the sections and chapters of the book. Methodology/approach–We review literature dealing with various aspects of search engines, with special emphasis on emerging areas of Web searching, search engine evaluation going beyond traditional methods, and new perspectives on Webs earching. Findings–The approaches to studying Web search engines are manifold. Given the importance of Web search engines for knowledge acquisition, research from different perspectives needs to be integrated into a more cohesive perspective. Researchlimitations/implications–The chapter suggests a basis for research in the field and also introduces further research directions. Originality/valueofpaper–The chapter gives a concise overview of the topics dealt with in the book and also shows directions for researchers interested in Web search engines

Media, Children and Play: New Practices in a New (and Complex) Ecosystem

The relationship between media and play has been the subject of my research during the last ten years. Along that period, the research has obtained a common conclusion: children are related to media as consumers, as audiences, as producers and as reproducers of what is shown on them. From the moment in which children are born a new ecosystem composed by different screens and devices becomes their home. I argue that play is a key dimension to analyze contemporary childhoods and their relationship to media culture. When children talk about their games, their favorite shows and computer interactions, they are presenting themselves to others. The objective of this paper is double. Firstly, I aim to present a characterization of the media addressed specifically to children in order to identify continuities, stereotypes, differences and basic characteristics. The key concept in this phase is the one of representation. Secondly, I work with the interviews that I made during 2012 to thirty children who were between six and ten, inhabitants of the City of Buenos Aires, Argentina. The objective was to listen to children and the meanings the built around their everyday lives. Play and games were approached not only as meaningful cultural practices but also as a way of analyzing the productions that children made from the available discourses in their everyday lives. Desires, preferences and games as children name them are going to be the organizers of the second part of the paper. The relationship between children, media and play is complex, but it is a very interesting way to build some knowledge about the contemporary culture and the ways through which children establish different relationships with it. Both objectives will allow us to build a complex approach to children, media and play in the communicative ecosystem in which they are growing.Fil: Duek, Sara Carolina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires; Argentin

Assessing the impact of language on the measurement of financial literacy

Research in the field of financial literacy has found that black people and other minority groups, globally, underperform in financial literacy assessments, in comparison to their white counterparts. Multiple factors have been identified in literature, which try to explain the distribution of financial literacy results across demographic groups. However, none of these factors fully explain the disparity. Language has been identified as a potential factor, yet no studies have specifically explored this. A common characteristic among the underperforming group is that financial literacy assessments typically are not conducted in the participants' primary language. This paper aims to explore the impact of the language of assessment by testing whether assessing individuals in their primary language would improve their financial literacy scores. A quantitative research methodology was applied to surveys, which were disseminated in both English and isiXhosa (an African language). The survey performed is in line with existing financial literacy assessment however this study is made unique by controlling for language, to isolate its impact on the results. Statistical analysis of 240 respondents found that language was not the issue. Instead, in line with the findings of existing literature, self-efficacy and educational background are significant in determining financial literacy. These findings are key to financial literacy research and will help in the creation of financial literacy interventions. While there are no retrospective interventions for educational background, self-efficacy can be improved through targeted financial literacy intervention programmes designed to bridge the gap in financial literacy across racial groups