Improving document representation by accumulating relevance feedback : the relevance feedback accumulation (RFA) algorithm

Document representation (indexing) techniques are dominated by variants of the term-frequency analysis approach, based on the assumption that the more occurrences a term has throughout a document the more important the term is in that document. Inherent drawbacks associated with this approach include: poor index quality, high document representation size and the word mismatch problem. To tackle these drawbacks, a document representation improvement method called the Relevance Feedback Accumulation (RFA) algorithm is presented. The algorithm provides a mechanism to continuously accumulate relevance assessments over time and across users. It also provides a document representation modification function, or document representation learning function that gradually improves the quality of the document representations. To improve document representations, the learning function uses a data mining measure called support for analyzing the accumulated relevance feedback. Evaluation is done by comparing the RFA algorithm to other four algorithms. The four measures used for evaluation are (a) average number of index terms per document; (b) the quality of the document representations assessed by human judges; (c) retrieval effectiveness; and (d) the quality of the document representation learning function. The evaluation results show that (1) the algorithm is able to substantially reduce the document representations size while maintaining retrieval effectiveness parameters; (2) the algorithm provides a smooth and steady document representation learning function; and (3) the algorithm improves the quality of the document representations. The RFA algorithm\u27s approach is consistent with efficiency considerations that hold in real information retrieval systems. The major contribution made by this research is the design and implementation of a novel, simple, efficient, and scalable technique for document representation improvement

Implicit feedback for interactive information retrieval

Searchers can find the construction of query statements for submission to Information Retrieval (IR) systems a problematic activity. These problems are confounded by uncertainty about the information they are searching for, or an unfamiliarity with the retrieval system being used or collection being searched. On the World Wide Web these problems are potentially more acute as searchers receive little or no training in how to search effectively. Relevance feedback (RF) techniques allow searchers to directly communicate what information is relevant and help them construct improved query statements. However, the techniques require explicit relevance assessments that intrude on searchers’ primary lines of activity and as such, searchers may be unwilling to provide this feedback. Implicit feedback systems are unobtrusive and make inferences of what is relevant based on searcher interaction. They gather information to better represent searcher needs whilst minimising the burden of explicitly reformulating queries or directly providing relevance information. In this thesis I investigate implicit feedback techniques for interactive information retrieval. The techniques proposed aim to increase the quality and quantity of searcher interaction and use this interaction to infer searcher interests. I develop search interfaces that use representations of the top-ranked retrieved documents such as sentences and summaries to encourage a deeper examination of search results and drive the information seeking process. Implicit feedback frameworks based on heuristic and probabilistic approaches are described. These frameworks use interaction to identify needs and estimate changes in these needs during a search. The evidence gathered is used to modify search queries and make new search decisions such as re-searching the document collection or restructuring already retrieved information. The term selection models from the frameworks and elsewhere are evaluated using a simulation-based evaluation methodology that allows different search scenarios to be modelled. Findings show that the probabilistic term selection model generated the most effective search queries and learned what was relevant in the shortest time. Different versions of an interface that implements the probabilistic framework are evaluated to test it with human subjects and investigate how much control they want over its decisions. The experiment involved 48 subjects with different skill levels and search experience. The results show that searchers are happy to delegate responsibility to RF systems for relevance assessment (through implicit feedback), but not more severe search decisions such as formulating queries or selecting retrieval strategies. Systems that help searchers make these decisions are preferred to those that act directly on their behalf or await searcher action

Beyond Innovation and Competition: The Need for Qualified Transparency in Internet Intermediaries

Internet service providers and search engines have mapped the web, accelerated e-commerce, and empowered new communities. They also pose new challenges for law. Individuals are rapidly losing the ability to affect their own image on the web - or even to know what data are presented about them. When web users attempt to find information or entertainment, they have little assurance that a carrier or search engine is not biasing the presentation of results in accordance with its own commercial interests. Technology’s impact on privacy and democratic culture needs to be at the center of internet policy-making. Yet before they promulgate substantive rules, key administrators must genuinely understand new developments. While the Federal Trade Commission and the Federal Communications Commission in the U.S. have articulated principles of editorial integrity for search engines and net neutrality for carriers, they have not engaged in the monitoring necessary to enforce these guidelines. This article proposes institutions for “qualified transparency” within each Commission to fill this regulatory gap. Qualified transparency respects legitimate needs for confidentiality while promoting individuals’ and companies\u27 capacity to understand how their reputations - and the online world generally - are shaped by dominant intermediaries

Planning and evaluation parameters for offshore complexes

Issues are presented for consideration in the planning and design of offshore artificial complexes. The construction of such complexes, their social, economic, and ecological impacts, and the legal-political-institutional environments within which their development could occur, are discussed. Planning, design, and construction of near-shore complexes located off the Mid-Atlantic coast of the United States is emphasized

Search Engine Optimisation. PageRank best Practices

Projecte realitzat en col.laboració amb el centre RWTH AachenSince the explosion of the Internet age the need of search online information has grown as well at the light velocity. As a consequent, new marketing disciplines arise in the digital world. This thesis describes, in the search engine marketing framework, how the ranking in the search engine results page (SERP) can be influenced. Wikipedia describes search engine marketing or SEM as a form of Internet marketing that seeks to promote websites by increasing their visibility in search engine result pages (SERPs). Therefore, the importance of being searchable and visible to the users reveal needs of improvement for the website designers. Different factors are used to produce search rankings. One of them is PageRank. The present thesis focuses on how PageRank of Google makes use of the linking structure of the Web in order to maximise relevance of the results in a web search. PageRank used to be the jigsaw of webmasters because of the secrecy it used to have. The formula that lies behind PageRank enabled the founders of Google to convert a PhD into one of the most successful companies ever. The uniqueness of PageRank in contrast to other Web Search Engines consist in providing the user with the greatest relevance of the results for a specific query, thus providing the most satisfactory user experience. Google does use PageRank as part of their ranking formula. Although it is not as important as many believe, it is nevertheless a measure of a web page’s popularity, and gives a certain indication on how “important” Google considers a page to be. The goal of search marketing is being visible to the end user. Two different fields within search marketing can be pointed out: Search Engine Optimisation and search engine marketing. This study focuses on the first one, Search Engine Optimisation, which refers to all types of initiatives and actions taken by website designers in order to increase the relevance for the Search Engines. It is about design, optimising content, linking structure (internal and external) and other page specific factors. Because of the predominance of Google, this thesis looks at which steps can be taken in a certain website when trying to be optimized for Google’s algorithm PageRank. Moreover, other factors which also have an influence are analyzed

Collected software engineering papers, volume 12

This document is a collection of selected technical papers produced by participants in the Software Engineering Laboratory (SEL) from November 1993 through October 1994. The purpose of the document is to make available, in one reference, some results of SEL research that originally appeared in a number of different forums. This is the 12th such volume of technical papers produced by the SEL. Although these papers cover several topics related to software engineering, they do not encompass the entire scope of SEL activities and interests. Additional information about the SEL and its research efforts may be obtained from the sources listed in the bibliography at the end of this document

Metadata visualization of scholarly search results

Studies of online search behaviour have found that searchers often face difficulties formulating queries and exploring the search results sets. These shortcomings may be especially problematic in digital libraries since library searchers employ a wide variety of information-seeking methods (with varying degrees of support), and the corpus to be searched is often more complex than simple textual information. To address these problems, an interactive Web-based library search interface is presented, which has been designed to support strategic retrieval behaviour of library searchers. This system takes advantage of the rich metadata associated with academic documents and employs information visualization techniques to provide searchers with additional information-seeking tools. These tools are designed to facilitate visual and interactive query refinement, search results exploration, and citation navigation. User evaluations illustrate the potential benefits of the design choices in comparison to a list-based digital library search interface

Making a name for Anonymous. Digital culture , anonymous publics and transgressie subjectivities

Recently, researchers from various domains of social sciences have been particularly concerned with the social, cultural, and political impacts of digital media. To give an account of the specific processes behind the formation of Anonymous, I develop a microsociological framework for the analysis of disembodied global forms – anchoring such forms in intersubjective reciprocity. In order to move beyond interpretative sociology’s emphasis on language as society’s integrative function, I privileged the dimensions of temporality, rhythms and patterns. I also focused on how “disembodied” internet collectives are enacted and assembled within computer screens, terminals, and the digital networks that connect them. My analysis takes into account those temporalities, projections and reflections, which point to the non-symbolic components of mediated sociality. Those dynamic interconnections behind the Anonymous collective are approached through the notions of publics, networks or even swarms.Recientemente, investigadores de diversos campos de las ciencias sociales se han enfocado en los impactos sociales, culturales y políticos de los medios digitales. Para dar cuenta de los procesos específicos detrás de la formación de Anonymous, yo desarrollo un marco microsociológico para el análisis de formas globales “desencarnadas” de sociabilidad, anclando estas formas en la reciprocidad intersubjetiva mediada. Para ir más allá del énfasis en el lenguaje como función integrativa de la sociedad de la sociología interpretativa, privilegié las dimensiones de la temporalidad, los ritmos y los patrones en mi análisis. También me enfoqué a ver cómo los colectivos de Internet "desencarnados" se construyen en pantallas de computadora, terminales y las redes digitales que los conectan. Mi análisis tiene en cuenta esas temporalidades, proyecciones y reflexiones, que apuntan a los componentes no simbólicos de la socialidad mediada. Esas interconexiones dinámicas detrás del colectivo Anónimo se acercan a través de las nociones de públicos, redes y enjambres.Recentment, investigadors de diversos camps de les ciències socials s'han enfocat en els impactes socials, culturals i polítics dels mitjans digitals. Per donar compte dels processos específics darrere de la formació d'Anonymous, jo desenvolupament un marc miocrosociològic per a l'anàlisi de formes globals "desencarnades" de sociabilitat, ancorant aquestes formes en la reciprocitat intersubjectiva intervinguda. Per anar més enllà de l'èmfasi en el llenguatge com a funció integrativa de la societat de la sociologia interpretativa, privilegiï les dimensions de la temporalitat, els ritmes i els patrons en la meva anàlisi. També vaig focalitzar a veure com els col·lectius d'Internet "desencarnats" es construeixen en pantalles d'ordinador, terminals i les xarxes digitals que els connecten. La meva anàlisi té en compte aquestes temporalitats, projeccions i reflexions, que apunten als components no simbòlics de la socialitat intervinguda. Aquestes interconnexions dinàmiques darrere del col·lectiu Anònim s'acosten a través de les nocions de públics, xarxes i eixams