Title: Web Information Retrieval. Introduction to Modern Retrieval System. 18, 331-351
Author: Chowdhury, G. G. (2001)
Publisher: Library Association
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ABSTRACT:
Introduction of World Wide Web brought significant changes in the way information are accessed. Web became a huge collection of web pages around the world linked through internet. The development of web browser, particularly the Mosaic, allowed the users to access the web resources through point-and-click graphical manipulation. Traditional information retrieval techniques that had been developed are put into test and modified to fit the requirement for indexing and retrieving web documents.
Web information retrieval holds prominent differences from traditional text retrieval that stems in some typical web characteristics such as: distributed architecture, variety of information available, security and authorship, its growth and the distribution of information and users. Variety of information resources from this are published by anyone and so considered diverse in forms and security, and ought to be tracked for any changes and be evaluated scholarly by researchers for the proper implementation of changes on the information retrieval system.
Information from web are represented in different languages since it ties on different places and people all over the world. Some resources from this are directly viewable from web browser and accessible through search engines, while some are not, due to access security and download requirements, hence, the information from here are more difficult to index, locate and retrieve----- more complex when created using different platforms; unlike in a traditional text retrieval system that is smaller in volume since it focus on specific community and interest, and bound on specific database depending on the needs of the institution or clientele community.
Generally, Web Information Retrieval System are far more complex and different than traditional information retrieval systems in the aspects of its retrieval system requirement and facility capabilities, as a result, these resources necessitate thorough evaluation and analysis by before its utilization with the consideration on clientele or user schemes on query construction and search, as well as their capabilities in learning the wide area of web and its facilities.
THINGS I HAVE LEARNED:
Knowledge on web use as well as the different search engines available is helpful to individual who wants a wide array of information resources. With the aid of Boolean operators on query construction and search, the eager and interested user can adequately maximize the capabilities and function of the search engine information retrieval interface.
Information professionals and specialist like us, plays vital role in the organization and access of information resources on web. We, us information specialists should keep ourselves abreast of these changes on web and rekindle our knowledge on informations around us.
Individuals who use information from web should do keen evaluations of the resources they access so that they would know which among those sites or resources has more credible and up-to-date information.
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IMPLICATIONS:
I usually use Yahoo or Google in any search that I need do, whether just for leisure or for research reference. Like most of researchers of information resources on web, I use natural language—usually I just searched using key words or sentences; sometimes with Boolean operators. I have used the advance search just recently.
I, myself, I am not that familiar with the other features of Google and Yahoo that’s why it was overwhelming to know that there are lots of things about these search engines and directory that I am still not aware of. And that we also have other search engines that are more specialized.
If I would create a précis of the nature and essence of Web and Traditional Text Information Retrieval System, and each information retrieval, I would summarize its points in form of the images shown above.
Based on images shown above…
You could decipher that, like a spider web , web branches everywhere around the world. Every information resources are linked through the internet. The users then key-in its search query (represented as question marks on the image above) on the search engine or directory; control and manipulates its word or phrase search based on his or her information needs.
The recall results of the resources retrieved depends primarily on how these resources are indexed and made accessible by its owner or publisher--hence, whether the user provides the most simple keyword search if it did not match the term indexed, the material has no use—it cannot be retrieved and can be valued as not relevant. During the resource retrieval, accessed documents could be something easily accessible (represented by green area on web); useful and credible (represented by yellow area on web) while some have restrictions (represented by red area on web), empty and useless (represented by black, and white area on web).
Like a spider web, with its invisible and invincible strands that could reached anywhere ------ no one would really know what and who’s going to be trapped by it. Only the web or information publishers who know its purpose could actually demystify its nature of existence. As for the information retrieved, some information maybe good and palatable, while some can be considered as ghastly and some are considered useless. There sometimes there is no security of information since everyone can publish information on web (although a thorough knowledge on programming languages like html, java script or sql would be essential before they could actually produce a good site for it).
When a traditional textual retrieval system and web based information retrieval system are put side by side---- we may liken the former to an ART EXHIBIT, and the later as a FUN FAIR. Traditional textual retrieval system as an ART EXHIBIT--- has specific audience and theme, some are fee-based but mostly the new ones ( those done by new exhibitor artists) are accessible for free. Web Based retrieval system is like a FUN FAIR--- the entrance or access is free as long as you have the resource or equipment required. Once you’re inside you’re still not sure if you can access and avail of everything because majority are not for free.. Although it is entirely meant for public audience still it is profit based. Services and resources included here varies—---Some are worth the fun and money, some are scary, some are just there to occupy an ounce of space and of no use.
With the use of Web IRS, like in a Fun fair.. we learn to gamble on things that is there.. we are not accurately sure what we are going to get from there, as for the Traditional IRS, you use it because you know that you can directly get something from it since it is intended to answer your field and interest needs.
But the catch here is that, for both IR Systems…
the AUDIENCE still has the last say, if he or she would like or use what he got from there, hence, the “Relevance or essence of that system” would still depend on the clienteles of those services---- Whether it would just be....
...a Waste of Effort for clienteles and Budget for the institution, the clientele is still the one who will decide on how these could be a Wealthy-wise Environment for Bites of information from a Wishful Expedient for Burgeoning,
...and reach a verdict if… WE Be TRADeTIONAL or Not.
