Evaluation

Abstract

The previous three chapters covered, respectively, the commercial information retrieval (IR) databases available to users, how they are indexed, and how they are accessed. This chapter focuses on the evaluation of these databases. It builds on the research principles introduced in Chapter 3, obtaining an overview of how well current systems perform as well as providing baseline data for assessing the various research systems and approaches discussed in subsequent chapters. The studies described are organized around six questions that someone advocating the use of IR systems might ask:

• 1. Was the system used?

• 2. What was it used for?

• 3. Were the users satisfied in using it?

• 4. How well did they use the system?

• 5. Why did the system not perform well?

• 6. Did the system have an impact?