Investigating performance predictors using monte carlo simulation and score distribution models
Ronan Cummins · 2012
The standard deviation of scores in the top k documents of a ranked list has been shown to be significantly correlated with average precision and has been the basis of a number of query performance predictors. In this paper, we outline two hypotheses that aid in understanding this correlation. Using score distribution (SD) models with known parameters, we create a large number of document rankings using Monte Carlo simulation to test the validity of these hypotheses.