Structured Information States - raising and resolving issues
Joris Hulstijn, G. Jager, A. Benz · 1997
This paper proposes to combine update semantics with a partition semantics of questions. The resulting update semantics with questions (USQ) models a question as a change to the information-structure of an information state. Each information state is considered to be structured by one or more issues: salient questions in need of an answer. This makes it possible to clarify the notion of relevance. An utterance U is considered relevant when it (partially) resolves one or more of the current issues. For automatic inquiry systems some ways of predicting the currently salient issue, are indicated. 1 Introduction Every day we are bombarded with a multiplicity of information: books, magazines, conversation, fax and the internet might result in an `information overkill'. Yet we are able to structure such large amounts of data. We select precisely the information that meets our needs, answers our questions or helps to solve our problems. In short, information that is relevant. For di...