Chapter 4: The Search Query

Question 1

Boolean logic

Answer 1

A method for combining search terms (keywords) using logical operators to limit or expand the numbers of results. This system was originally developed by the mathematician
George Boole in the 1800s. Three logical operators are used in information retrieval: AND, OR, and NOT.

Question 2

Boolean operator

Answer 2

Indicates a relationship between search terms. Using Boolean operators allows the searcher to broaden or narrow the search results. The three most commonly used
Boolean operators are: AND, OR, and NOT.

Question 3

Concept identification

Answer 3

Indicates a relationship between search terms. Using Boolean operators allows the searcher to broaden or narrow the search results. The three most commonlv used
Boolean operators are: AND, OR and NOT.

Question 4

Controlled vocabulary

Answer 4

An authorised list of terms that can be used when indexing a document or an entity or when conducting an information search

Question 5

Human indexing

Answer 5

When human indexers (as opposed to computer algorithms) create representations of documents by allocating keywords to describe the content.

Question 6

Metadata

Answer 6

Metadata are data that describe and give information about other data. Metadata often contain descriptive keywords for a document.

Describes the properties of the document.

Metadata contain descriptive keywords/ concepts about a
document.

Metadata can also be tags.

Question 7

Natural language representation

Answer 7

Content described in words that we use in everyday language

Question 8

Natural language query

Answer 8

A query that uses the same words that the author used in the document to represent the document in a search query.

Question 9

Query

Answer 9

A query is a combination of search terms (keywords) with Boolean operators in a single statement. The searcher must construct a query to carry out a search.

Question 10

Query construction

Answer 10

Constructing a query involves combining search terms (keywords) with Boolean operators in a single statement.

Question 11

Search engine mathematics

Answer 11

These are mathematical symbols used instead of Boolean operators. For example, + is the equivalent of the Boolean operator AND and - is the equivalent of the Boolean
operator NOT

Question 12

Creating and representing information

Answer 12

1. Mental process
2. Real world
3. Computer ready

Question 13

Mental process

Answer 13

An author has an idea research problem or interest

Question 14

Real world

Answer 14

The author creates a
document (information
object). This can be a blog,
book, an article, a website,
etc.

Question 15

Computer ready

Answer 15

For people to find this
document, the content must
be represented in a database
as one or both of the
following: full text or
representation of the
document through metadata.

Question 16

Seeking and retrieving information

Answer 16

1. Mental process
2. Real world
3. Computer ready

Question 17

Mental process

Answer 17

An information user needs information to a problem or maybe just out of interest

Question 18

Real world

Answer 18

The user must formulate a
question (or maybe a
question is already formulated
as an assignment)!

Question 19

Computer ready

Answer 19

The question now Has to be
reformulated as a query for
the interface to understand it.

Question 20

Retrieving information

Answer 20

The idea of information retrieval is to
MATCH
Your need (as a user) for information
TO
An author's supply of information.

When we search for information, we are trying to
MATCH
The words in a question
TO
The words an author may have written at some point in time

Question 21

Metadata can be used to represent a document in two ways

Answer 21

1. Natural Language

2. CONTROLLED VOCABULARY

Question 22

Natural language

Answer 22

EVERYDAY LANGUAGE.
WORDS THAT ALREADY EXIST IN THE
DOCUMENT.

Question 23

Controlled vocabulary

Answer 23

ALTERNATIVE WORDS / SYNONYMS
BROADER AND LESS SPECIFIC THAN
NATURAL LANGUAGE.

Question 24

DETERMINING SEARCH KEYWORDS

Answer 24

Identify topics and concepts

Identify singular and plural forms

Identify proper nouns

Identify time periods

Identify required formats

Question 25

BOOLEAN OPERATORS

Answer 25

AND OR NOT (Must be capitalised)

Question 26

AND

Answer 26

``` The function of the AND operator is to COMBINE search terms in such a way that all the terms combined by AND in the query must appear in the document for it to be retrieved. ```

Question 27

OR

Answer 27

``` The OR operator combines terms in such a way that any of the terms combined by OR can be present in the document for it to be retrieved. ```

Question 28

NOT

Answer 28

``` The third Boolean operator is NOT, or the exclusion operator. This is used to exclude certain search terms from your query. ```