A framework for the theoretical evaluation of XML retrieval

  • Authors:

  • Tobias Blanke;Mounia Lalmas;Theo Huibers

  • Affiliations:

  • Centre for e-Research, King's College London, 26-29 Drury Lane, WC2B 5RL, London, UK;Yahoo!, Research Barcelona, Avinguda Diagonal 177, 08018, Barcelona, Catalunya, Spain;Department of Computing Science, University of Twente, Drienerlolaan 5, 7522, NBEnschede, The Netherlands

  • Venue:
  • Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology
  • Year:
  • 2012

Quantified Score

Hi-index 0.00

Visualization

Abstract

We present a theoretical framework to evaluate XML retrieval. XML retrieval deals with retrieving those document components—the XML elements—that specifically answer a query. In this article, theoretical evaluation is concerned with the formal representation of qualitative properties of retrieval models. It complements experimental methods by showing the properties of the underlying reasoning assumptions that decide when a document is about a query. We define a theoretical methodology based on the idea of “aboutness” and apply it to current XML retrieval models. This allows comparing and analyzing the reasoning behavior of XML retrieval models experimented within the INEX evaluation campaigns. For each model we derive functional and qualitative properties that qualify its formal behavior. We then use these properties to explain experimental results obtained with some of the XML retrieval models. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.