A theoretical framework for defining similarity measures for boolean search request formulations, including some experimental results

Abstract

Clusters of queries submitted to a given information retrieval system can be used as a basis for an effective method of clustering documents. This indirect procedure of document clustering requires the availability of a similarity measure for queries. Research carried out along these lines has resulted in the development of some methodologies for estimating such query similarities, applicable both in the case of queries characterized by sets of weighted or unweighted index terms and in the case of queries represented by Boolean combinations of index terms. This paper reports the results of further research by the author into a methodology of the latter type, i.e. a methodology for determining the similarity between queries characterized by Boolean search request formulations. The novelty of the presented approach, as compared with the methodology introduced in an earlier paper by the author, is that some relations among index terms are now taken into account. A number of similarity measures for Boolean combinations of index terms are discussed here in some detail. The rationale behind these measures is outlined, and the conditions to be met for ensuring their equivalence are identified. Moreover, the results of an experiment concerning two of the similarity measures introduced are given.