CLSC555 IS Webliograph

CLSC 555 Information Systems Webliography: Web Information Retrieval
by
Steven Weiler

The Basics
- Web Search: How the web has changed information retrieval.
  by Terrence A. Brooks
  A survey of the advent and evolution of web technology by an academic. The author is subjective. Questions like what is a document? a search? the web? are probed philosophically. Gives a good education, but requires some bare knowledge from the start.
- Bare Bones 101: A Basic Tutorial On Searching the Web
  by Ellen Chamberlain
  A quick reference source from the Beaufort Library at the University of South Carolina. It's concrete and accessible. It covers some important topics but not comprehensively--and neither is the scope of the tutorial.
- Introduction to Information Retrieval and Web-based Searching Methods
  by Mark Sanderson
  The notes from a lecture given on information retrieval at Sheffield University in England. Simple explanations and diagrams are presented in a slide show. However some notes are inscrutable.
Means and Methods
- Web Link Analysis for Information Retrieval
  by the Information Management Systems research group
  A quick read on how documents are ordered after a query. Namely two algorithms are introduced. As it is short it will not be a burden but you will certainly want to look for more expansive articles on this subject.
- Integrating query expansion and conceptual relevance feedback for personalized Web IR
  by Chia-Hui Chang and Ching-Chi Hsu
  An article from two professors in Taiwan that follows the train of thought that began in the previous link. Intoduces concept-based feedback as an improved method of searching and describes what exactly occurs when a query is started. This is a difficult read but not too abstruse to understand.
- Systems Evaluation Methods for Web Retrieval Tasks Considering Hyperlink Structure
  by Koji Eguchi, Keizo Oyama, Emi Ishida, Norika Kando, and Kazuko Kuriyama
  A group of professors from Japan conducted a yearlong study on web retrieval and these are the results. The study is important for taking the hyperlink structure into account and the process may be interesting. The results are rather obvious--short queries and title searches are more effective than long queries and description searching. Still the article gathers useful data. Unfortunately, like other links in this subcategory, this site is sure to cure insomnia.
- The Design of Browsing and Berrypicking Techniques for the Online Search Interface
  by Marcia J. Bates
  A long article that defines "Berrypicking" and provides an overview and critique of searching and user behavior. The author is a professor at UCLA. The length of the article may deter some readers, but the writing is good and the subject matter actually fascinating.
- Eigenvector Methods of Web Information Retrieval
  by Carl D. Meyer
  This is a link to an article in pdf. format that introduces Eigenvector computations. The article is of interest to anyone who wants to learn how hyperlink structure shapes searching and how that structure can be exploited. It is therefore best read in conjunction with the Japanese study. The author is a professor at North Carolina State University and the article is terribly long and cerebral, and delves deeply into science and mathematics.
Problems and Solutions
- Search and You May Find
  by Jacob Nielsen
  This article announces the most pressing problems in searching from a user's perspective. It is meant to be heard by web designers. The age of the article--it was published in 1997--would be its drawback if the problems it posits were not still with us. The author is characterized by all the pros and cons of not being an academic.
- Clarifying Search
  by Ben Schneiderman, Don Byrd, and W. Bruce Croft
  An article on the ways to improve textual database searching. Its major concern is simplifying user interfaces. The article is ancient relative to technology, but interesting to compare then with now to see if the problems of the past have been resolved in the present.
- Improving Pseudo-Relevance Feedback in Web Information Retrieval Using Web Page Segmentation
  by Shipeng Yu, Deng Cai, Ji-Rong Wen, and Wei-Ying Ma
  The results of a scientific study from China on a new algorithm to eliminate irrelevant information in query results. The report introduces the VIPS (Vision-based Page Segmentation) Algorithm. Though the study is heavy on science and math, the report is digestable to your average reader with many graphs and diagrams to illustrate the findings.
- Why On-site Searching Stinks
  by Jared M. Spool
  An article on searching within web sites. This is yet another old article on a problem that persists. Try searching within the CUA website before reading this article to get its full purport.
- After the Dot-Bomb: Getting Information Retrieval Right this Time
  by Marcia J. Bates
  Another fascinating article from Bates that connects the failure of websites to poor information retrieval. The article provides a thorough overview of what occurred on the web during the nineties and makes recommendations for improvement. The length of the article might dismay some readers.
- Google Time Bomb
  by John Hiler
  An article on a major problem that was (still is?) facing the popular search engine, Google. It gives instructions on how to experiment with (and contribute to) this problem. This is a tremendously interesting article to read, especially if you are a google user. The author has all the pros and cons of being a journalist.
The Future
- The Future of Human Knowledge: The Semantic Web
  by Gene J. Koprowski
  What is the Semantic Web? This article will tell you. In short, language will sound more natural in queries and the web will be generally smarter in the future. As in all articles on what will be, the author must presuppose and assume, but nevertheless it is an interesting topic to think about.