Information Retrieval Issues

Navigation or browsing is effective only for small hypertext systems. For large hypertext databases, information retrieval (IR) through queries becomes crucial. Conklin had suggested that search and query mechanisms can present information at a manageable level of complexity and detail [Conklin, 1987]. Frank Halasz’s view was that “navigational access itself is not sufficient. Effective access to information stored in a hypermedia network requires query-based access to complement navigation….......search and query needs to be elevated to a primary access mechanism on par with navigation.” [Halasz, 1988b].

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
   1. Content Queries and Indexes
   2. Structural Queries
   3. Inference Networks
   4. Cluster Hierarchies, Aggregates, and Exceptions
2. Artificial Intelligence Techniques
3. Information Retrieval and Browsing
4. Summary