Design equations for retrieval systems based on the swets model
M.H. Heine · Journal of the American Society for Information Science · 1974
Abstract Swets's theory of information retrieval allows the threads of document weighting formulae, probabilistic measures of effectiveness, and management theory to be woven into a coherent pattern. Benefits of the theory are the beginnings of a quantitative description of retrieval languages, a clear distinction between retrieval `systems' and `language', a recognition that retrieval performance can be tailored to suit individual needs in a systematic way, and confirmation that question Generality is a pivotal feature of the retrieval process. The hypotheses involved are still in need of rigorous experimental testing.