article

Articulating information needs in XML query languages

Authors:

Maarten de Rijke,

Börkur SigurbjörnssonAuthors Info & Claims

ACM Transactions on Information Systems (TOIS), Volume 24, Issue 4

Pages 407 - 436

https://doi.org/10.1145/1185877.1185879

Published: 01 October 2006 Publication History

Abstract

Document-centric XML is a mixture of text and structure. With the increased availability of document-centric XML documents comes a need for query facilities in which both structural constraints and constraints on the content of the documents can be expressed. How does the expressiveness of languages for querying XML documents help users to express their information needs? We address this question from both an experimental and a theoretical point of view. Our experimental analysis compares a structure-ignorant with a structure-aware retrieval approach using the test suite of the INEX XML Retrieval Evaluation Initiative. Theoretically, we create two mathematical models of users' knowledge of a set of documents and define query languages which exactly fit these models. One of these languages corresponds to an XML version of fielded search, the other to the INEX query language.Our main experimental findings are: First, while structure is used in varying degrees of complexity, two-thirds of the queries can be expressed in a fielded-search-like format which does not use the hierarchical structure of the documents. Second, three-quarters of the queries use constraints on the context of the elements to be returned; these contextual constraints cannot be captured by ordinary keyword queries. Third, structure is used as a search hint, and not as a strict requirement, when judged against the underlying information need. Fourth, the use of structure in queries functions as a precision enhancing device.

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Azad HDeepak A(2019)Query expansion techniques for information retrieval: A surveyInformation Processing & Management10.1016/j.ipm.2019.05.00956:5(1698-1735)Online publication date: Sep-2019
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Trotman A(2018)Processing Structural ConstraintsEncyclopedia of Database Systems10.1007/978-1-4614-8265-9_280(2882-2887)Online publication date: 7-Dec-2018
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-8265-9_280
Trotman A(2018)Narrowed Extended XPath IEncyclopedia of Database Systems10.1007/978-1-4614-8265-9_242(2460-2465)Online publication date: 7-Dec-2018
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-8265-9_242
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Index Terms

Articulating information needs in XML query languages
1. Applied computing
  1. Computers in other domains
    1. Digital libraries and archives
2. Information systems

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cover image ACM Transactions on Information Systems

ACM Transactions on Information Systems Volume 24, Issue 4

October 2006

138 pages

ISSN:1046-8188

EISSN:1558-2868

DOI:10.1145/1185877

Issue’s Table of Contents

Copyright © 2006 ACM.

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Association for Computing Machinery

New York, NY, United States

Publication History

Published: 01 October 2006

Published in TOIS Volume 24, Issue 4

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Cited By

Azad HDeepak A(2019)Query expansion techniques for information retrieval: A surveyInformation Processing & Management10.1016/j.ipm.2019.05.00956:5(1698-1735)Online publication date: Sep-2019
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ipm.2019.05.009
Trotman A(2018)Processing Structural ConstraintsEncyclopedia of Database Systems10.1007/978-1-4614-8265-9_280(2882-2887)Online publication date: 7-Dec-2018
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-8265-9_280
Trotman A(2018)Narrowed Extended XPath IEncyclopedia of Database Systems10.1007/978-1-4614-8265-9_242(2460-2465)Online publication date: 7-Dec-2018
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-8265-9_242
Trotman A(2017)Processing Structural ConstraintsEncyclopedia of Database Systems10.1007/978-1-4899-7993-3_280-2(1-5)Online publication date: 22-Sep-2017
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-7993-3_280-2
Trotman A(2017)Narrowed Extended XPath IEncyclopedia of Database Systems10.1007/978-1-4899-7993-3_242-2(1-6)Online publication date: 25-Jan-2017
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-7993-3_242-2
Cheng YShaw H(2015)Cloud-based, service-oriented and knowledge-sharing architectureInternational Journal of Computer Integrated Manufacturing10.1080/0951192X.2013.87458728:2(137-154)Online publication date: 1-Feb-2015
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Xia YLi ZLv STang G(2013)The Research and Application of Heterogeneous Database Based on XML in Distance EducationApplied Mechanics and Materials10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMM.347-350.2483347-350(2483-2487)Online publication date: Aug-2013
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ten Cate BFontaine GLitak T(2012)Some modal aspects of XPathJournal of Applied Non-Classical Logics10.3166/jancl.20.139-17120:3(139-171)Online publication date: 13-Apr-2012
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